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AIBU?

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Original poster

This smell is driving me crazy!!!!

33 replies

justalittlelemondrizzle · 21/08/2015 22:00

Just moved into our new house. Cleaned the carpets using the rug doctor on Tuesday and the living room has smelt of what I can only describe as sweaty feet ever since. Its been like this for days. It's driving me totally crazy. how do I get rid of this smell. Tried plug in and spray air fresheners, keeping the windows open, having the heating on, shake n vac and baking soda (but not a lot yet, waiting for DH to get home with some more) arrgghhh!

OP posts:
PHANTOMnamechanger · 21/08/2015 22:17

did the previous owners have pets? you might need one of those special pet deodorisor sprays/powders.

I was going to say baking soda, but only if you are sure the carpet is fairly dry.

or baby talc, shake on, leave overnight , vac off

PHANTOMnamechanger · 21/08/2015 22:20

another tip - instead of using air freshener type products, rub your light bulbs with a few drops of essential oil on cotton wool, and when the lights are on the oil warms and smells lovely. I like lavender, rose or geranium.

YouTheCat · 21/08/2015 22:20

Is there cheese under your floorboards?

Charlesroi · 21/08/2015 22:23

Could be a milk spillage if it smells of sweaty feet? It doesn't sound like pets anyway.
Think you'll just have to keep going with the Rug Doctor as I doubt you'll be able to mask the smell.

PHANTOMnamechanger · 21/08/2015 22:25

maybe you do need another run over with the rug doctor, if it was very dirty

Eternalsunshines · 21/08/2015 22:29

To me it sounds as though the carpet didn't dry out enough which is leaving a damp smell

Original poster
justalittlelemondrizzle · 21/08/2015 23:25

He did have a dog but the carpet is now spotless. no other rooms smell. Did a bedroom and stairs roo and they don't smell. I don't get it.
If it is a case of it hasn't fully dried out yet, do you think the smell will go eventually?

OP posts:
GamerCh1ck · 21/08/2015 23:29

If you've used a rug doctor on a previously wet and then dried carpet then in the previously wetting, mould has grown in the underlay which if left alone is fine. However if wet again it releases its spors and causes the stink you're smelling.

It's a nasty type of mould and tbh I would pull up and chuck the carpet.

YouTheCat · 21/08/2015 23:43

3 days isn't really long enough for mould and if all the other carpets have been washed and dried with no problems I'd suggest you look under the carpet.

Original poster
justalittlelemondrizzle · 21/08/2015 23:44

The carpet was filthy when we moved in. The water was like coffee! so don't think it had ever been cleaned. Just replaced all the other carpets so really would like to salvage this one as it's fine other than the pong. Do you think it will go eventually?

OP posts:
GamerCh1ck · 22/08/2015 00:14

Can you lift it and see underneath maybe?

Fatmomma99 · 22/08/2015 00:17

when my BF brought her house (from pet owners, lots of them, in a v small house) she planned to keep the carpets, but the smell drove her to rip them all out (even though she couldn't afford to replace them for quite a while).

The smell left when the carpets did.

Hope this is helpful. Sorry if it's not.

Welshmaenad · 22/08/2015 01:29

Is it a wool carpet? Mine are and really niff for a day or two when tug doctored but it fades as they dry.

WaggleBee · 22/08/2015 03:26

Yy our wool carpet smells like wet sheep for a day or two after shampooing. Hire a dehumidifier and when not using that, open all your windows for as long as possible. If it is because the wool is still damp then it will fade in a couple of days.

Original poster
justalittlelemondrizzle · 22/08/2015 12:23

Yea it's wool. It's been 4 days now, really starting to get me down. Bicarb of soda didn't work, it seems to improve it at first but on coming down this morning it was just as bad. Just put a lot of shake n vac down...again...Sad

OP posts:
LuluJakey1 · 22/08/2015 14:01

Do you really want to keep this carpet? I don't think I could live with it even if the small went.

jellyjiggles · 22/08/2015 14:04

I'd be getting rid of the carpet! If you really need to keep it I'd be lifting it and the underlay, all doors and windows open.

unlucky83 · 22/08/2015 14:19

I agree damp wool stinks - but not sure if it is cheesy feet? Does sound like rotten milk...maybe disturbed by the cleaning and it will settle?
I bought a house from a dog owner (actually house had been lived in by a 21 yo who didn't want to move out for 3 months after we last viewed it (missing deeds) - it was filthy all over- think dog hair everywhere, skiddy loo, black grime on shower tray, marks on wall where tea bags had been thrown against it etc -grim). I tried washing the living room carpet with my vax a couple of times -dirt seemed to rise up from under the carpet Confused. In the end got a professional carpet cleaner in. He told me some paler marks were from where dog urine had been left on carpet...smell had gone but I as soon as I could I ripped it up and had bare not active boards as I couldn't stand the thought...
And had a problem in another house stinking of stale wee ...seems like previous elderly owners probably had a chamber pot in their bedroom and had accidents. It wasn't until the carpet was washed (wetted) and the sun shone on it that it became overpowering. Carpet, underlay went, even washing the boards with bicarb, vinegar etc etc didn't help - had to get the floorboards in that area replaced Sad

landrover · 22/08/2015 14:20

Get rid of the carpet, tis the only way sorry. Either that or get it professionally cleaned, but that might be throwing away good money! x

Greenlandrover · 22/08/2015 14:21

Stop wasting money on cleaning products and invest in new carpet. I would.

unlucky83 · 22/08/2015 14:24

*not attractive boards ....not active ...took even me a while to know what I had been trying to say!!

Witchend · 22/08/2015 15:29

Silly question? Can others smell it and if not are you pregnant?
When I was pregnant with dd2 I was convinced one carpet smelt mouldy. Spent ages sprinkling odour eater stuff, sweeping it etc. Smell cleared day I came back from the hospital.
Dh said he had been trying to tell me it was me not it.Blush

OriKumi · 22/08/2015 15:37

it will take a bit to dry properly if it's wool, so get it dry. do you have a dehumidifier? if yes use it. or hire one at a dyi store

DanglyEarrings · 22/08/2015 17:14

Try professional carpet cleaner, they should have chemicals and equipment far superior to the ones we rent.

I know professional carpet cleaners laugh at the thought of 'rug doctors' and the crappy things available to the general public.

Find a good service via word of mouth!

Original poster
justalittlelemondrizzle · 22/08/2015 17:39

Thanks for your replies. no not preg and everyone can smell it unfortunately. I'll give it a few more days and then I will have no choice but to rip the carpet up! Very annoyed as I've already replaced a few.

OP posts: