Whether it’s the fault of a new pet that hasn’t been entirely housebroken, an old pet with failing health, or clumsy everyday spills, accidents that result in the need of carpet odor removal happen for a variety of reasons. One of the rules for carpet odor removal is to act promptly, because once the stain has set in it will be harder to extract the visual and olfactory traces of it. An often overlooked cause of unpleasant odor is mildew that has resulted from the floor covering or the padding beneath it getting overly wet and staying damp. The growth of bacteria is a side effect of allowing a spill or accident to settle into the carpet fibers, but it is also something that can easily be prevented.
Some smells, like cigarette smoke, may not be pinned to a specific location on the floor covering. Sometimes scents linger long after the offending spot has been identified, soaped, blotted, rinsed and deodorized. A strong ammonia scent can overwhelm a room and lead people to search for the best method of carpet odor removal. A steam cleaning is usually the approach taken to combat lingering smells. Steam cleaning can result in a deeper cleansing than regular vacuuming or spot cleaning a spill and can be bought or rented for in home use. A steam cleaner uses water heated to the point of evaporation to penetrate the pile of the floor covering deeply. The steam dislodges debris and dirt that are trapped in the fibers. The steam itself is not enough to remove stains or odors though, and usually a cleaning solution is used in conjunction with the machine.
Baking soda and distilled white vinegar have been known to be useful additions to the stock of cleaning supplies used to tend to smells in the home. Allowing baking soda to sit prior to vacuuming can have a deodorizing effect. When it comes to carpet odor removal, the do-it-yourself cleaning solutions pale in comparison to the work that can be done by a qualified professional service. The most effective method of carpet odor removal is consulting a professional. They have worked with all sorts of stains, textile materials, brands, and carpet constructions, and can put that knowledge to good use when determining the best method of treatment. Experts have the machines and experience to handle floor coverings that have been roughly and routinely used. Usually, their cleaning solutions are stronger than those that can be bought over the counter. A spot that has been soiled repeatedly may have more than just dirty surface fibers, as the backing and the floor underneath may be contaminated too. A qualified professional knows how to take care of the entire problem.
Even floor coverings that are not marred by stains or emanating smells require some routine maintenance to keep them at their best for longer. Regular care and upkeep results in a longer life expectancy of the floor covering, and provides an overall cleaner indoor environment. Although a professional may employ the same method of treatment for removing scents, the steam cleaner, their training and previous hands-on involvement usually yields a more satisfactory and thorough job than a DIY approach.