How To Get Mold And Mildew Discoloration Out Of Your Carpet

Posted on: 26 April 2015

A little moisture is all it takes for carpeting to become discolored by mold and mildew. Do you have a carpet that has an area that has a bit of mold and mildew damage? Below, you will find out how to get the mold and mildew out of your carpet to eliminate the health hazards and unsightliness that they have caused.

Step 1: Vacuum the Area

Use your vacuum hose to vacuum the area. The hose will create more suction to pull as much of the mold and mildew out of the carpeting as possible. Once you have vacuumed well, remove the vacuum bag and throw it away, or clean out the canister if you have a bagless vacuum. You don't want to leave mold and mildew spores in your vacuum, or it could become airborne during future uses of the vacuum.

Note: If the area is wet, do not use your household vacuum. Instead, use a wet-dry vacuum. Once done, clean it and it's filter out thoroughly. 

Step 2: Clean the Carpet

Use a clean bucket to mix ¼ cup of borax with ½ gallon of very warm water. The borax will help kill the mildew and mold in the carpeting and prevent future growth.

Use a scrub brush dipped in the cleaning solution to scrub the carpet with. Use small circular movements to force the solution deep into the carpet where the mold and mildew is likely to be the worse.

Note: Seriously damaged carpeting may need to be lifted and turned over so that you can clean the underside of it. If you skip this step, the mold and mildew could wick back up through the carpet fibers and cause the discoloration to reappear after you have completed the cleaning and the carpet has dried.

Once you have cleaned the area, dump the mixture, rinse the bucket and fill it with warm, clean water. Use a clean, white cloth to dab the clean water onto the carpet to rinse the area well.

Step 3: Dry the Carpet

If you have a carpet scrubber, you can use it to suck the moisture out of the carpeting. If you don't own one, you can use the wet-dry vacuum to suck the moisture out of the carpet.

After you have sucked as much moisture out of the carpet as possible, position a fan directly over the area to dry it as quickly as possible.

Note: If you, or a family member seems to experience allergy symptoms while in the room with the damaged carpet, the carpet, padding and subflooring may need to be removed and/or treated to remove the mold spores that could be causing the symptoms.

If this is something you cannot do on your own, talk with your local carpet cleaning technician about having it done for you. It can be a time consuming project, but when complete, you may have saved yourself a ton of money on replacing the carpeting. To learn more, contact the experts at Cohen Carpet Upholstery & Drapery Cleaning Specialists

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