Beware of What You Breathe: 10 Reasons Your New Rug’s Scent Could Spell Trouble
123RF
The icing on the cake of homeownership pride for many Americans is the new rug or carpet smells of freshly carpeted floors. Carpets play a significant role in our homes, providing comfort and insulation.
However, when they emit unpleasant odors, it can affect the overall living experience. Many people don’t appreciate that owning rugs and carpets demands a lifelong dedication to regular cleaning and maintenance to keep them clean. Unclean, wet, and non-maintained rugs and carpets can create bad odors, serious health problems, and other issues.
Let’s explore 10 common reasons for unpleasant carpet smells and how to implement some practical solutions.
Unpleasant Smell
123RF
Unpleasant carpet smells are a sign of trouble brewing in your carpet that can cause long-term consequences. The problem is that many issues can be causing the smell, and each issue may require a specialized solution. Not understanding what is causing the problem may cause it to linger for a long time. Unpleasant carpet smells can cause sinus infections, breathing problems, severe headaches, joint pain, sore throat, allergies, and other issues. Contact a carpet maintenance professional for a consultation when in doubt.
Dust and Dirt Buildup
123RF
A major reason for unpleasant carpet smells could be the long-term build-up of dust, dirt, and shoe-borne particulates that can accumulate for years within the fibers of a rug or carpet. Think of rugs and carpets as large, flat filtration systems that collect microscopic particulates. Such buildups can cause bad carpet smells and bacteria to proliferate. To help solve the issue, don’t wear outside shoes on the carpet and vacuum regularly.
Cigarette and Cigar Smoke
123RF
Your unpleasant rug or carpet smells could be caused by the presence and ever-pervasiveness of lingering cigarette and cigar smoke. The fibers and padding of a new carpet act like a sponge and can permanently absorb such smells the longer it is exposed to them. There are a few homemade solutions you can try, but if you don’t dry the carpet entirely, you’ll worsen the issue. Contacting carpet cleaning professionals might be the best option.
New Carpet Smell
123RF
Newly installed carpeting sometimes emits distinct, chemical-like smells and odors. New carpet smells are caused by VOC or volatile organic compounds. Volatile organic compounds are a class of chemicals that are used in the manufacture and processing of vinyl products, wood furniture, paint, and carpets. These fumes are designed to be minimal and slowly dissipate but can linger for weeks or months depending on ventilation.
Exposure to intense VOC fumes has been known to cause nausea, breathing problems, liver and kidney damage, and in some cases cancer. While carpet VOC fumes are usually minimal, inquire about the content before buying and properly ventilate newly installed carpets.
Paint
123RF
Your unpleasant or intense carpet smells could be caused by your carpet fibers and paddings absorbing ambient paint fumes. Latex, acrylic, and water-based paint don’t emit as intense chemical smells as oil-based paint, but both can produce pungent chemical smells. Paint fumes can cause nausea, intense headaches, dizziness, and even a high-like euphoria. Remove carpeting or cover it when painting and properly ventilate afterward.
Old, Deteriorating Carpets
123RF
The functional life span of a carpet or rug can range anywhere between five to 15 years, depending on manufacturing quality. Decades-old carpets and rugs may have been manufactured with chemicals not allowed today. As your carpet deteriorates and its fibers fray, it could be slowly releasing old, toxic chemical fumes. Or releasing dirt, bacteria, and fumes it absorbed for decades. Replace carpets and rugs every five to 15 years to avoid this issue.
Matted Sections of Carpet
123RF
Well-worn and flattened sections of your new carpet could be the source of bad carpet smells. Regular patterns of intense foot traffic on specific sections of a carpet or rug flattens the fibers and intertwine them into a matted mess compacting the padding. Any dirt, bacteria, chemical fumes, or particulates trapped in or under the matted fibers will cause bad carpet smells. The only solution is to replace the carpet.
Water Accumulation
123RF
Your carpet and its padding can become soaked with water from a spilled drink, rain comic through an open window, water dripping from an air conditioner, water dripping from a plant pot or other sources. The carpet fibers and padding will absorb the water like a sponge which can turn to mildew and mold which can cause bad carpet smells. You will have to hire a specialty cleaner or buy a new carpet.
Mold Accumulation
123RF
Unpleasant carpet smells can be a symptom of a much bigger problem, mold proliferation. Once mold takes hold within carpet fibers and padding, it can grow and expand out of control before you realize the gravity of the problem. Mold can start in new carpeting as a bad smell and then slowly grow into the flooring and wall infrastructure of your home and become a bigger problem. The best fix is to frequently check your carpet for dampness and hire carpet professionals for regular inspections.
Poorly Maintained Vaccum Cleaners
123RF
As a responsible homeowner, you may regularly vacuum your carpets and rugs to remove particulate debris and keep them clean. Still, is your vacuum cleaner clean? Do you fully and properly empty the debris bag and reinstall it? A poorly maintained or malfunctioning vacuum cleaner can deposit dirt into a new carpet while inefficiently cleaning it. Replace old vacuum cleaners or hire a professional, because you might be unwittingly causing bad carpet smells.
Pet-Based Odors
123RF
If you are a pet parent then you need to be extremely vigilant about your pet’s movements and activities on your rugs and carpet. Pet dander, urine, and bodily waste can accumulate quickly on a new carpet. If you have an older carpet, it could have been absorbing pet-based debris and smells for years or decades. Keep your pets well groomed and have your carpets cleaned regularly.
Vigilance and Regular Maintenance are the Best Ways to Protect Your New Carpet From Bad Carpet Smells
123RF
Remember, maintaining a fresh-smelling carpet involves regular cleaning, prompt stain removal, and proper drying techniques. Ventilate carpeted rooms to keep them dry and use air-conditioning to keep them dry during humid weather.
By addressing these issues, you can always enjoy your rugs and carpeting in a pleasant and odor-free home environment.
Read More
17 Everyday Behaviors That Psychologists Say Are Bad for Your Mental Health
20 Lifestyle Choices That Are Unique to Millennials
Allen Francis is a full-time writer, prolific comic book investor and author of The Casual’s Guide: Why You Should Get Into Comic Book Investing. Allen holds a BA degree from Marymount Manhattan College. Before becoming a writer Allen was an academic advisor, librarian, and college adjunct for many years. Allen is an advocate of best personal financial practices including saving and investing in your own small business.
