Why Does My Carpet Smell After Cleaning?
Having your carpets professionally cleaned eliminates carpet stains, completely remove dirt and bacteria, and extends the life of your carpet – enhancing the overall appearance of your property. Regular carpet cleaning is the best way to maintain better looking and healthier carpets ongoing.
So, why does my carpet smell after cleaning? Read on…
The Causes of After-Smell Carpet Cleaning
Carpet smells after cleaning often come from carpet backing and padding located beneath the carpet fibres. These can retain moisture, ground-in dirt and grime, and odours from spills and stains.
When these areas become saturated by deep cleaning the aroma can resurface and the carpet smells like dog – or mildew, or simply sour. Animal urine soaks into the carpet fibres and below, and when this meets the cleaning solutions any leftover particles will be reactivated – and smell.
The smell of cigarette smoke that penetrates carpet fibres is another cause of the odour. And spilt milk products will produce an acrid smell.
When your carpet smells musty after cleaning this can be due to the underlay and padding not being completely dry. Underlays can break down with age. And mould and mildew can grow on grip rods and skirting boards.
Hints for Getting Rid of Odours
You can help to eliminate these odours whilst your carpet dries by absorbing them through bowls of white vinegar placed around the room. You could sprinkle baking soda on the surface of the carpets and allow it to settle. Then vacuum it off.
Borax can be used like the baking soda – simply sprinkle onto carpets and scrub it into the fibres with a dry brush. It’s more effective if you leave it overnight before vacuuming.
Cat litter can be used as a deodoriser too. Place in small bowls in the carpeted areas – make sure the containers are small enough to prevent your cats from using them as a litter tray!
Bear in mind that if your carpets have suffered water damage, for example, the smell could be due to mould or mildew growing within the carpets themselves. You may need a recommended mould remediation service to clean the carpets thoroughly. In the most severe cases, you may need to replace the carpets completely.
Leaving trapped moisture for a significant period can create health issues. Mould can trigger allergic reactions – and dirty carpets can become a breeding ground for dust mites, resulting in nose and eye irritation, and often triggering asthma attacks.
Tips for DIY Carpet Cleaning
If you’re going to tackle the carpet cleaning yourself be guided by the following hints:
- Carpets most commonly smell after cleaning with a rental carpet cleaner due to over-wetting
- The carpet cleaning machine needs to be powerful enough to suck up as much moisture as possible from the carpet fibres
- You need to make sure you don’t use excessive amounts of carpet shampoo or detergent
- High humidity levels and insufficient air circulation will make carpet drying more difficult, and take longer
- Don’t tread on the carpet whilst it’s still wet
- Avoid using your household vacuum on wet carpets as there’s a potential risk of electrocution
Carpet Drying Techniques
How long does a carpet take to dry? When specialists from Perfect Carpet Cleaning carry out your carpet cleaning it’ll be with the minimum amount of water. This low moisture process means that your carpets will dry quickly – in just as few hours.
Otherwise, your carpets make take longer to dry. And you may need to open the windows and use fans aimed directly at the carpets to help with drying out. You can position a dehumidifier in the room. Or you can rent an air mover system which speeds the drying process up to three times as fast.
Remember that you’ll need to wait to put back any furniture until the carpets are completely dry – if wooden furniture legs become damp the stain can bleed into the newly cleaned carpet. And likewise, the wet carpet can damage the furniture legs.
Call in the Professionals
We use eco-friendly products, perform to assure a quick dry time, and offer satisfaction guaranteed. Perfect Carpet Cleaning is a trusted local company – and offer both domestic and commercial carpet cleaning. Trained technicians will determine the best cleaning solutions and techniques for your carpets. And ensure that they’re safe for your children, pets, and the environment. Your carpets will soon look as new – and smell as fresh.
