If you are experiencing unwanted moldy smells in your carpet, there may be many issues present in your home that can contribute to this odor within the material of your carpeting. Whether that be humidity, leaks, or excessive moisture exposure, mold can grow and develop in an indoor space, particularly in soft surfaces like your carpeting. Once you smell or see potential mold grow on the carpet flooring in your home, it will be necessary too quickly and effectively work to eradicate the mold presence from the surface of the carpeting. How can you remove mold from your carpet naturally and why does mold grow in this fabric material of your carpet?
In this article we are going to learn more about mold and carpeting, what causes this mold growth in carpet, and the best methods on how to remove mold from carpet naturally.
What does mold look like on carpet
Nothing is quite like the foul aroma of mold that has developed in your carpet, resulting in moldy carpeting inside your home. The odor of mold will be one of the first signs of a mold issue in your carpet, due to the distinctive odor that mold will elicit into the air. Although the smelly carpet can come from a variety of sources or reasons, the musty smell will almost always be associated with some sort of mold growth in the material. When it comes to the look that mold will take in your carpet, there is not cookie-cutter, the standard appearance of mold- due to its hundreds of thousands of different species, that will take on different colors, sizes, etc.
When mold starts to grow on the carpet the mold will take on a discoloration on the carpet material. Typically, the discoloration color of mold on the carpet will usually take on patches of white, black, or various shades of green on the fabric of the carpet. Additionally, mold on carpet may also be surrounded by dampness or moisture that will be the ultimate cause of the mold formation on the carpet in your home because mold thrives on moisture for its development in an environment.
How to detect mold in carpet
Mold detection is critical when it comes to protecting your home’s air quality, the health of the occupants, and the general aroma in the air of this indoor environment. It may come as no surprise that mold is often prone to mold exposure and growth. This fabric material can easily become damp and filled with moisture, which is a key component to mold development. In addition, the age of your carpet can also be a source of mold, as it can wear on the fibers and lead to it becoming compromised by mold. When it comes to detecting mold the major sources to look for will include carpet discoloration, musty odors, allergy symptoms present in the home, and even using a testing method like mold testing kits to determine if mold is hidden in the material of your carpeting.
As we have discussed previously when mold starts to grow it will emit this musty odor into the air space of the home, and this odor will be harbored within the carpeting material. This odor is often one of the first indications of mold in a home – including growing in a carpeting pad or material.
Mold will develop in various forms or species, as there are more than a hundred thousand different mold species in the world. These varying mold species will grow and have a different color as it develops in the environment, thus the discoloration of your carpet may be another indicator of mold presence in your carpet – whether that be green, black, white, or other colored spots on the material.
Mold has been found to produce allergenic mold spores into the airspace of an environment, which can provoke adverse symptoms in a person’s health, especially allergy symptoms. If an occupant in a home has allergies or asthma, they will likely undergo allergenic symptoms as mold is growing in your home, thus this can be a detection method for identifying mold indoors.
One of the simplest and most effective methods for detecting mold in the carpet will be through the use of mold testing kits. These kits work by testing the airflow in your carpet and will thus indicate if mold is present in this material.
Mold thrives on moisture and this is one of the key components to the growth of mold in an environment. All it takes is about a day or so of water intrusions in carpeting to lead to mold growth, especially when the carpeting is in an environment where moisture levels are high like a basement.
Why is my carpet wet
Wet carpeting is mold’s best friend, as it will invite this fungus to easily and rapidly starts its growth in your home within this flooring material. Moisture intrusions in carpeting can occur due to leaks, floods, or other sources within a home that will allow for the moisture to seep into this material.
Unfortunately, sometimes when carpeting becomes wet it can be hard to see that moisture intrusion, and this can be due to the moisture being trapped below the surface of the carpet in the subfloor of the carpeting. As moisture sits in the subfloor of the carpet it will allow for mold to begin its aggressive spreading and lead to many issues within the indoor environment, like we have discussed previously, Therefore, it is necessary to keep a vigilant eye out for moisture and its intrusion on carpeting, where mold will eagerly grow.
How do you get mold out of carpet
to quickly and effectively act to remediate this mold situation within the material of the carpeting. First, you will want to properly air out and ventilate the indoor environment by opening windows and doors, and even adding air filtration devices like an air purifier for mold odors. Next, you will want to treat the source of the mold issue, which in this case will be the carpeting in your home. This will be done through the use of a deodorization solution that can be applied onto the material, such as the EnviroKlenz Everyday Odor Eliminator.
For carpet that has a wet or mildew smell to them just apply the EnviroKlenz Everyday Odor Eliminator directly on the carpet or the source of the odors. This can be done by diluting the EnviroKlenz product into a pump sprayer in a 4 parts water 1-part EnviroKlenz ratio or you can actually apply it directly onto the carpet as well without dilution. Prior to cleaning your carpets. Easily get rid of the mildew smell in your carpet!
Everyday Odor Eliminator
✓ Patented earth mineral technology works to attack VOCs and break them down on a compound level
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Article Sources:
- WebMD: Moisture and Mold Problems: Preventing and Solving Them in Your Home (link)
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): What Does Mold Smell Like? (link)
EnviroKlenz® Medical Disclaimer:
“Any information that is provided on this website is not for the use by any commercial or personal entity without expressed written consent of the blog author. The material and statements illustrated within this blog are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases or medical conditions. Nor does the author in any way guarantee or validate the validity, totality, or efficacy of any claims and will therefore not be held responsible for the content of any claims. Always consult your medical physician for any specific medical advice or recommendations.”
