HOW TO CLEAN CARPET SMELL: HOMEMADE RECIPES THAT REALLY WORK!

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How to clean carpet smell? Here are the homemade recipes that really work!

Is your carpet or rug in need of a good clean and you wonder how to do it without using harsh chemicals around your family? 

You can easily use any of the following pantry ingredients:

• Baking soda;
• Vinegar;
• Vodka.

Read this post and I’ll show you how easy and effective those simple kitchen ingredients are at getting rid of stains and any nasty smell on your carpets!

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Having rugs and carpets in your home can add a lovely touch to the general look of your environment.

Indeed they add colour and style as well as warmth in any room.

However, unlike the rest of your furniture, you might forget to clean them on a regular basis and, before you know it, they start looking dirty and developing unpleasant odors.

Why does my carpet have a weird smell?

Despite your best attempts at keeping your carpet clean, there are some factors that may contribute to produce a bad smell on it.

For example, your carpets can develop bad odours easily if:

• They are in high-traffic areas in your home;
• You have pets;
• There is poor ventilation in your home.

The good news is that, whatever the reason, it is not difficult to get rid of stains and foul odors naturally.

I’ll show you exactly what are the best natural remedies that really work.

How do you get rid of a bad smell in carpet?

Of course there are a number of commercially produced items you can get at your local grocery store or on line.

For example, you can get carpet shampoo or a commercial carpet deodorizer that will clean and freshen up dusty and mouldy rugs.

However, those products often come with safety and health warnings, due to the ingredients used to produce them.

What are the Chemical Ingredients in Carpet Cleaning Detergents?

I did a little search on line and found a few articles that list some chemicals used in factory carpet cleaners.

The list of those chemicals is pretty long and, quite frankly, quite scary!

According to this article,

“Here is a list of the most common chemicals used in carpet cleaning detergents in alphabetical order:

• Alkaline builders
• Anti-caking agents (in powdered detergents)
• Anti-redeposition agent
• Bleaching agents
• Corrosion inhibitors
• Coupling agents
• Dyes
• Emulsifiers
• Encapsulating Agents – Crystallizing chemicals
• Enzymes
• Fillers – water, if it’s a liquid cleaner; salt or salt cake if it’s a powder.
• Foaming or defoaming agents
• Fragrance (perfume)
• Optical brighteners
• pH Buffers
• Preservative
• Sequestering agents (water softeners)
• Solvents
• Surfactants
• Thickening agents (in liquid detergents)”.

And remember that some of those names are quite vague and can refer to a myriad of different ingredients. The word “fragrance” for example, is used as an umbrella term that covers hundreds of different ingredients, some of them linked to hormonal and fertility issues and many other health conditions!

how to make carpet smell good naturally

The following methods I’m sharing with you are completely natural.

They only use simple pantry ingredients you most certainly already have at home, such as white vinegar and baking soda.

These methods are all very effective, and will leave your carpet clean and smelling fresh. No need to call the carpet cleaning experts just yet!

They work on many types of stains and smells, such as:

• Pet urine;
• Sweat;
• Smoke;
• Mildew;
• Etc.

IMPORTANT

Always follow the advice of your trusted health practitioner before using any product around your home.

Although the natural ingredients used in the recipes below are generally safe, always consult with your doctor before using any product. Pay particular attention if you suffer from any condition, allergy or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Seek immediate advice and help from your trusted medical care provider if you are concerned about your health or that of your family members or pets.

For example

While essential oils and natural ingredients are generally safe for pets, some animals might be sensitive to some ingredients, or might develop an allergic reaction. Immediately stop any treatment if you notice any reaction, such as a skin irritation on your dog. Seek immediate help from your local vet if you are concerned about your pet’s health at any stage.

The same advice applies to you and the rest of your family.

HOW TO CLEAN CARPET SMELL: HOMEMADE RECIPES THAT REALLY WORK

Here are the natural, DIY recipes that will get rid of damp carpet smell, dog smell and musty, mildew smell.

Have a read through them and see what method you want to try first.

Feel free to try one and maybe switch to another if the first attempt is not successful.

HOW TO USE A NATURAL CARPET SMELL REMOVER

Before you start treating your carpet, make sure to follow these simple steps in order to get the best results.

• Make sure you have enough time to thoroughly clean the affected area. Set aside at least half an hour to a hour of your time to perform this task.
• Confirm that the area will not be used by children or pets for the required amount of time. 
• Open a window or door to ensure proper ventilation as you clean.
• Start by getting rid of all evident debris or crumbs. You could easily vacuum your rug in order to suck up all deposits. This is fast and effective!
• Remove any wetness using a clean cloth. If possible, avoid using paper towels for this step, as they might disintegrate when in contact with liquids.
• Now you can start treating your carpet by choosing any of the following methods.

important

Always wear protective gloves when cleaning your home, car, or outdoor areas.

Do not handle any cleaning product or infested item without protecting your hands first!

Before applying or spraying any product on your furniture or upholstery, check the labels and cleaning instructions.

Do not spray or treat any expensive item, as you might possibly damage it. Leave costly items to a professional carpet cleaner!

Always test on an inconspicuous, small area first. The best place to do a patch test is on a corner or near the edge of the carpet.

baking soda

Baking soda is one of my favourite all natural ingredients when it comes to DIY cleaning products.

If you search my blog, you will see that I’ve written extensively about its uses, especially as a toxin free ingredient to get rid of smells, dirt and even pests such as fleas!

Baking soda makes also the perfect ingredient if you want to get rid of stains on your couch or sofa! Read this post to learn how to use it for an effective, yet natural cleaning solution!

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how to use baking soda to clean carpet

Grab a container with a shaker top (an old kitchen salt container will work perfectly) and fill it with baking soda.

Sprinkle all over your carpet.

Start sprinkling the baking soda evenly on your carpet. Make sure to use a generous amount of it, in order to have a thin layer on the entire carpet.

Let it sit for an hour.

Let the baking soda sit on the carpet, undisturbed, for at least an hour. Make sure nobody walks on it, unless you want to clean your entire floor afterwards!

Furthermore, if you have ceiling fans, make sure they are turned off. Otherwise, they might just spread the baking soda everywhere!

Vacuum the carpet thoroughly.

When your carpet is full dry, you will need to vacuum it thoroughly. 

You will need to take your time with this step as obviously you need to get rid of all the baking soda used. This is a very important step!

Make sure you vacuum all residue.

Repeat if needed.

Sometimes, if your carpet is really smelly and dirty, you might need to repeat the process twice. 

Check and reapply the baking soda as needed. Make sure to follow all the steps as described. 

Store the baking soda.

You don’t need to dispose of any left over baking soda. Just store your container as you normally do for this ingredient. 

distilled white vinegar

Plain distilled, white vinegar is such an excellent, versatile ingredient that you can use for a wide variety of DIY homemade cleaning products.

When it comes to carpet maintenance, vinegar can get rid of wax as well as clean and get rid of bad smells.

If you are worried that vinegar will leave an unpleasant odour behind, no need for that. In fact, the smell will disappear as the vinegar dries. Moreover, the vinegar will absorb all the bad odours you are trying to get rid of!

How do you clean carpet with white vinegar?

Let’s see, step by step, how to use straight vinegar to clean carpets.

Firstly, you will need to make a vinegar solution.

It is very important that you don’t use the vinegar without properly diluting it as it can be very strong and damage your carpet!

In a spray bottle, mix one cup of white vinegar with one cup of warm water. It is very important to use equal parts of water and vinegar.

Shake well to mix.

Spray the carpet evenly with your vinegar mix.

After mixing water and vinegar, immediately start treating your carpet. Make sure you have enough solution in order to cover the whole carpet (mix more vinegar and water if you run out).

Simply spray the carpet evenly, making sure to cover all areas.

Let the solution sit for at least 15 minutes.

Give the vinegar solution time to work. You will generally need 15 minutes for all the bad smells to be absorbed.

Blot with a clean cloth or rag.

Grab a clean cotton cloth or rag and start blotting your carpet. This will absorb all excessive wetness and speed up drying times.

Let the carpet dry completely.

Your carpet needs to dry completely at this stage. Open a window to let fresh air in and speed up drying times.

Vacuum the carpet thoroughly.

When your carpet is full dry, you will need to vacuum it thoroughly. You should not skip this last step as it is very important to get rid of any possible debris or dirt possibly trapped in the carpet fibres.

Repeat if needed.

Sometimes, if your carpet is really smelly and dirty, you might need to repeat the process twice. 

For tough smells, check and reapply the vinegar solution as needed. Make sure to follow all the steps as described. 

Dispose of the vinegar solution.

Immediately dispose of any leftover solution. Do not be tempted to store it till the next use. Indeed, the water used in the mix will spoil very fast, becoming a breeding ground for all sorts of germs and bacteria.

vodka

Surprisingly so, vodka has many uses as a household cleaner.

I personally haven’t used it on carpets so I cannot recommend it.

However there are many authoritative web sites (such as bhg.com and realhomes.com) that explain how to use it effectively and without damaging your carpets.

According to those articles, vodka is excellent at getting rid of stains fast, and will deodorise your carpet as well, leaving a fresh smell behind.

How to remove carpet stains with Vodka

Firstly, you will need to procure a bottle of vodka with a high amount of alcohol. The higher the alcohol content, the better.

Just like mentioned about the use of vinegar, if you are afraid of any residue smell after treating your carpet, do not worry. The alcohol contained in the vodka will evaporate quickly and will not leave any smell behind.

Spray the vodka onto the carpet.

In a spray bottle, add neat vodka. 

Start spraying the carpet, making sure to cover all areas.

Let the solution sit for at least 15 minutes.

Give the vodka time to work. You will generally need 15 minutes for all the bad smells to be absorbed.

Blot with a clean cloth or rag.

Grab a clean cotton cloth or rag and start blotting your carpet. This will absorb all excessive wetness and speed up drying times.

Let the carpet dry completely.

Your carpet needs to dry completely at this stage. Open a window to let fresh air in and speed up drying times.

Vacuum the carpet thoroughly.

When your carpet is full dry, you will need to vacuum it thoroughly. You should not skip this last step as it is very important to get rid of any possible debris or dirt possibly trapped in the carpet fibres.

Repeat if needed.

Sometimes, if your carpet is really smelly and dirty, you might need to repeat the process twice. 

In case of a persistent smell, simply reapply the vodka as needed. Make sure to follow all the steps as described. 

Store the vodka.

Because of the high content of alcohol, the vodka will not spoil quickly.

Therefore, you will not need to dispose of any leftover liquid in your spray bottle.

Remember that there is no water used in this DIY carpet cleaner.

Just place the spray bottle in a cupboard, away from direct light and heat.

Dispose after 6 months.

can you use essential oils in your homemade carpet cleaner?

The answer is definitively yes!

You can add a couple of drops of essential oil to any of the above recipes. 

This is totally optional but I highly recommend it.

In fact, essential oils will provide a lovely smell, completely natural, free of any harsh chemical and toxic fragrances.

For example, you can choose from:

• Lavender;
• Lemon;
• Wild orange;
• Peppermint;
• Eucalyptus;
• Doterra Purify (cleansing blend);
• Rosemary;
• Etc.  

As you are making your own cleaning solution, just add a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil to it. This is a great way to add a nice smell to a DIY carpet cleaner.

IMPORTANT

Only use 100% unadulterated and pure essential oils, from a reputable company. 

Never use essential oils topically unless properly diluted, and only use them after a patch test.

Pay particular attention if you are pregnant, breast-feeding, or on older people and young children.

Some people might develop skin irritations or adverse reactions.

Never ingest essential oils without reading the label first, as not all oils can be consumed internally.

Always talk to your trusted medical practitioner and/or certified aromatherapist before using essential oils, especially if you suffer from any allergy, intolerance, are ill or are already taking any medication.

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What can I do to keep my carpet from smelling bad? HOW TO PREVENT A SMELLY CARPET

After you have cleaned your carpet, naturally you might want to keep it as clean as possible…..just because you don’t want to clean it again, right? 

Thankfully there are a few steps you can follow in order to do just that.

Here are some of the things you can do every day to ensure your carpets stay as clean as possible.

Vacuum your home and carpets on a regular basis 

I’m not saying you should use your vacuum cleaner daily if you don’t want to. Just try to hoover your floors regularly, to keep dust and dirt at bay.

Maintain good ventilation in your home

Open windows every morning if possible, to let fresh air in. This will instantly improve air quality in your environment, and will help in getting rid of bad odours.

Clean spills immediately 

If someone spills drinks or food on the carpet, act as soon as possible to get rid of them. Make sure to use a clean cloth to blot the spillage only. Remember that rubbing a stain on any fabric will make things worse (cause you will be pushing the stain further deep into the carpet fibers). 

Keep your carpet dry as much as possible

Water spills are very common in a house, and even the simple act of walking inside with wet shoes or a dripping coat or umbrella can leave water on carpets. Unfortunately, the excess moisture on a wet carpet can quickly turn into mould and mildew, especially on poorly ventilated areas. 

Take off your shoes as you enter your home 

You really can’t even imagine the amount of stuff we can pick up as we walk everywhere! Make sure you don’t bring anything nasty inside your home.

HOW TO CLEAN CARPET SMELL: HOMEMADE RECIPES THAT REALLY WORK! CONCLUSIONS

Dear friend, if you find that carpet odors and unpleasant smells are bothering you in your home, I hope you will give natural remedies a try.

I understand that sometimes you just need to seek professional carpet cleaning services. However, for things such as minor water damage or pet accidents, a natural method can be very effective, and most certainly cheaper!

You will be amazed at what a little baking soda can do, I promise.

Please feel free to reach out if you try any of the above natural methods, or if you have any question. I’ll be happy to help.

IMPORTANT

When using Essential Oils, make sure to use only CPTG Certified, Pure, Tested Grade ones, like Doterra Essential Oils. The content of this blog post and any information provided here has not been evaluated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), any government entity or medical practitioner. It is NOT intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, illness or condition. It is NOT intended to be a substitute for medical counselling. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or suffering from any medical condition or illness or injury, you SHOULD consult a qualified healthcare professional before using any product.