Damp doggy smell on newly washed carpet - help!!

[goodbook]

How do you get old doggy smells out of carpet?!

We moved into this house and needed to freshen up a (reasonably new) carpet that judging by the smell has been rolled around on by the two dogs that used to live here.

I've use a carpet shampoo machine with Vax doggy formula (twice). That didn't work.

Tried spraying on Frebreeze - didn't work.

So I made sure it was thoroughly dry for a week, then tried bicarb of soda sprinkled overnight, a John Lewis powder, and Shake'n'Vac. Still that lingering damp doggy smell.

Before I give up and fork out for a new carpet, have any wonderful Mnetters got any other suggestions [desparate].

TIA

If a dog wees on a carpet, biological washing powder is meant to work......worth a try?

Could I put the bio washing powder solution into a machine?

I can't isolate the smell to a small patch - seems like it's the whole carpet!

Insurance may cover your new carpet??

do you have your own carpet washer? i have a bissell, and a dog, and i find putting white vinegar in the water gets rid of all smells.

bissell advise against using vinegar in the machine but i have used it for ages with no problems.

i just use plain water in the tank and add a fair amount of white vinegar, house smells of vinegar while the carpet is drying but the smell goes once dry and just smells fresh and clean.

if the carpet is really 'doggy' then you might need a few goes to get it out.

good luck!

Oh, thanks Ceres. I've borrowed the machine so not sure if I dare put vinegar in, but maybe I could experiment on a small patch by hand and see how that works.

mmmm I think bio powder in a machine would foam too much.

How about professional cleaning? Cheaper than a new carpet.

It would be disappointing to pay a professional, but will have to ask DH.

Thought I was going to crack it myself, but wetting the carpet has made the smell worse!

I guess the water has activated some bacteria that was there...?!

Insurance won't payout for a carpet just because it smells of dog.

If the carpet has wool in it, that smells of wet dog if you get it wet - did this to Ds1's bedroom which hadn't had a dog in it!

Ah, could this be part (all) of the problem, Soupdrageon?

Please tell me that the smell disappeared after a time?!!

i also find that the carpets tend to smell more doggy as they dry, that probably is part of your problem.

i know what you mean about not wanting to risk vinegar if it isn't your machine, might be worth checking with the owner if they use vinegar in it - when friends borrow mine i tell them to use the vinegar!

Oh, okay, Ceres, that's quite reasuring, that you've experienced that smell as they're drying. Hopefully it might sort itself out with windows wide open over time.

Will ask the owners of the machine about the vinegar.

Thanks for your comments.

If you want to go down the Bio detergent route, buy Sainsburys Basics powder. It doesn't foam at all.

Having said that, yes, wet carpet smells utterly vile, and the smell takes a few days to go away.

In your shoes I'd try to open as many windows as poss, and give it at least 4 or 5 days to dry out properly.

You will probably find the smell goes after that.

Yes, the smell of wet dog was replaced by that of sweaty boy!

Found another product to try - 1001 no vac foam - meant to deodorise the carpet. Will try that tomorrow.

Soupdragon - thanks for the update - you've given me hope after two very tedious weeks of trying to sort this out!

I was just going to say what SD said about wool - ours is a wool carpet and smells doggy when wet.

I've tried the biological washing powder thing before (on a different, doggy smelling carpet) and it just left white streaks.

We now use the Rug Doctor that you can rent from B and Q. It's as good as a professional clean (massive machine) but only costs £20 to hire (plus you buy the chemicals). Totally different league to a vax.

Yes, I've heard Rug Doctor is as good as a professional clean.

Was going to invest in our own Vax but it might be better to spend the money over time by hiring every so often.

Perhaps the Rug Doctor leaves the carpets less wet (and so less residual smelliness?!).