How to Deodorize Your Carpets

Sometimes carpets can harbor funny smells even after they have been spot cleaned or vacuumed. If you're prepping your house for the market, cleaning is an essential thing to do. So how do you deal with lingering odor in the carpet? Check out these carpet deodorizing tips and tricks from some professionals that know what a clean house looks and smells like.  

Baking Soda

Baking soda is a handy helper for many jobs around the house and most people already have it in their pantry. One of the most famous uses of baking soda is absorbing odors. One of the easiest ways to remove minor odors from carpet is to sprinkle some baking soda over the smelly area and allow it to absorb whatever is causing the funky smell. Allow it plenty of time to do the job. Some people like to sprinkle baking soda over the carpet before they go to sleep and let it sit overnight then vacuum it up in the morning.

Baking Soda with Essential Oils

I asked the real estate experts at Tuscana Properties for a cleaning tip:

"For an added freshening scent boost you can add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to the baking soda. Make sure that the scent you choose is something everyone in the home will enjoy, including your pets. Citrus scents can be toxic for cats and cinnamon and peppermint can be unpleasant for dogs. Lavender is a favorite choice of many, because it not only smells nice and fresh, it can be calming and soothing.

To mix essential oil into your baking soda: Mix two cups of baking soda with 15 drops of essential oil(s) in a container that has a lid. Place the lid on the container and shake the ingredients vigorously to ensure it is thoroughly mixed together. Keep it stored and on hand for any time you need to sprinkle and deodorize."

Borax with Baking Soda and Essential Oil

For really pungent or musty smells that seem like they could be caused by mold or mildew, adding Borax can help give it the strong attack it needs. Borax is an acid often used in cleaning, pesticides, and for killing mold.

Baking Soda and Dried Herbs

Using dry herbs is another great way to give a scent boost to the baking soda. It is very simple to add dry herbs to baking soda: just add a teaspoon of your favorite dried herb to half a cup of baking soda in a container with a lid. Put the lid on the container and thoroughly shake. If you would like the dried herbs to be a bit smaller so that it sprinkles as easily as the baking soda you can grind it in a food processor before adding it in with the baking soda.

You can add any dried herb you enjoy the smell of. Rosemary and cinnamon are popular choices. (Be careful with cinnamon because of its color). Dried flowers can also be used such as the dried form of lavender.

Vinegar

This is another remedy that is good for musty smells that may be caused by mold or mildew. Grab an empty spray bottle and pour in one cup of distilled white vinegar and two cups of warm water. Gently shake the bottle to mix the water and vinegar and then lightly spritz the musty area of carpet.

Theresa Wellman of Homeowner Experience added this: "Vinegar does have an unpleasant smell, but it is a natural germ killer and once the vinegar evaporates so will all of the smells with it.  If the odor is super strong you can also add two teaspoons of that good old reliable baking soda to give the mixture a deodorizing boost. Make sure not to spray so much that it soaks the carpet this could end up in more mold because there is too much moisture. You just want enough to lightly mist it."

Enzyme Cleaner

If the funny odor in your carpet is due to a pet stain that has been spot treated, enzyme cleaner can help to remove the lingering odor. Enzyme cleaners can be found at home improvement stores and online sites like Amazon. Enzyme cleaners speed up the process of bacteria feeding on organic matter. Just apply the product exactly as directed on the label.

Carpet Cleaning

If you have an odor that just won’t come out after several attempts with the methods above, the next step is to call in a professional carpet cleaner for deep cleaning. It may be that whatever is causing the odor is deeply embedded into the carpet. The best way to attack stubborn and deeply embedded odors is with professional truck-mounted equipment operated by a trained professional to ensure your carpet is truly clean and sanitized.

These simple, healthy and effective tricks can deodorize any carpet or rug. Of course, you can have a pro clean it but if you don't have to, why waste the money!?