What’s That Smell? Leading Causes of Carpet Odor

People generally connect the smell of something to its cleanliness. If a place smells good, then it must be clean. If a room reeks of an unpleasant smell, there are many possible culprits. It could be the fridge, the trash bins, the couch, or the carpet.

Carpets are not smelly; it is the things that are trapped in it that cause its bad odor. Your carpet acts as a filter or a sponge which absorbs everything that falls to the floor. Anything from food to soil can get trapped in it and get stuck in the fibers over time.

One may think, why have a carpet when it just becomes another thing to clean up in a house? Carpets can add a homey feel to an otherwise minimalistic and modern house. It can set the tone for your place. Carpets, however, are not just for aesthetics. For those with toddlers and kids, carpets are there to protect their dimpled knees from bruises.

Top Reasons Why Your Carpet Stinks

There are many things that can cause a carpet to eventually smell bad. We’ve rounded up the most common things that can get trapped in your carpet and give it that unpleasant odor.

  • Mildew and Mold

Mildew and mold are the hardest to clean off from your carpet. It can develop over time when your carpet becomes wet. A mildewed carpet smells like a laundry that was not dried immediately. A heavy duty cleaning and drying service will be needed to get the mildew out of your carpet.

  • Baby and Pet Urine, Vomit, and Dirt

What’s That Smell? Leading Causes of Carpet Odor

If you have a baby who is starting to learn how to walk, or if you own a pet, then you know that accidents can happen. Urine is one of the hardest smells to clean off of your carpet. Even if you immediately clean up the urine, some chemicals may still be left in the carpet to cause a bad smell. Worse, if the urine goes undetected, then it can cause a harder problem to resolve in the future.

Vomit smell can also be very hard to remove. Even if you clean it up immediately, it can still leave behind an awful smell.

  • Tobacco Smoke

If somebody smokes in your home, the carpet will collect the tobacco or cigarette smoke odor. You may get accustomed to the smell because you live with it daily, but your visitors can take notice of it.

  • Food Crumbs and Spilled Drinks

We all eat and drink, and in the process, food bits and pieces can fall and get trapped in your carpet. Undetected food crumbs can get stale and give off a bad smell. Accidents can also happen and drinks can spill. Spilled beer and alcoholic drinks can give your carpet a foul smell, which can be difficult to remove.

  • Old age

Over time, your carpet will develop that old, musty smell, and there is nothing that can be done to save it. Old carpets also tend to release dust that can cause allergies. All you can do is to replace the old with something new.

Keeping Your Carpet Clean

Dirt that you bring inside your home, accumulated dust, and other foreign substances can give your carpet a foul smell. A house can be a busy place, and household traffic can bring lots of dirt to your carpet. It is necessary to maintain your carpet regularly, so that smells will not be difficult to remove. It is also important to identify the source of the smell, so you will know the best treatment to apply.

Professional carpet cleaners are available to help remove those hard to remove odors for you. They use cleansing solutions and high technology cleaners to remove dirt and stains off your carpet, leaving you with a fresher and better smelling carpet.

Written by Eric Sappington, owner of Sappington’s Carpet Care, the leading company for carpet cleaning in Columbia, MO.

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