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Is there any way to get a musty mold smell out of carpet? The roof leaked at my job. We just moved into a new building (5000 sq. ft.). It is all carpet. The roof leaked in the back corner and a 2ft. by 3ft. area got wet. We dried up the carpet, but the odor is still in the store. What (if anything) can we do to get rid of he smell? Our building has been empty for years. We are a thrift store. Thank you.
By helen from Oroville, CA
Besides drying it out did you have that area professionally cleaned? Is there padding?
Twenty Mule Team Borax works well to remove odors purchased from the Hispanic Grocery. Sprinkle evenly and med. coverage, let dry if damp, then vaccuum off, but wear a disposable face mask taping the edges to prevent breathing the dust, and do this with good ventilation. I've left it on my carpets for two weeks before vacuuming it off and it's working great to this day.
God bless and help you. : )
By Carol
ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.
Due to a bad storm, I had 2 rooms flood. I have dried out the carpet in both areas, but the mould smell is still very strong. How do I remove the smell without removing the carpet?
By Lesley Ann from Perth, Western Australia
You need new carpet or new flooring, good luck. (03/27/2010)
You can't. Mold is toxic, and can ruin your health for years. Bite the bullet and get rid of the carpets. There is no price on health. Cover your face with good mask and another cloth when removing and seal off rooms so mold doesn't migrate through the air. Vacuum immediately and throw out bags or wash out vacuum. Fill the canister outside.
(03/27/2010)
By PENNY K
When removing the carpet is not an option at this time, we found that trays of kitty litter will absorb the odour. Just keep replacing it and don't let any cats in the area. (03/28/2010)
By Shaw
If and this is a big if. If you have a concrete driveway and lots of warm weather coming, pull carpet up and bring outside. Flip upside down so the sun can hit the back for a while (if it's black dump it).
Throw out the padding. Meanwhile you will need to clean the floor, use bleach if possible. Vinegar will also help. You may need to seal the floor if it has soaked in smell wise.
Use a good mask not the cheapy white ones and a stiff brush to back of rug (not wet). Vacuum up afterwards (toss the bag do not bring in house). Take a mild solution of bleach water and scrub small section at a time on the back of the carpet, use towels to dry out as much as possible, again let dry out completely.
Flip over to check the front how is it smelling? You can try using a carpet shampooer with vinegar (not soap). Then use cement blocks or something to raise carpet up (use boards to keep it straight). Rotate the carpet after a few hours so the area that has the boards is able to dry.
If the carpet smells OK toss down baking soda and let sit a day or so then vac. Reinstall with new padding. It is very possible that you may still have a smell on damp days. (03/29/2010)
By REE
Go to your janitorial supply store and get an enzyme carpet shampoo. Follow the instructions and clean twice with the shampoo. When finished place fans around the room to help it dry faster. The enzymes eat the bacteria and the mold that are causing the odor. (03/31/2010)
By paula
I had a roof leak and rain water entered down my wall to the floor. I rented a carpet steamer to get the water out of the carpet and pad. It smells really bad. I pulled the carpet back to let the pad dry out, but it really has a bad odor. How do I get rid of this odor?
By keith gussoni from New Orleans
I work at a floor covering store. First of all, you will need to totally remove the pad. The pad will hold in moisture and mold. Next, you will need a restoration company, such as Service Master, to come in to clean and deodorize your carpet. Then, contact your local floor covering store and have them come out and install new pad and re-install your carpet. This is only way to properly get rid of the smell. (01/29/2010)
By Vicki Keyes
Why not call a company that does fire/flood restoration? They would probably be better able to help you. (01/29/2010)
By Poca
The washing machine overflowed with water running into the hallway carpet before the teenage daughter noticed. The carpet seems to be dry now, but it has left a bad musty sour smell.
