Eliminating Sewage Odors That Have Settled Into Your Carpet
When a septic issue on your property leads to overflow or strong smells spreading through the house, your carpeting can soak up that sewer odor. Getting rid of it is often a drawn-out process, and in severe situations where sewage from a backup or overflow has saturated both the carpet and the pad beneath it, replacement of those materials might be the only way to fully remove the smell.
By Sage Campbell4 steps
Carpeting can be challenging to clean because you can't access both sides of it easily.
Among the odors that can plague a home, sewer smell ranks as one of the worst. Such odors often trace back to a septic problem on the property or inside the house, one that has resulted in overflow or in strong smells working their way through the house and surrounding grounds. Carpets that have taken in these sewer odors can be difficult and slow to clean. In extreme situations, including when an overflow or backup has flooded the home and left both the carpet and the padding underneath soaked in sewage, replacing the carpet and padding may be necessary before the odor is completely gone.
Step 1
Let fresh air into the affected rooms. Open every window and set up fans throughout the space to get the air moving. If circumstances allow, keep the windows open for multiple days.
Step 2
Give the carpet a deep cleaning with a carpet shampooer. Choose a shampoo made for the purpose of eliminating odors. For the best results with your particular machine, consult its instructions and follow them for that make and model.
Step 3
Apply a carpet deodorizing product by sprinkling it over the carpet in the room. Let it remain for the amount of time the product recommends, then vacuum it up. Baking soda can serve the same function.
Step 4
Set out activated charcoal in the room to soak up odors that remain. Another option is an ozone machine, which may neutralize smells and help clear them from the room. To use it properly, follow the operating instructions supplied with your specific ozone machine.
