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Advice Needed: How do you get the musty smell out of carpets?

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Blue Belle Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Oct-23-07 12:31 PM
Original message
Advice Needed: How do you get the musty smell out of carpets?
I just moved into a basement apartment and I can't seem to get that musty smell out of the carpets. I bought a de-humidifier, which really seems to be doing the trick in getting the moisture out of the air (my computer and other electronics will thank me), and I'm hoping as things really dry out, the smell will get better - but I'm not sure. I've been spraying lysol and other air fresheners directly on the carpet, and using the carpet fresh powders, but those only last a few hours then the smell is back. I was wondering if anyone has had this experience before and if there is anything else I might try.

--Belle
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Orrex Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Oct-23-07 12:34 PM
Response to Original message
1. Have you tried a professional carpet-cleaning service?
They use a vacuum system that has considerably more power than a standard rental shampooer, so they clean more deeply and leave behind less moisture, ideally.
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Blue Belle Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Oct-23-07 12:35 PM
Response to Reply #1
3. I may resort to that...
I'm just looking for cheap solutions first. My college student budget doesn't allow for much.
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Orrex Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Oct-23-07 12:45 PM
Response to Reply #3
5. Check your lease
In my experience lots of rental companies like to screw their tenants by requiring them to hire a carpet-cleaning service before the security deposit will be returned.

If that's the case, you may need to hire the service in any case, before too long.
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Midlodemocrat Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Oct-23-07 12:35 PM
Response to Original message
2. If the pad is moldy, musty, you are out of luck and will need to replace it.
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devilgrrl Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Oct-23-07 05:36 PM
Response to Reply #2
12. I'd replace it too.
You don't want to breathe that. :-(
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SeussTree Donating Member (46 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Oct-23-07 12:40 PM
Response to Original message
4. You could try baking soda.
It's supposed to take care of odors, and it's so cheap you wouldn't be risking much.

Then again, the carpet fresh powders you tried may be just baking soda with perfume at 5 times the price.
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Blue Belle Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Oct-23-07 12:52 PM
Response to Reply #4
6. I was thinking that when I was sprinkling on the Glade "Fresh Linen Scent"...
I could just be using baking soda - hell it might work better!
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Blue Belle Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Oct-23-07 12:53 PM
Response to Reply #4
7. Welcome to the DU by the way!
:)
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Connonym Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Oct-23-07 12:58 PM
Response to Original message
8. baking soda is an amazing thing
It may not eliminate it completely but it should at least keep the smell at bay...and, as noted, it's cheap,cheap, cheap! Are you noticing this only when you're down near the carpet or does the whole room smell musty? I had a damp basement in my last house and I used these bags of volcanic rock that absorb the musty smell but that wouldn't be very aesthetically pleasing hanging in a living room or whatnot. Maybe just give the dehumidifier longer to do its magic and in the meantime use the baking soda and burn some incense :shrug:
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NMDemDist2 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Oct-23-07 05:37 PM
Response to Reply #8
13. that was going to be my suggestion to, baking soda on carpet let sit
for an hour or so, vacuum up

repeat every couple days and it should help. if not, bring on the 'big guns'

Vinegar can help you get rid of that musty odor if you are willing to endure several days of a strong vinegar smell. You can set several open bowls of vinegar and just let it evaporate into the air for several days. The room may have a very strong scent at first, but it will then clear out and you will be left without the musty odor.

Charcoal can also help to absorb odors. Just like you would leave a box of baking soda in the fridge, you can leave a large open bag of charcoal. Or if you want, you can set some into a pan and lay them out. These can be changed every 6 months.
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kay1864 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Oct-23-07 01:06 PM
Response to Original message
9. I think Lysol just neutralizes your nose, not the actual smell source
Edited on Tue Oct-23-07 01:08 PM by kay1864
I don't have any suggestions other than renting a carpet steamer ($25), and I'm not sure that would help anyway (since it would be adding moisture!). So I found these links, including a product website that seemed knowledgable:

http://ca.answers.yahoo.com/question/index.php?qid=20061114072214AAKoIhT

http://www.finishing.com/112/40.shtml

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070930201402AAiLw0w

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/37299/how_to_get_rid_of_a_musty_basement.html

http://www.forceoutproducts.com/musty_odors/MustyOdors.htm

(Orrex had a really good point though above--seems like the landlord should have made it habitable first. IMHO he/she should pay for it. Dunno how you make that happen though. I haven't rented an apartment in a couple decades)
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Blue Belle Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Oct-23-07 05:01 PM
Response to Reply #9
10. Thank you for all the wonderful links...
I was wondering. Do you think that as the de-humidifier is drying out the air in the apartment, that it might be pulling moisture out of the floor/concrete slab beneath the carpet & carpet pad? Could that be adding to the smell too?
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kay1864 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Oct-23-07 05:35 PM
Response to Reply #10
11. My uneducated guess is that
that would not be a bad thing. It's only pulling out moisture, not concrete molecules or anything. And of course dry concrete is better than damp concrete, mold-wise.

(but I'm not a structural engineer, and I don't even play one on TV! :P)
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LeftyMom Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Oct-23-07 05:39 PM
Response to Original message
14. Put white vinegar in the rug shampooer.
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Whoa_Nelly Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Oct-23-07 05:47 PM
Response to Original message
15. Have you pulled back any part of the carpet to see if there's black mold under there?
If so, your landlord HAS to take of it PRONTO! And has to provide you with a place to live until it's cleaned up.

It also could be mildew under the carpeting. He still has to clean that up, too.

Otherwise, here's a good article about musty smell from carpets:
http://www.ehow.com/how_18796_remove-musty-basement.html
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grasswire Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Oct-23-07 05:50 PM
Response to Reply #15
16. yeah, watch out for mold.
Look everywhere -- inside closets, behind wallpaper. Mold is a deal breaker.

As far as covering the smell, I think febreeze works better than any of the other scented products. It's really nice, and light. Refreshing.
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Blue Belle Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-24-07 12:21 AM
Response to Original message
17. kicking for the late night crowd...
:)
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Richard Steele Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-24-07 12:33 AM
Response to Reply #17
18. My two best ideas have already been offered here.
Baking Soda is what I would try first, followed by the
carpet shampooer loaded with white vinegar.

Actually, in light of what you've already tried, I'd probably
go directly to the white vinegar, to tell the truth.
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Blue Belle Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-24-07 07:43 PM
Response to Reply #18
23. Thanks...
I'll try that.
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zonkers Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-24-07 09:35 AM
Response to Original message
19. May not even be carpet. May be trapped moisture in walls. This could be more
serious than you think. Mold can mess you up, especially long term.
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Kali Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-24-07 09:44 AM
Response to Original message
20. ugh - carpet
I would just get rid of the carpet, but you say it is a rental. Carpeting grosses me out. When I see the crud on my floors and think about how it would all be absorbed and hidden by carpet, I just shudder.
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Blue Belle Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-24-07 07:44 PM
Response to Reply #20
24. I know...
If it were me, I'd just have wood or tile, but this is a rental.
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qdemn7 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-24-07 10:54 AM
Response to Original message
21. Febreze
Best stuff in the world for eliminating odors. Swear to god. http://www.febreze.com/en_US/febreze/home.do
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sniffa Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-24-07 11:06 AM
Response to Original message
22. bring a skunk in and startLe it
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porphyrian Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-24-07 07:45 PM
Response to Original message
25. Burn them. -n/t
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triguy46 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-24-07 08:11 PM
Response to Original message
26. Just met with a flooring contractor: rip up the carpet, down goes the wood.
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Blue Belle Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-24-07 11:35 PM
Response to Reply #26
28. I wish I could...
but I'm renting so I have little say in the carpet situation.
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Generic Brad Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-24-07 08:14 PM
Response to Original message
27. You can take the carpet out of the must, but you can't take the must out of the carpet
I would be worried about mold developing and would replace the carpet and the padding.
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KitchenWitch Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Oct-24-07 11:37 PM
Response to Original message
29. Move the carpet to a location going through wildfires
Musty smell will be gone. But your carpet will smell charbroiled.
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Der Blaue Engel Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Oct-25-07 12:44 AM
Response to Original message
30. Fresca?
:shrug:
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