How to Clean Sour Milk Odor Out of a Carpet

Long after you spill milk and clean up the mess and any lingering stains, you may be left with a sour odor, especially on carpet. Carpet fibers are especially absorbent and unlike fabric, you can't easily put it in the washing machine or air it outside when it smells. Some stain removal products may not effectively work on the underlying odor. The proper deodorizing method will get the sour milk odor out of your carpet for good.

Things You'll Need

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• Small bucket or bowl
• 1 to 2 tbsp. gentle liquid detergent (such as hand or dish soap)
• White cloth
• Sponge
• Baking soda
• Spray bottle
• Nylon or plastic scrub brush
• Vacuum

Instructions

1. Pour 1 1/2 cups of warm water into a small bucket or bowl. Add in 1 to 2 tbsp. of gently liquid detergent into the water; the amount of detergent will depend on how large the milk stain area was.

2. Dip a white cloth into the sudsy water. Dab it gently onto the part of the carpet where the odor is coming from to remove any lingering milk that may have dried into the carpet. Moisten a sponge with cool water. Dab it onto the carpet to rinse away any detergent.

3. Wait for the carpet to dry; determine if the odor still lingers. Apply a thin layer of baking soda onto the carpet if it still smells.

4. Fill a spray bottle with water, then squirt it onto the baking soda to slightly moisten it. It will form a light paste that can penetrate the stain more efficiently. Let the baking soda sit on the carpet for at least eight hours so it has time to absorb the milk odor.

5. Scrub at the baking soda gently with a nylon or plastic scrubbing brush to loosen the baking soda. Vacuum up all the baking soda; it will have soaked up all the milk odors from the carpet.

Tips & Warnings

• If you don't have baking soda, cornstarch can be substituted because it has similar absorption properties.

• Always use white cloths to remove stains or clean carpets; any dyes from colored cloths can discolor the carpet fibers.

References

• Good Housekeeping Magazine: Milk Stain Buster
• Mrs. Clean USA: Milk Stains