Can Vinegar Get Rid of Odors in the Carpet?

Vinegar can remove stains but it won't take odors out of a carpet.

Vinegar has many uses, but removing odors from carpets is not one of them. You can use it for removing stains from a carpet, but other products are more effective at getting rid of odors. Vinegar has a strong odor of its own, although this evaporates after a few days. If a powerful odor is exceptionally unpleasant, vinegar may help to mask it and replace it with an odor that is not as bad, but it will not remove odors from the carpet.

Removing Odors

The best product for the removal of odors from carpeting is baking soda. You can use this in a variety of ways. For spillage such as urine, vinegar, ammonia and other strong-smelling liquids, blot up excess liquid using an old towel and sprinkle baking soda onto the damp patch. Allow it to dry and vacuum thoroughly. To remove odors that have already dried into the carpet, mix a strong solution of baking soda and hot water. Dissolve the baking soda completely, allow it to cool and pour it over the patches. Let it stand for 10 minutes, blot up the excess liquid and allow it to dry..

Vinegar to Remove Stains

Mix a paste made from 2 tbsp. of white distilled vinegar and 1/4 cup salt or baking soda. Test it on a small area of carpet to make sure the carpet is colorfast, or you could end up with a bleached patch that is no better than the original stain. Work the paste into the stained patch of carpet and allow it to dry. Vacuum it thoroughly 24 hours later.

Masking Odors

Vinegar is useful for diluting fresh pet urine accidents in a carpet. Mix 1/2 cup of white distilled vinegar with 2 pints of water and pour it over the wet patch to dilute it. Blot it with an old towel and sprinkle baking soda on the damp area to absorb the odor of the vinegar. Vacuum it once it is dry.

Refreshing Carpet

Bring out the color in your carpet by brushing it with a solution of vinegar and water. Use 1 cup of white distilled vinegar to 1 gallon of water. Dip the brush in it before brushing the carpet vigorously. This lifts the pile of the carpet and freshens it.

References

• Natural Healthy Home Cleaning Tips: Vinegar and Baking Soda Cleaning Recipes
• 1001 Uses for White Distilled Vinegar: Cleaning
• The New Homemaker; Vinegar: (Almost) the Only Cleaner you'll Ever Need; Noël-Marie Taylor