Are you also worried about the molds that are on your carpet? if yes, don’t worry we are describe the best methods on how to get mold out of carpet.
Carpeting your home floor is a handsome way to welcome the disease-causing agents such as various allergens, pollens, bacteria, and fungi in your home.
According to a research report in every square inch of carpet, there reside 2,00,000 bacteria which is a number 700 times greater than the bacteria that are present on your toilet seat.
Aside from bacteria, the terrifying thing is the growth and development of fungus in the carpet because of moisture present in the carpet. Mold spores are present everywhere in your home.
They just need moisture to grow. Mold infestation in a carpet can cause serious health hazards such as severe skin allergies, asthma, frequent sneezing, nasal congestion, and bad coughing.
Due to the health risks associated with mold infestation you should not ignore the mold and mildew growth in your carpet.
Rather you should seek out ways to get the mold out of the carpet to protect yourself and your family from the anticipated risks.
Below we are enlisting some handy and home-based treatments dealing with how to get mold out of the carpet. To get rid of a mold infestation may seem challenging but some tricky techniques kill the common black household mold and stop their infestation in the surrounding area.
How to Get Mold Out of Carpet with Detergent/Dishwashing Soap and Water?
The carpet floor is the busiest part of the home where so many activities are going on off and on. You can accidentally pour liquids onto it such as water, tea, fresh juices, coffee, cold drinks, and whatnot.
The same goes for food morsels, bread crumbs, desserts, sweets, etc. If you don’t clear the carpet area completely, many micro-germs such as bacteria and fungi can grow on it.
It is very necessary to get rid of mold at the very initial stage because it can cause irreparable damage to your carpet too. The simplest method to get mold out of the carpet is by using a solution containing detergent and dish-washing soap and water.
This solution can work effectively for mold contamination at the very initial level. Grab detergent or dish washing soap and simply mix it in a bowl of hot tap water.
First, take hot tap water in a bowl and then add and mix soap/ detergent in it to prevent an excess of bubbles. This method can be used in combination with a shop vacuum or a rug shampoo machine.
Clean your Carpet Bleach and Water
If your carpet has grown black household mold onto it then you should consider it serious. Because it can cause serious health damage to you and your family members.
Bleach and water in combination can be useful in helping you out to get rid of mold and mildew. Pour some liquid bleach into a spray bottle then fill the bottle with water. spray this solution onto the affected area.
Let it perform its work there. A patch test is necessary because bleach is notorious for destroying enchanting bright colors. Better to use this solution only on light-colored rugs.
Dry the treated area with a vacuum cleaner. Follow the instructions given by the vacuum cleaner companies to get mold out of the carpet in less time.
Clean your Carpet Lysol and Water
The mold-infected area of the carpet can be deal with with the help of Lysol and hot water. Lysol is best known for its efficient disinfectant property. Lysol is a phenol derivative and is a 50% solution of cresol (3-methyl Phenol) in saponified vegetable oil.
- Grab a spray bottle.
- Add one cup of Lysol into it.
- Fill the remaining part of the bottle with hot water.
- Just spray the liquid solution in the bottle onto the infected area of the carpet.
- Allow it to stay there for at least 25 minutes to get maximum efficiency.
- Then Pull the mold and other contaminants out of the carpet by using a vacuum cleaner or rug machine.
- Patch test of the hidden area such as at the part of carpet under the furniture is recommended.
Clean your Carpet With Grapefruit Seed Oil
The grapefruit seed oil also possesses superb antifungal and antibacterial properties.
- Take a spray bottle.
- Add 10 drops of grapefruit seed oil to it.
- Fill the bottle by adding one cup of hot tap water.
- Spray this solution onto the mold-contaminated area on the carpet. Let it stay there for 10 minutes.
- Then pull the mold fibers by using a vacuum cleaner or shop vac.
- Make sure to dry the carpet thoroughly to avoid any further mold infestation.
Clean your Carpet With Vinegar and Baking Soda
Baking soda and vinegar can slow down the mold growth and development in the carpet fibers. Vinegar is also used to remove musty and pungent smells coming out of the area infested with mold and mildew.
- The first step is to soak the mold-infected area with vinegar.
- Allow it to soak in it there for about one hour.
- Then rinse it by using hot tap water.
- In the second step make a thick paste by using warm water and baking soda.
- Apply this paste onto the mold-infected area of the carpet.
- Let the paste stay there for about an hour to attain the maximum outcome.
- Then remove the paste gently with the help of a brush or shop vacuum to get the mold-free carpet.
- The first step work by killing the mold spores and the second step particularly exonerate the musty smell.
Clean your Carpet by Using Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is a super-powerful natural oil that has specifically procured antifungal and antibacterial properties and has tons of practical cleaning benefits.
Follow the spray method:
- Take a spray bottle and add 1 teaspoon of tea tree oil to it.
- Then mix one cup of hot water.
- Apply the solution in a spray bottle onto mold infected area.
- Allow it to stand there for 10 minutes to let the natural oil ingredients work adequately as cleaning agents.
- Then pull the mold and contaminants out of the carpet by using a vacuum or shop vac/rug machine.
- Make sure to dry the rug after cleaning treatment with water and provide proper ventilation afterward.
- This step is crucial to avoid mold re-growth.
Wash your Carpet With Proper Ventilation and Isolation
Mold is a fungus that spreads by releasing its spores into the air. So try your best to provide proper Ventilation by keeping the window door open and by switching the fan on while removing the fungus out of the carpet.
If possible block the rest area of the house with plastic sheet covers. This practice aims to prevent the mold spores from spreading to the other parts of the house by air.
Ventilation is more crucial than isolation especially when you use cleaning chemicals to get mold out of the carpet.
Stiff Brush or Vacuum with HEPA Filter
You can also remove mold from the carpet by using a brush with stiff bristles. Grab a stiff brush to sweep the mold into a plastic bag and then discard it carefully.
HEPA vacuum cleaners are best recommended to get mold out of the carpet. HEPA is not a brand name rather a rating used to describe various products. It stands for High-Efficiency Particulate Air.
HEPA filters can trap small particles such as dust, dander, and other common allergens that ordinary vacuum cannot be able to process completely.
The disadvantages of using HEPA filters are they may end up re-circulating the mold particles back into the air of your home. Also, the mold spores may reside inside the vacuum and spread to the other corners of your home when you use them for the next time to clean your home.
Related Post: Best HEPA Vacuum Cleaner
Clean your Carpet With Steam Cleaners
The heat of thorough steam cleaning has proved one of the most significant ways to kill mold. According to the studies the steam should be applied to each area of carpet for at least 12 seconds to attain 90% results of mold destruction (Ong et al., 2015; Ong et al., 2014).
Wilson et al., 2004 also reported steam cleaning as a successful method to get mold out of the carpet. Steam cleaners are expensive to buy. Buying steam cleaners can disturb your monthly budget.
Many grocery stores and home improvement stores rent them at very affordable prices. So it would be better to rent them instead of buying them.
Related Post: How to Steam Clean Carpet?
Dehumidifiers
You can also use dehumidifiers to allow the carpet to dry completely after applying any liquid-based mold removing treatments. Dehumidifiers work by absorbing the humidity from the air/environment.
The use of high-powered fans afterward can be beneficial before going for any post-remediation tests. Frequent use of a good humidifier is a good practice to prevent your carpets from getting mold.
Direct Sunlight Exposure
If you’re able to leave the carpet to expose in direct sunlight then it would be a very good strategy to deal with mold. Let the carpet dry naturally in direct sunlight.
Pat drying using a dry towel or rug can be used as a drying strategy if your carpet is not movable. Hanging the carpet over sturdy cloth lines in direct sunlight for about 20-48 hours can be helpful to kill the mold spores naturally.
If the backing fibers of the carpet are also soaked in cleaning liquids, it may take much longer to dry. So it would be better to leave the carpet in sunlight for several days.
Chlorine Dioxide Products
Mold removal products available in the markets chiefly contain chlorine dioxide. Chlorine dioxide is a chemical compound best known for its antimicrobial property including chlorination of water.
But it can alter the color of the carpet. Therefore, a patch test of the hidden corner of the carpet is recommended to avoid any future regret. Follow the instructions label there on the product jar.
The product may need the wet settings of your wet/ dry vacuum cleaner to get completely out of the carpet. Chlorine Dioxide may produce vapors that will irritate your lungs and eyes.
So try to work in a well-ventilated area while dealing with chlorine dioxide. Move to a different room if you start coughing or experience short breathing.
Vacuum Regularly
Sweeping with the broom and stiff brush can be efficacious if mold spores and hyphae (mold fibers) are not embedded inside fibers/layers of the carpet. So vacuum cleaning on regular basis is endorsed. You can use shark vacuum for this purpose but they tend to be considerably more expensive.
Related Post: Best Vacuum under 100$
Anti-Mold Sprays
Common house mold or mildew can be killed by using anti-fungal sprays smoothly available in markets. These types of sprays are also called “anti-fungal” coatings which contain encapsulate or mold barrier designed to prevent future mold growth.
For anti-fungal treatments on the carpet:
- Saturate the affected area and at-least six inches around it with anti-fungal sprays.
- Then blot it with the dry rug and allow it to dry.
- Be sure to use the products that itemize safe for carpets.
Drying Treatments after Cleaning Methods
Drying is the key step to prevent the future menaces of mold outgrowth. Chances of mold development and growth increase in warm and moist places. After the application of cleaning techniques, we assure to dry your carpet thoroughly.
Place a high-powered fan over the damp area. The carpeting area should have proper ventilation. A dehumidifier can stimulate the drying process.
You should keep the windows open for several hours to boost up the process of drying and to distribute the fresh air equally in all corners of the room. Floor fans help in better air circulation by especially pointing the airflow on your carpet thereupon facilitating the drying process.
Does Moldy Carpet Need to be Replaced?
First, you have to inspect the backing of the carpet. If the wide splotches of mold are visible throughout the backing of the carpet then you need to replace it with the new one.
Replacing would be a better choice because mold causes serious health hazards and health should always be your priority. If your budget is not allowing you to replace the carpet with the new one then consider hiring a professional to clean your contaminated carpet.
How To Prevent Carpets From Growing Mold?
You can avoid mold outgrowth in your carpeting area by keeping the following simple things into consideration
- Vacuum the carpet regularly.
- Reduce indoor humidity.
- Clean AC filters.
- Open windows for some hours daily.
- Avoid carpeting any bathroom floors in your house.
- Make sure your home has a good ventilation system.
- Hang towels, shower mats, and wet clothes up to dry after use and wash them once a week at least.
- Proper lighting in homes such as the use of UV bulbs can prevent mold growth because it usually grows in dark.
Conclusion
You should tackle the issue of mold and mildew infestation in your homes with wisdom. You can clean the mold-contaminated carpet by yourself but don’t forget to wear a mask, goggles, and gloves to minimize the chances of mold inhalation.
Go for the replace option if you can afford to buy a new carpet. The pivotal point is the drying step after applying any above-mentioned remediation process to prevent ensuing perils of mold infestation.
Ensure to keep your carpeting area well ventilated. Also, vacuum your carpet daily. Repair the minor water leakage points as soon as you can. Mold toxins can interfere with the nervous system and can cause depression.
The researchers of Brown University have reported that people living in damp and mold-containing homes are more prone to go into depression. Health is a precious gift; take good care of yourself and your loved ones.
Read other blog Posts, if you want to know more about cleaning process.