Keeping Carpeting Odor-free

Many factors contribute to a truly clean carpet. Not only must it look clean, but it must smell clean as well. Preventing and treating odor sources with proper cleaning technique as well as use of a deodorizer, as part of a carpet maintenance plan, will contribute to a fresh indoor smell, without negatively affecting indoor air quality.

Facilities from schools to retail to office buildings deal with an array of messes that stain the floor, leaving behind unpleasant odors. Deep cleaning and spot cleaning should be performed on any stained carpeting, but a special deodorizing chemical can be added to carpet cleaning solution to help neutralize odors from food and beverage waste, smoke, urine and other stains. Some deodorizers, such as baking soda, eliminate and neutralize odor, while others also leave behind another, more pleasant scent.

Occupant messes aren’t the only source of malodor, however. Water itself — spilled by occupants or left behind after the cleaning process, or as the result of a flood — can cause mold and mildew, which give off a distinct odor. Often, if mold is found in carpeting, that carpeting will need to be replaced.