A smelly carpet has a way of announcing itself before you’ve even sat down. One minute the room feels fresh, the next you’re side-eyeing the rug, the dog, the kids, or that mystery patch near the couch.
If you’ve been wondering how to get smells out of carpet, start by playing detective. We’ll walk you through the usual suspects, then cover the simple fixes you can try before calling in a proper deep clean.
In Summary:
- Carpet smells are usually caused by trapped moisture, pet accidents, food spills, smoke, foot traffic or everyday dirt sitting below the surface.
- Treat spills and mess quickly before they settle into carpet fibres
- If your carpet smells musty, moisture might be setting in the carpet or underlay
- Deep cleaning removes built-up bacteria, allergens, stains, and dirt
Why carpets smell in the first place
Carpets do a lot of quiet heavy lifting. Shoes, spills, pets, crumbs, dust, movie-night snacks. You name it. Over time, the carpet fibres can trap moisture, bacteria, pet dander, and food particles. Once that build-up settles below the surface, vacuuming may make things look better, but it won’t always be the answer to that lingering smell.
What causes bad carpet smells?
Pet accidents
Pets are cute. The smells they leave behind? Less cute. When it comes to smelly carpet, chances are there’s something lingering in the carpet itself, and this is especially true with organic stains such as stains from pet accidents.
Britex tip: When it comes to dealing with pet accidents, use an enzymatic cleaner like the Britex Urine Remover. The Britex Urine Remover uses an advanced enzyme formula that specifically targets and destroys pet urine stains and any underlying odour.
Moisture and dampness
If your carpet smells musty, moisture is usually the main suspect. Due to a variety of factors, moisture can sometimes find its way underneath carpet and underlay, and when the underlay is continually wet and doesn’t dry thoroughly, that can cause a foul odour.
Once this happens, mould and mildew can begin growing underneath the carpet, which results in a damp and musty smell.
Food and drink spills
Just like pet stains, food and drink stains are prime culprits for smelly carpets, and they often work the same way as pet stains in that they attract and host bacteria, which in turn can cause your carpets to smell bad.
Britex tip: A quick and easy way to remove everyday household stains is with the Britex Spot n’ Stain spray cleaner. Britex Spot n’ Stain is specially formulated with active enzymes to effectively remove stains and odours at the source and can be used on a wide range of surfaces, including carpet, upholstery and hard surfaces.
Smoke & environmental issues
Prime culprits include smoke from cigarettes and cooking fumes. Unlike liquid stains, smoke will pervade every nook and cranny of both the carpet and the carpet underlay, and once smoke odours get trapped, extracting the stench can be challenging,
Britex tip: When it comes to removing odours from carpet, furniture and even drapes, try the spray on Britex Odour Blaster. The enzymes in Odour Blaster neutralise and destroy the bacteria that cause offensive odours.
Age and foot traffic
Older carpets naturally collect dust, sweat, body oils and dirt. Busy areas like hallways, living rooms and bedrooms can start to smell tired, even when the carpet looks clean.
How to find where the smell is coming from
Now you know the suspects, it’s time to find the culprit. Before you start cleaning everything in sight, work out if the smell is coming from one spot or the whole carpet. Try this quick smell-check:
- Sniff near old stains, pet zones, doorways and furniture edges
- Look for damp patches, discolouration or darker areas
- Notice if the smell gets worse after rain, humidity or cleaning
- Check if one area smells stronger than the rest
If one spot is the problem, start with a targeted treatment. If the whole room smells stale, smoky or musty, a deep clean is usually the better move.
How to get bad smells out of carpet: Easy fixes
Looking for how to get bad smells out of carpet before going into a deeper clean?
- Clean up spills and messes quickly
Have spot cleaners on hand to tackle stains as they occur, so they don’t turn into odours.
- Try baking soda
Sprinkle a light layer of baking soda over the smelly area, let it sit, then vacuum thoroughly. Test a hidden spot first, especially on delicate carpet types.
When easy fixes aren’t enough
If the smell is still there, it may be sitting deeper in the carpet fibres or underlay. For carpets that need a full refresh, hiring a Britex deep clean machine can remove the dirt, moisture and smells that regular vacuuming leaves behind.
It uses a hot-water extraction system, favoured by many cleaning professionals, to remove smells and stains. It channels hot water and cleaning solution deep within your carpet fibres, thoroughly cleaning and removing dirt, dust, soil, pet hair or anything that could potentially be a source of your carpet smells. At the same time, it deodorises your carpet.
The machine’s powerful motor then suctions water and nasties right up, leaving your carpets fresh and clean with a lavender-scented finish.
Keep carpet smells from coming back
Once your carpet smells fresh again, a few small habits can help keep it that way:
- Vacuum busy areas regularly
- Treat spills and pet accidents quickly
- Spray affected areas of your carpet with Odour Blaster regularly to neutralise and destroy the bacteria that cause offensive odours
- Keep rooms ventilated, especially after cleaning
- Avoid over-wetting carpet
- Let carpet dry fully before moving furniture back
Ready for a fresher carpet?
When it comes to how to get bad smells out of carpet, the real trick is treating the cause, not just covering the smell. For regular carpet care, explore our Britex carpet cleaning range, or use our spot cleaning or deep cleaning guide if you’re unsure what your carpet needs next.
FAQs
Does steam cleaning remove carpet smells?
The best carpet cleaner for smells should clean deeper than the top fibres. That’s where hot water extraction, used by steam cleaning machines, can help remove carpet smells sitting below the surface.
Why does my carpet smell when it gets wet?
Moisture can reactivate old stains, bacteria, or residue. If your carpet smells musty when wet, it may be drying too slowly. Airflow and ventilation can help.
How do I get rid of the old pet urine smell from the carpet?
For old pet urine smells, use a suitable pet odour cleaner, then deep clean if needed. The best carpet cleaner for pet smells should target the source of the odour, not just cover it. For fresh accidents, spot wipes can help with quick clean-up to stop the smell from settling in.
