No More Wet Carpet, No More Musty Smell

One of the worst things that you need to deal with after a flood or water damage is that you will need to deal with a lot of damp and wet properties – one of which is your wet carpet.

There are various explanations for odor problems concerning a wet carpet. A wet carpet with a musty smell does not have anything to do with the top level cleaning. Rather, by the liquids (such as flood water) which has seeped through the carpet fiber, carpet backer and into the padding.

Cleaning a wet carpet can sure get surface dirt. Some steam clean gets the fiber soil but not all get the padding clean. When you clean your carpets the moisture wicks down and this forces the moisture into the padding layer. However, you don't just clean or disinfect your wet carpet. You need to make sure that you get rid of the musty carpet smell as well. Below are easy odor removal tips which are sure to keep you carpets not just looking brand new but smelling like new as well!

1. Know the type of the wet carpet that you want to clean. Carpets retain odors just like they retain dust and grit. The first thing to do is to remove the padding. Turn the carpet upside down then give it a light scrubbing using vinegar and water. Leave it up side down until it completely dries. The vinegar and water solution can also help you remove carpet stains such.

2. Another trick is to spread the carpet over a long table or in any flat surface like the floor. If the wet carpet was not glued to the surface, you can roll it up then drag it outside into your garage or onto your patio. If your carpet is wall to wall and very heavy to move outside, get several chairs and prop it up. This will allow the air to flow from top to bottom and vice versa. If moving your wet carpet is not possible, you will need to consider renting a commercial size wet dry shop vacuum. This is a slow process but proven to be an effective one.

3. One of the major sources for the bad odor is your carpet underlay. Remove the padding as soon as you can. If you are not able to remove the padding, use a shop vac to pull out moisture and water.
4. After removing all the water from the carpet, it's time to clean the carpet thoroughly. You can either hire a professional cleaner to do it for you or, you can do it yourself as well. To do so, simply use a trusted cleaning detergent and a sanitizer. Topnotch commercial cleaners are highly required to keep your carpets free from mold and mildew. Ammonia also works well.

5. If you were able to remove the wet carpet out of your house, you can soak it with a garden hose. Start sweeping at one end then work your way back and forth on the carpet. Repeat the process over and over again until the water runs clean and no further signs of debris are seen.

6. After washing your carpet, keep it dry as quickly as possible to prevent mold contamination. You can use large fans, heaters and dehumidifiers to do keep it dry. Begin this process by using your dry shop vacuum to suck out as much water and moisture as possible the it's time to use your heaters and fans.

7. Fans without heat can also help you move the air causing a quicker drying process. Note however, that drying up your carpets using fan heat is still a lot better. A slightly damp carpet can be easily affected by mold and mildew.

8. Before you place the carpet back on the floor, make sure that the floor is thoroughly cleaner and disinfected. This can also help prevent further mold contamination.

Keep these tips in mind and you're sure to have a clean and nice smelling carpet all the time!