A clean carpet generally produces no noticeable odor. A carpet with a “history” however—namely, exposure to moisture during a water damage incident—often becomes a source of pungent, musty odors that pervade the entire house.
Ground Zero For Odors
Carpet is a magnet that attracts and retains microscopic airborne mold and mildew spores common in any environment. Carpet also functions as a highly-efficient sponge that absorbs any moisture that occurs. This combo provides almost laboratory conditions for odor-producing microbial growth. Once a carpet becomes wet, active mold and mildew is a fait accompli in less than 48 hours. During that time window, intervention by professionals with specialized water extraction and decontamination equipment can avert growth that causes odors before it happens. If effective water damage and mold remediation techniques aren’t applied, however, persistent carpet odor may be considered inevitable.
Here are some facts about professional techniques to remove musty smells:
- Utilizing a consumer-grade carpet cleaning machine rarely eliminates established mold or mildew growth nor the odors produced by these microbes. Masking the source of odor with superficial topical deodorants is of little long-term value.
- High-pressure hot water extraction with deep-flushing tools to remove contamination where it occurs is required for an acceptable, permanent outcome. However, this procedure is usually not sufficient by itself.
- Effective odor removal also requires injection of an odor neutralizer specifically formulated to remove the type of odor—whether mold, mildew or some other contaminant. Technicians performing the work must be trained and qualified to identify the source of odor in order to select an effective neutralizer. One formula doesn’t work for all types.
- Carpet may need to be detached from tacking strips and lifted to flush and apply odor neutralizers to the underside of the carpet, the padding, as well as the surface of the sub-floor.
- In some cases, mold- or mildew-contaminated carpeting does not respond to professional odor removal techniques. In that event, the most economically viable option is removal of the affected carpeting from the house and replacement with new carpeting.
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