How to get smells out of carpet

Try as we might to keep our homes looking clean and smelling fresh, it’s only natural that accidents happen that may cause your carpet to smell. Whether you’ve spilled a drink, your child has knocked over some food or your pet has used the carpet as a bathroom, you’ll probably want to clean up any unpleasant smells as soon as possible. If that’s the case, your vacuum cleaner might not be up to the task.

But why do our carpets smell? Unfortunately, when the carpet has been soiled or something has been spilled on it, the fibres trap in the odours as they soak up the moisture. This is what causes bad smells to linger in your carpet.

Don’t worry! Before you panic and call a professional carpet cleaner, we’ve got some useful tips you can try to get smelly carpets as good as new in no time. In this guide we’ll cover:

What cleaning products can you use from around the house?
The best products to buy for stubborn carpet smells
Top cleaning techniques for removing smells from your carpet
How to get rid of stubborn smells

What cleaning products can you use from around the house?

Before you start spending lots of money on carpet cleaning products or cleaning services, you might be surprised to know that you can use household items you already own. White vinegar, Febreze fabric cleaner, baking soda, vodka and regular vacuuming can all be successful at removing unpleasant odours from your carpet. You can also start by taking simple steps like opening a window.

However, it is important to note that vodka can cause the colour to run in some carpets, like wool, especially if the fibres have been dyed.

The best products to buy for stubborn carpet smells

There are lots of products you can buy from your local supermarket to lift unpleasant smells from your carpet if you don’t have anything suitable in your home already. You can start by using carpet shampoo to lift any dirt and grime from the carpet. Once it is clean and dry, you can use a deodorising spray or powder to lift any lingering odours and keep the carpet smelling fresh.

Top cleaning techniques for removing smells from your carpet

Dry vacuuming

To avoid any unpleasant odours lingering in your home, you should dry vacuum frequently – especially if you have children or pets. It also goes without saying, if you spill something on your carpet, you may want to vacuum the area when the carpet dries, after you’ve cleaned up any mess. While this won’t remove smells, the quicker you clean up, the less likely they are to linger.

Deodorising spray

If you are faced with a particularly stubborn smell, such as dog urine, this may not be your best option, but it does help to keep the fabric smelling fresh. Take your spray bottle and lightly spray the area, or the lounge, dining room or bedroom where the smell is lingering. The deodorising spray will make the area smell fresher and help to lift unpleasant odours.

Deodorising powder

These work well for cleaning a full area, rather than just spot cleaning. Simply sprinkle the deodorising powder all over the carpet and let it sit for at least 15 minutes before vacuuming it. This will help to neutralise any bad smells.

Baking soda

Baking soda is a great trick for absorbing odours and moisture as it helps to balance out the smell. Simply sprinkle baking soda over the affected area and leave the baking soda to sit for at least 15 minutes. For best results, leave the baking soda to sit overnight before vacuuming it up the next morning. The longer you leave the baking soda on your carpet, the more dirt, moisture, oils and odours it will absorb, leaving your carpet smelling fresh.

Spot cleaning with white vinegar to remove smells from specific areas

White vinegar is useful for removing the smell of pet urine, mold and mildew. Do a patch test on a mall, hidden area of the carpet first by spraying white vinegar onto a paper towel and dabbing it onto a section of the carpet. If there is no discolouring or changes to the carpet, it should be safe to use on the area that smells.

Spray some white vinegar over the affected area but don’t worry about the vinegar smell at first. This will work to remove the bad odours from the carpet and neutralise the smell.

How to get rid of stubborn smells

If you’ve tried all of the carpet cleaning products and still had no luck, it might be time to call in the professionals. Ultimately, if you’ve got a really stubborn smell that won’t lift, a professional cleaning company is much more likely to have success as they have access to a wider range of tools and products.

Professional cleaning is expensive so you might want to make this a last resort. To avoid unpleasant smells lingering on your carpet in the future, consider vacuuming and using deodorising sprays or powders frequently. If you’re looking to change or upgrade your carpet to something that’s easier to clean and more pet and family-friendly, our Everyday Home range of polypropylene carpets is perfect.