An odor has started to take over the air space of your home and it stems from the carpet flooring running throughout your living spaces. Carpeting is one of the most highly used flooring materials used in homes today, due to their beautiful aesthetic look and affordable price tag. However, the material of carpeting can be difficult to maintain, especially in an environment that has a lot of foot traffic and activity such as a family room or living room. Accidents, spills, and other liquid mishaps can happen on this flooring and become easily absorbed into the carpet material and under padding of the carpet, which can lead to many odor problems – specifically mildew/mold.

The smell of mildew and mold can develop and accumulate within the material of carpeting as it becomes exposed to moisture in the environment. When moisture is introduced to carpeting, the problem then becomes the subfloor carpet padding that resides under the carpet which will retain the moisture and lead to potential mildew and mold problems, as well as odors overtime. What can you do to alleviate odor sources in carpet padding and are there specific subfloor cleaners that can be used to restore your carpets padding instead of having to replace the entire subfloor under your carpet?

In this article we are going to learn more about how to get mildew smell out of carpet padding, what carpet padding material is, and how to restore instead of replacing the subfloor padding of the carpeting.

My Carpet Smells Like Mildew After Cleaning

On the onset of mildew odor from the fabric of your carpeting, most homeowners will quickly work to expel this odor from the material through cleaning processes on the carpet. This can be self-cleaning or the use of a professional carpet cleaner that will work to clean the fibers of the carpeting to help mitigate any unwanted odors that are emitted from the flooring. However, after cleaning your carpeting you have begun to notice that your carpet still reeks even after cleaning the flooring, with the musty/mildew odor still released into the air of a home as a result of the carpet flooring. Why is it that your carpet still smells like mildew even after cleaning them and what is the underlying problem within the carpeting that is contributing to this unwanted household odor?

When it comes to the reason behind why your carpet flooring still smells like mildew after cleaning the underlying cause will be the backing or padding of the carpeting that has become wet from moisture intrusions that have compromised the padding. As carpet padding becomes wet through various moisture sources in a home, it will be likely that this material will not properly dry which can lead to the mildew or sour smell that is being emitted into the indoor space of your home. Ultimately, it will be a difficult process to reach the carpet padding and dry this material, which will lead to persisting mildew smell in your personal indoor environment.

What is Carpet Padding

Carpet installation will consist of two levels, the base underlying carpet padding that is placed on the flooring to provide cushion, as well as the top level of the carpeting which will be the aesthetic material that is seen in the home as the main flooring. According to Angies List, the carpet padding, also known as a carpet cushion, is a sheet of foam rubber or spongy material that is installed onto the floor prior to the carpet installation. These pads will usually be glued or stapled to the subfloor prior to the laying of the carpet to help protect and extend the life of the carpeting in your home. Carpeting can accumulate a lot of wear and tear, and the carpet padding will help to alleviate some of this damage to the actual carpeting, by absorbing the daily impacts of footsteps, furniture, and stress that is placed on the carpeting.

Additionally, the carpet padding will also help to provide cushion to help make a room feel more comfortable and offer thermal insulation. How does a carpet pad provide thermal insulation? This padding will work to stop those cold, winter drafts that can invade the indoor space of a home through the porous carpeting. Therefore, the carpet padding will ultimately help to keep your indoor environment warm and cozy, while also providing the ability to absorb sounds that are produced in this environment.

Carpet and Padding

There are a variety of different types of carpeting that can be installed in a home, as well as the padding material that can be used under the carpet to help provide a layer of protection to the flooring. The carpet padding will be important to the lifespan and quality of the carpeting in the home, and this material that is used will be a critical component to the lifespan of this flooring. The various types of carpet padding can include the following; rebond pad, foam padding and synthetic fiber pad.

 

• Rebond Pad: The most common type of carpet padding used in homes today, it is composed of recycled materials from urethane foam. This multicolored foam is available everywhere and in almost every thickness or density – at a reasonable price. However, not all rebond padding is a high-grade material, and there are various grades of rebond padding that is available to Customers.
• Foam Padding: A type of carpet foam padding that is often very inexpensive and a lightweight option. This means that the padding will not tolerate much wear and tear and can flatten significantly over time.
• Synthetic Fiber Padding: A carpet padding that is a great choice for basements with concrete floors due to its ability to breath easily and resist mold and mildew growth that can accumulate in this padding material.

Carpet Water Damage

Unfortunately, carpet flooring can incur damage to it overtime as it can be introduced to various water or moisture sources. Whether that be accidental spills, leaks, or even floods that can occur to the environment that can taint the carpet material and the under-carpet padding, it can result in some lasting damage and potential odor problems in the indoor space. If and when carpeting has become exposed to water intrusions it is important to remove the water as soon as possible from the surface by using fans to speed up the carpet drying process.

Also, it may be necessary to add air filtration to the environment to help remediate the compromised air quality that has become present from the water intrusion, such as mildew and mold growth and odors in the air. An air purifier for mildew smell is a great option to use inside a space that has wet carpeting and carpet padding to work to restore the air space and improve the indoor air quality in the home.

How to Deodorize Carpet Padding

Spills, leaks, and other moisture intrusions can accumulate on carpet flooring and padding, and this will lead to major odor problems within the carpet material, the padding of the carpeting, and even the subfloor of the home. As we discussed previously, carpet padding can take quite a beating when it comes to wear and tear on the flooring of your home’s carpet, especially when it comes to moisture that can easily become absorbed into the foam material of the padding. Unfortunately, when moisture accumulates on the carpet padding it can be a difficult process in drying and remediating the water intrusion on this carpet pad material, and this will lead to the formation of mildew odors in the flooring.

The best way to help alleviate mildew smells in carpet padding is to utilize deodorization solutions, rather than having to rip up and replace the carpet padding. Many people will utilize deodorization solutions such as baking soda and vinegar to help alleviate the odors on the surface of the carpeting, however, when it comes to removing mildew odors that are stuck deep down in the carpet padding and subfloor you will need a more proficient solution such as the OdorKlenz Subfloor Treatment Kit that reaches down to the subfloor to remove odor sources.

Subfloor Cleaner & Deodorizer

When it comes to cleaning and deodorizing subfloor of your flooring, especially when you have mildew smelling carpeting, you will need the help of an odor eradicating solution not just a masking agent. Thus, the OdorKlenz Subfloor Treatment Kit was created to provide people with a nontoxic, odor eradicating solution for their home’s smelly subflooring. The revolutionary OdorKlenz Subfloor Treatment Kit makes it no longer necessary to rip up and replace carpet; we developed this kit specifically for subfloor penetration. Utilizing OdorKlenz’s revolutionary “absorptive neutralization technology, the product can be prepared directly prior to use. The incredible technology behind OdorKlenz Subfloor Treatment Kit utilizes a patented earth mineral technology that effectively neutralizes chemical odors. Unlike harsh chemicals that may use bleach or other corrosive enzymes, which can leave bleach stains, discolorations, and can be washed out, OdorKlenz’s earth mineral technology quickly and more efficiently. The odors are neutralized almost immediately after application. No machine rental, no harsh fragrances, and chemicals that only mask the odor and camouflage the stains. Using our do-it-yourself friendly kit, equipped with ten ready-to-use packets, only add tap water.

Each packet treats 6-8 square inches of contamination. When used as instructed, the kit will help eliminate odors from carpet, padding, and subfloor while offering long-term odor control capabilities.

 

1. First, insert the needle into the liquid and pull back on the plunger to draw up liquid treatment, filling the dispensing tube.
2. Insert the needle under the contaminated carpet and mesh to the carpet pad and dispense the liquid. If the area being treated is small (<4 inches) inject into the middle.
3. If the area is larger than 4 inches, inject 3-4 times around the outside and once in the middle.
4. Ensure treatment has made contact with the contaminated area to provide maximum results.
5. Excess water can be extracted.
6. Disposal: Replace needle cap before disposal. Dispose of according to local guidelines.

Subfloor Treatment Kit

$29.99

✓ Made of Safe, Natural earth minerals that provide a complete odor elimination on subfloor 

✓ Fast acting, without the use of masking agents or fragrances

✓ Safe enough to leave in place, it won’t harm your carpet, and best of all – is effective.

✓ Ten ready to use packets (covers 12 inches in diameter each).