I read suggestions on mildew removal and read that mildew is mold. If I treat the carpet area, (vinegar, baking soda, and antibacterial gel,) and the smell goes away, does that mean I am safe? Have I only deodorized or is the mold really gone? No smell, no worries?
By Jeff
I recommend spraying the carpet thoroughly with spray disinfectant letting dry & repeating. (If it's an area rug, bring it outside in the sunshine to dry, as sunshine kills mold, too...)
I recommend spraying the carpet thoroughly with spray disinfectant letting dry & repeating. (If it's an area rug, bring it outside in the sunshine to dry, as sunshine kills mold, too...)
To be sure if just cleaning the carpet alone will be enough you need to first pull the carpet and padding back and look at the subfloor. Is there any type of moldy spots on the subfloor? How moldy is the padding? If you have floor moulding you might want to take off a piece of that and see if there is mold on the wall behind the moulding just to be safe too because mold spreads even to dry areas.
If there is alot of mold on the carpet backing or mold on the padding or mold on the subfloor or mold behind the moulding on the wall you really should consider contacting professional mold removers in your area to see what you should do to be safe.
I don't know about the thoroughness of mildew removal in a rug. However, if you are using vinegar, baking soda , and antibacterial gel, none of these should be used at the same time. Vinegar and baking soda will neutralize each other if used together. And I have no idea what effect they would have on the antibacterial gel, but I wouldn't use them at the same time as it either. When I clean mildew off a shower curtain, for example, I just wash it in hot water and detergent.
I also think that Deeli's suggestions about checking the floor and underlay are wise. If there is only mildew on the surface, shampooing might do the job on its own. Then I would go for the disinfectant. Either vinegar OR baking soda are good deodorizers.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
We have a air conditioning unit in our window and it leaked water and we did not know it. Now we have mildew on our carpet, how can I get rid of it?
I have just noticed this problem also. my mom said that it did not do it there at there home. so if you find out how to remove this can you let me know i am moving our furniture. i can't tell if there is any on the couch or not. but i am moving it.
thank you,
Faith
Do a google search on how to clean moldy carpet...several links come up. Good Luck.
Nothing on earth kills mold, mildew, fungi, metal tarnish like good old olive leaf powder. Sprinkle it on carpet, let it sit a while, brush it in if you choose, and then vacuum it up!
I followed this advice and now I have giant mustard colored stains on the carpet. Could not be more disappointed with this advice !
I spilled a bucket of water and Pinesol on the carpet. We have deep cleaned the carpet and it is still wet and now smells like mildew. How do I get the mildew smell out?
By Jennifer
Pour straight white vinegar all over the affected area. Let sit overnight and then thoroughly dry the area by blotting with towels and blowing a fan over it until it's completely dry.
I would like to know how to remove mildew from carpet.
By Phyllis
You can try using a vinegar and water solution in one of those rental carpet steam cleaners. The vinegar shouldn't affect the colour of the carpet but will kill the mold and the odor.
Use it instead of the shampoo they try to sell you, but do get the de-foamer and follow the directions if you have never used a steam cleaner on your carpet. Otherwise you'll be working far too hard to get the residue of the previous carpet cleanings out!
So you'll first do the de-foaming, then the vinegar and water (half and half), then the rinse. Should work, post your results, please?
I had my shag carpet "professionally" cleaned 3 days ago. Some areas are still damp and now have a mildew smell. The "technician" hasn't returned my calls. What can/should I do?
The shag carpet was not my choice, we are renters.
By Wendy from Bay Area, CA
You could go to the office and insist on talking to the owner of the business. Even if they make excuses why you can't talk to him, at the very least, once the technician heard what you were up to, he would probably call you and try to resolve the problem because he wouldn't want to get in trouble with his boss.
What cleaning products can I use with my steam cleaner for my mildew carpet smell problem?
By Cheryl
I received this information from a mold specialist. Best advice is to remove the carpet however if not sprinkle borax over your carpet. Borax kills mold. This is best to do before you have a problem but will help with controlling your issue and rid your smell. Let the borax sit for a while, walk on your carpet or whatever small particles will sink down into your rug and for those with out a problem keep you from getting one and those with a problem help to kill your mold problem. After at least 15 min vacuum it up, the more in your carpet the better. Still the best advice is to remove the carpet.
I have outdoor carpet glued to my cement patio. In the spring, it was pressure washed to remove the mildew and stains from the winter. Now areas of it are getting brown. I'm assuming it is mildew again. Any suggestions for removing and preventing it from happening?
By Reed S.
Can you use ammonia to get rid of mold and mildew on carpet?
By Nancy
I have a 6 foot square oriental carpet. It got soaked in the last rain. It is starting to smell with first stage of mold appearing. I don't want to bleach the colors out. Will baking powder help? Will Lysol bleach it out ? What is safe and efficient?
By C.. A.
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I would like information on removing mildew odor from carpet. Thanks.
I would like to know how to remove the mildew smell out of my carpet. It was caused by a water spill. Thanks.
We moved into a brand new town home about 2 months ago. Recently we started to notice a cat urine smell in one area of our lower level. I am concerned about mold and mildew. Not sure what to do.
How do you get rid of mildew smell? Is it good to be inhaling it everyday?
What can I put on carpet that has been wet and now stinks?
We have fairly new wall-to-wall carpeting in our living room. It is thicker pile called "California Berber", it is only about three years old.
