Green Cleaning in the Office

Whether new and soft or old and faithful, your carpet will sometimes smell. Sometimes, finding the smell and removing it is easy. At others, the smell is mysterious and a source of frustration. Understanding common carpet smells and how to tackle them makes your life more pleasant.

Musty Smells

A musty-smelling carpet is usually a sign of dampness. Start by walking around the room and seeing if the smell is everywhere or if it's in one area. If it's in one area, consider whether you spilt something there and failed to clean it. In some cases, localised dampness arises as an early sign of a leaking pipe beneath the surface. If the entire room smells musty, consider whether you've recently experienced heavy rainfall in your area. Depending on the climate you're in, heavy rainfall can add pressure to weak pipes, or it can cause high humidity. With localised dampness, you can try using a store-bought cleaning solution. If that doesn't work or if the smell is widespread, use a professional carpet cleaning service.

Unexpected Urine

First, an unexpected smell of urine doesn't always mean someone has urinated on your carpet. Some drinks, such as beer, produce a urine-like smell when you spill them on a carpet and don't clean them promptly. If you have a pet or small children, the chances are that urine is the culprit. To find out where it is, you'll need to walk around and see where the smell becomes stronger. Pets and children who are toilet training are likely to use hidden places to urinate, as they have a subliminal sense of what's appropriate. So, try looking beneath furniture or in corners. Try mixing vinegar and baking soda to create a paste, apply it to the area and then wash it off when it dries. If that doesn't work, you'll need a professional to do the work for you.

Cigarette Smoke

Cigarette smoke can be a problem when you rent your property out to a smoker or purchase it from someone who smoked. As smokers, they're unlikely to notice the smell. However, you probably will. It's usually the case that only heavy smoking will cause a noticeable smell that lasts. This may suggest that the scent is ingrained deep into the carpet's fibres. The best remedy is to use a professional carpet cleaning service. As an intermediary measure, you can try scented powders suitable for use on your carpet's fibres. They're ideal for bridging the gap between living with a smoke-filled carpet and a fresh one