

Carpet Cleaning Tips
What’s That Funky New Carpet Smell and How to Get Rid of It? You noticed or scented (which is probably worse) that it’s time to free your carpet from the trapped dirt. As any diligent homeowner or renter would do, you decided to give that shaggy piece of fabric a good bath.
To do so, you’ve probably rented a cleaning machine or called a professional, moved your pet into another room, and prayed to all the gods you knew that those carpet stains would come off with ease.
So far, so good.
A couple of hours later, you got your lovely carpet cleaned, yet your nose receptors are still telling you that something’s not right. You sniffed around only to find out that the rug is the one to blame.
But why does your carpet smell worse after cleaning it?
Let’s see what are the causes of that musty smell in the room and what can you do to fight it.
Who is this blogpost for:
The leading cause for a bad-smelling carpet after cleaning is that the carpet backing absorbed some of the moisture in the process and is still wet. If not dried properly, the underlying material becomes susceptible to mildew problems, which can cause the musty smell. So, make sure that you dry the carpet well and the bad odour will disappear.
If the carpet is relatively new, the so-called “wet dog” smell should disappear after the item is fully dry. For brand new items, check our post on how to reduce the scent of a new carpet.
For older carpetings, this might be a sign of their underlays breaking down. If so, it might be the time to retire your carpet or rug and replace it with a freshly bought one.
However, before doing anything at all, ask yourself the following questions:
Let’s start with the first one.
The main reason for carpeting to smell worse after professional cleaning is overwetting. The most common causes for overwetting are:
In some cases, to remove dried-on stains will require over wetting certain areas of the carpet. Then, a professional cleaner will do a couple of dry passes to suck up as much of the moisture as possible. When warm water comes in contact with dirt and heavy food or drinks spillages set-in deep into the fibres, this creates the perfect environment for bacteria growth. And while the bacteria are multiplying thanks to the heat and moisture, the odour quickly intensifies.
We suggest you read our post on the most effective and popular carpet cleaning methods to learn which technique is suitable for your textile floor covering. If you are interested in how frequently you need clean it, check out our article on how often to clean a carpet.
If #2 is the case and the carpet smelled like mildew even before the cleaning procedure, here are the possible reasons:
These three factors are extremely interconnected and can affect your carpet in a truly disastrous way. When in doubt, if possible, lift up a section of the carpet and look underneath. If you notice grey, green, white or black spots, it’s probably moulded.
Before learning what to and what not to do, let’s start with what you should know:
Any reputable carpet cleaning technician should provide you with instructions on how to take care of your carpet right after a deep clean.
If a rental carpet cleaning machine was used, the shop should give you information about how much time it will take for the carpet to dry out completely.
Here’s how you can get rid of that musty smell out of your freshly cleaned carpet while it’s drying:
As mentioned above, you should receive instructions on what not to do with your carpet from the cleaning company or shop as well. If you didn’t get any directions for whatever reason, here are the things you should avoid doing while your carpet is still wet:
If you want to learn more about how to maintain your rug properly, check out our detailed post on the topic. It’ll walk you through the different ways to clean your carpet and keep it smelling fresh.
That’s it – you tried everything you could, but the unpleasant carpet damp smell refuses to go away. Well, unfortunately, odds are that there’s a good chance that the underlying surface of your carpet is damaged.
If that’s the case, it might be too late for you to save it and you should consider replacing the carpeting (here, you can find the nearest carpet recycler). Sadly, even professional carpet cleaners can’t help you with this one. This is simply something beyond their expertise and capabilities. However, note the following:
Why you ask? Because all carpet cleaning technicians working with Fantastic Services are diligent and experienced in their field. Each job starts with a preparation and a quick viewing of the carpet to prevent any damages such as overwetting and discolouration during the service.
Let the experts eliminate it for you today!
Having a smelly carpet is not a pleasant experience, and if the cause is mould or mildew, it can turn into a health hazard, too. Take a look at our helpful blog post to learn how to remove mould from a carpet; your lungs and nose will thank you for it.
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Now that you have a clue of why your carpet smells after cleaning it, it is time to resolve this issue! If you have any questions, please do let us know using our comment section.
Image source: depositphotos / Kobyakov, StudioLightAndShade, Patryk_Kosmider
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