How To Deodorize Carpets In 5 Easy Steps, Plus Best Products

While deodorizing your carpet isn’t the most glamorous task you’ll take on all week, it might be the one that pays off the most. Just think of inviting friends over without fearing potential social alienation resulting from musty, mildewed carpet odor. You could blame it on the cat, or take matters into your own hands.

So, whether it’s dog pee assaulting your olfactory each time you open the bedroom door or a strange sweat smell emanating from that area in front of the television (but, hey, great job doing those home workouts!), we’re here for it. We’ve got hacks for seven of your stinkiest carpet scents using ingredients you probably already own.

How to deodorize carpets in 5 easy steps (or fewer!)

First thing’s first: Determine who or what is causing your carpet smell. Do a little light sleuthing to figure out why your carpet stinks to begin with, then follow our tips to eliminate the odor.

How to deodorize smoke smells

Homes that smell like an ashtray are such a turn off. If you’ve unfortunately inherited a house with bowling alley or a dive bar vibes, fear not. There’s a simple solution for fumigating the smoke smell from your carpet without having to tear the place apart.

1. Pour baking soda into a colander and sprinkle it over the affected areas. Baking soda is a natural absorbent, so it should effectively gobble up that smoke smell.
2. Walk around on top of the baking soda (no bare feet!) so that there’s an even coating everywhere and it’s pressed into the carpet.
3. Let baking soda sit on your carpet for about thirty minutes. The baking soda will seep all the way to the base of the carpet if you let it sit for long enough.
4. Vacuum it up for a fresh start.
5. If you still smell smoke, repeat this process as needed.

How to deodorize mildew smells

Blergh, mildew. If that’s your problem, you’re likely hip to the situation already if you’ve been suffering from curious respiratory problems. If you live someplace with lots of humidity, you’re no stranger to the ‘dew. Let’s turn that ‘dew into a dew-not.

1. If you’ve got water in your carpet, soak it up with an air humidifier or several fans pointing downward.
2. Once the area is dry, mix 2 cups of warm water with 1 cup of white vinegar and lightly spray the carpet. The powerful acidity in the vinegar will dislodge the odor-causing compounds and exterminate them for good (or until the next time you leave the window open during a torrential downpour, whoopsies!).