Raise your hand if you ever had childhood dreams of deodorizing your carpet. No? Well, of course you didn’t. Just like you never dreamt about vigorously cleaning your toilet bowl or climbing a dangerously high ladder to get the leaves out of the gutters. But alas, adulthood. Dad’s not gonna clean your gutters forever, even if you still are on that family plan for your cell phone. Show How to deodorize that basement funk smellYou know what we’re talking about. It’s that subterranean scent that wafts around in your lower level, inducing dread when you’ve got to fetch the toolbox or descend for laundry day. Thankfully, there’s the onion fix. That’s right. When a raw onion smells better than your basement, you know you’ve got issues.
How to deodorize pet urine: Scenario 1We’re not here to pass judgment about the smell in your carpet, we know those puppy ninja pees behind the chair all too well.
How to deodorize pet urine: Scenario 2Don’t have baking soda handy? If you can act quickly, club soda is a great solution because its aerated carbonation lifts stains up and out of carpet fibers.
How to deodorize sweat smellsWe’ve learned the hard way. Carpets can also take on the smell of their sweaty human owners and pets — especially in favorite lounge areas like in front of the television and at the foot of that great bay window.
Note: If you’re totally stumped as to why your carpet smells, baking soda is a general cure-all. Follow instructions for “How To Deodorize Smoke Smells” and/or “How To Deodorize Bacteria + Mold Smells” and try them on for size. A little baking soda (or vodka!) will help immensely in your odor neutralizing journey. (Even if just you end up drunk enough to notice the smell, we’ll call it a win. But try to get some of the vodka on the carpet, seriously.) Our favorite carpet cleaning productsCarpet deodorizers generally come in either powder, spray or shampoo form. They all come with various fragrances, antibacterial properties and specific directions for unique types of carpet (so be sure to read and follow the directions!). PowderPowders work best when you’re trying to de-funk the entire carpet, versus just spot cleaning. Baking soda is typically the main ingredient in any type of powdered deodorizer, so why not cut to the chase and just use straight up baking soda? Check your pantry, you probably already have some! Baking soda absorbs and neutralizes odors, making it the absolute MVP carpet cleaner. Powders are super easy: Simply sprinkle them on, let them sit and work their magic, then vacuum them up. SpraySprays are usually used for spot cleaning. (We’re looking at you, pets!) Sprays require a bit more work, often some scrubbing or patting with a rag is involved. Sprays work by drawing whenever stain is causing the offensive smell up and out of the carpet. ShampooCarpet shampoo is the most labor intensive, whether you’re applying it with a spray-foam canister, a carpet cleaning machine or a wet vac. Shampoo neutralizes stinky smells while simultaneously removing dirt and debris. Products we used in our carpet deodorizing tips:How to prevent a smelly carpetOnce you’ve deodorized, follow these general rules of thumb for keeping carpets smelling fresh so you don’t find yourself in another stinky situation:
Now that you know how to tackle your carpet’s worst enemies, get crackin’. From baking soda to club soda and all the ingredients in between, those offensive carpet odors are a thing of the past. |