WHY YOUR CARPET SMELLS?

9/2/2022 (Permalink)

dirty carpet ventura california

Carpet has a nasty habit of trapping nasty smells in it. Unlike tiles or floorboards, smells can seep deep into your carpets. As such, getting rid of those awful smells can be challenging to say the least.

Moisture is a major cause of foul smells getting trapped in the carpet fibers and underlayment beneath it. Carpet soak up spills, pet messes and standing water, which leave behind an unpleasant odor. Here are some of the usual suspects why certain smells get into your carpet.

1. Water spills

While water might smell on its own, it does when it mixes with the fibers in your carpet. Depending on the material your carpet is made of, your entire room could end up reeking. There are two reasons that spills and stains make your carpet smell.

• You cleaned the mess up wrong. Many people rub furiously at the spill or stain to clean it up. The problem is this just embeds the mess deeper into the carpet fibers.
• Food and drinks account for most spills. As an organic material just like pet messes, the bacteria associated with food and drink release unpleasant smells over time. Food and drink can also create some of the hardest smells to get out of your carpet.

2. Mold and Mildew

The moldy, musty smell is the late warning sign that something nasty is growing where you can’t see it, most likely under the carpet padding/

3. Pet stains

Any pet owner knows that even the cutest pets can cause nasty messes on your carpet – especially if they aren’t properly trained.

• Fur, fluff and dander
• Urine and feces
• Fur balls
• Vomit and saliva

4. Aging carpet

As fibers break down, they emit their own ‘’old carpet’’ smell. An old carpet may smell simply because its owner hasn’t cleaned it often enough over the years.

5. Above – ground moisture

Any moisture source can bring its associated smells with it when your carpet soaks it up. As the carpet dries, the smells remain in the carpet fibers.

If you do not feel comfortable cleaning the carpet yourself, contact a carpet cleaning professional to do the job right. Keeping your carpet clean and maintained will not only improve the look and the life of your carpet, but also improve the look of the interior of your home.

Contact SERVPRO of Ventura at (805) 656-3911