A smelly rug - why and what to do

How to find where the rug’s smell comes from

1. Smell both sides Lift a corner of the rug and smell the top side, the underside and the floor under it.
2. Take the rug out If the smell stays in the room even without the rug, the source is the room, not the rug.
3. Look at the underside Dark patches, mould spots or a crumbling backing show where to look.
4. Remember when it started After a flood, after a new pet, after a move, or straight after buying.

A rug that smells of damp

A damp smell can often come from the backing and the floor under the rug. The Health Inspectorate (Veselības inspekcija) writes that a comfortable air humidity in a room is 40–60%, while above 80% the risk of mould is high, and advises ventilating rooms every day. A rug lying on a cold floor, in a cellar or by a damp wall can start to smell even if it has never been flooded.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) writes that damp materials that dry quickly mostly do not grow mould, and that porous materials in which mould has set in cannot always be fully cleaned. The Health Inspectorate advises putting mouldy textiles into a closed bag.

Urine smell

The Feline Veterinary Medical Association (Feline VMA) writes that the area of a urine smell can be up to three times larger than the visible stain. Urine goes through the pile to the backing, and if it has reached the backing or the floor, the smell can come back even after cleaning. How to deal with a fresh stain is described on the page urine smell in a rug.

Tobacco smoke smell

Tobacco smoke residue stays in textiles for a long time: in a study it was found in cotton and polyester after 19 months. A paper on smokers' homes concluded that cleaning carpets, painting and washing surfaces gives only a short-term result. If smoking continues in the room, the smell of the rug can come back from the room.

A new or very old rug smells by itself

In tufted rugs the yarn is punched into the backing fabric and fixed with latex glue. Fibreworks writes that a new rug with a latex backing can at first smell of ammonia. This is the smell of the material, not dirt. In an old rug the latex backing can start to crumble and smell by itself over time, and then cleaning may not change it.

What not to do with a smelly rug

• Do not soak the rug in the bath and do not pour a lot of water on it: moisture gets into the backing and the floor, and a damp backing can start to smell by itself.
• Do not wash a wool rug with hot water: hot water together with rubbing felts wool, and the rug can shrink.
• Do not use shop-bought carpet shampoos on a valuable rug: the Canadian Conservation Institute writes that after them dirt sticks to the fibres faster.
• Do not use chlorine bleach or strong products: they change the colour.
• Do not roll up a damp rug or put it into storage: conservators advise keeping a rug off the floor and not in a cellar or attic.

Home recipes with baking soda or vinegar differ between sources, and it is not proven that they are safe for every rug. Test any product on a hidden spot first. What matters most is the rug’s fibre and dyes, not the name of the product.

How to help a rug dry

The EPA writes that drying is sped up by fans and a dehumidifier, and that evaporation is slower in humid air. Lift the rug off the floor so that air reaches the underside, and ventilate the room. How long a rug takes to dry depends on the fibre, the pile thickness, the backing, the room temperature, the air humidity and the ventilation. More: how long a rug takes to dry.

When to send the rug for cleaning

It is worth having the rug professionally cleaned if the smell stays after ventilation and drying, if the source is urine or a spilled drink, or if the rug is wool, silk or hand-made and wetting it at home is not safe. If the whole room smells, the room needs treatment, not only rug cleaning: smell treatment for the whole room.

Urine or odour treatment, extra: from €3/m², added to the cleaning price. Synthetic short-pile rug, cleaning at home: from €6/m². Wool or cotton rug (with pick-up): from €10/m², and pick-up and return in Riga costs €10. The minimum order is €45: if the total is lower, you pay €45. On the job and prices: carpet smell cleaning.