Mold, Mildew, Smell Removal Tips On Carpets
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Old habits die hard. You just cannot get Tommy to rub his muddy paws on the doormat before entering the house. Nor will Richard dry himself before he steps out from the bathroom. And hubby darling is no better either. Spilling coke all over the place whenever his team scores a home run. So you might just as well go in for some drastic mold, mildew, smell removal measures for your carpets.
Mold and mildew not only make your carpet stink and look dull, they make your surrounds terribly unhealthy also. In fact unknown to many, mold and mildew are some of the primary reasons behind the runny noses, sneezes, nasal congestion and watery eyes that consistently plague some households. These conditions may take severe turns in people with mold allergy. And if you are a bit mystified by Richard's persistent cough, you can think again.
The most important tip regarding mold, mildew, smell removal is to prevent them in the first place. But if things are already in bad shape, then here's what you can do.
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You can use a vacuum cleaner to remove as much of the mold and mildew as possible or use a stiff brush or a broom. If possible, take your carpet outside so that the mildew doesn't fly all over your house. Use a diluted mild detergent and while you are at this, go easy on the amount of water. You can also use a thick, dry soap or soap studs. Next wipe the area clean with a damp cloth or a rug shampoo or an electric shampoo machine if you please.
Take care to have the area thoroughly dry. Mold and mildew simply revel in humid and damp places. Dry in the sun, under the fan or take the help of a hot water extraction vacuum but never use the clothes dryer. While you are drying the carpet, turn it over once just to ensure that the base is also dry.
After a thorough cleansing and drying routine you may even find the odor going away. Else, spray the area with a fungicide spray.
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While you are cleaning your carpets, make sure that you know its make and be very careful about the type of detergent you are using. There are some carpets that are made with special kinds of fabrics and require cleaning only by the manufacturer's instructions.
For particularly obstinate mold and mildew, you can go in for a non-chlorine bleach or lemon juice and salt solution for colored fabrics. Else you can just slightly brush the area with a solution of hydrogen peroxide (one part of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide to five parts of water), provided you are sure that the solution doesn't harm the fabric of the carpet.
You can use chlorine bleach on your carpet if you are perfectly sure that it will not discolor the fabric. If the mold problem looks entirely hopeless you can always send a distress call to the professional cleaner who have more means to improve conditions underfoot.
After removing the mildew or mold, you can remove the odor or smell by sprinkling little bit of baking soda. Set it overnight then vacuum it. Baking soda absorbs the odor and neutralizes it. If you can still smell the bad odor just repeat the process.
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Related Articles:
How To Kill Molds
Why Mold, Mildew and Stain On Your Carpets a Health Hazard?
Mold Health Issues
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