How to Get Rid of a Mildew Odor in Carpet

Carpet mildew is a nuissance.

Getting rid of mildew and mildew odor in a carpet is crucial to good health and a nice smelling home. Who wants to live in a home that stinks? Here are several ways you can get rid of mildew and mildew odor in carpet - choose the one that works best for you:

Things You'll Need

• vinegar
• baking soda
• ammonia
• Tide detergent
• carpet pad scraps
• Odoban spray
• antibacterial gel
• water
• cloths
• spray bottle

Instructions

1. 

   Pull the carpet up from the wall, replace the carpet pad underneath then sprinkle baking soda between the carpet and carpet pad and also between the carpet pad and the floor itself. This works great if the mildew is in the corner or side of the room. It is also the most effective way to get rid of mildew and mildew odor.

2. 

   Clean the mildewed carpet with antibacterial gel and water. Make sure you don't drench the carpet in the process. Wipe up the area thoroughly with a wet cloth and get excess water up with a dry cloth. Put a fan on the area and let it dry thoroughly.

3. 

   Mix 1/4 cup baking soda, 2 cups water and 2 cups white vinegar in a spray bottle. Apply the mixture to the mildewed carpet. Make sure you don't drench the carpet in the process. Put a fan on the area and let it dry thoroughly.

4. 

   Spray the area with a mixture of ammonia and vinegar (equal parts), then mix water with Tide detergent (3 tablespoons to each gallon of water) and scrub the area with a cloth. Make sure you don't drench the carpet in the process. Wipe up the area with a wet clot and blot the area with a dry cloth. While still damp, sprinkle baking soda over the area, then put a fan on it and let it dry thoroughly.

5. 

   Spray Odoban on the affected area and put a fan on the carpet to dry it out. You can buy Odoban at Walmart stores.

6. 

   Call Stanley Steemer. They have great service and can remove just about anything from carpet, including mildew and mildew odor. This is a last resort if you can't get rid of it on your own.

7. 

   Replace the padding completely (the padding is what the mildew grows on). This is also a last resort if you can't seem to remove the mildew and mildew odor on your own.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure the area is well ventilated before applying detergents or cleaning agents on the mildewed carpet.

• Test a hidden area of your carpet before putting detergents or cleaning agents on large open areas of your mildewed carpet.

Resources

• Odoban Spray website
• Tide website
• Purell website
• Stanley Steemer website