How to Deodorize a Carpet with Baking Soda

 How to Deodorize a Carpet with Baking Soda

If your carpet smells funny from spilled food, pet odors, or years of foot traffic, baking soda may be the solution. Using chemicals to remove stains and odors is not good for the environment and can irritate the eyes and respiratory tract. Baking soda is cheap, safe for pets and humans, and easy to use.

- How to Deodorize a Carpet with Baking Soda and Products

Method 1 Clean your carpet with baking soda


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Vacuum the carpet first. Mixing baking soda with the dirt will not be very effective. Ideally, start with a carpet that is as clean as possible. Vacuum your rug to pick up any large dirt particles or loose fibers. The sole of your shoes has oil and dirt in it, and constant contact with your carpet can grind up the surface of your carpet and leave dirt on the fibers.


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Once your carpet is as clean as possible, tell your family that you are cleaning the carpet and ask that no one walk on it while you apply the baking soda treatment.


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If the carpet is in an area with a lot of foot traffic, you may need to clean it in sections.


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Sprinkle the baking soda over the area you want to treat. Plan to use at least one (or two) boxes of baking soda. You have to cover your carpet completely, so that it is difficult to tell what color it is. Since baking soda is not harmful to humans or pets, you should sprinkle generously. [1]


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Since baking soda tends to be lumpy, it may help to pour it into a shaker before applying it. This will help you distribute it more evenly.


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Use fresh baking soda and not one that has been open in your refrigerator. A fresh, unopened box will absorb more odors.


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Scrub the carpet. Use a dry brush or sponge to scrub the baking soda deep into the fibers of the carpet, so that you get to the bottom. You will need to do this if your carpet has a lot of long fibers; you should make sure that each part is well covered with baking soda.


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If you're worried about ruining the texture of the rug, use an old sock or t-shirt to scrub it, rather than scrub it.


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At this point, it's best not to walk on the carpet until you've finished the job.


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Let the baking soda sit for several hours or overnight. If you can let it sit for 24 hours, it will be much better. The longer it sits, the better the results. Baking soda naturally neutralizes and absorbs odors, rather than masking them.


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During this time, try to stay away from the carpet so that you don't carry the baking soda to other places in the house.


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If you see a spot on the carpet that hasn't been covered by the baking soda, fill it in. It's not going to work unless it actually reaches all parts of the odor-infused carpet.


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Vacuum up the baking soda. Work slowly as it will take some time. You will have to clean each section of the rug several times to finish the job. [2] As long as it doesn't get wet, the baking soda will work.


Method 2 Deal With Stronger Odors

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Vacuum your carpet after the first baking soda treatment. Was the bad smell neutralized? One treatment will be enough to neutralize most bad smells. If the rug had a particularly strong odor, you may need to give it a second treatment. Remember, the longer you let the baking soda sit on the carpet, the better it will neutralize odors.


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Consider shampooing your carpet before treating it. If your carpet is very dirty, the baking soda alone could not get rid of the smell. You could give your carpet a deeper clean and shampoo as a prelude to a baking soda treatment. This will increase the likelihood that the treatment will work.


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Instead of using regular carpet shampoo, try using a mixture that contains half white vinegar and half water.


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If you wash the carpet, wait until it is completely dry before applying the baking soda.


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Consider perfuming the baking soda to help mask the smell. For a really stinky carpet, you could add a fresh scent to replace the old smell. To perfume your baking soda, pour it into a large container. Add five to ten drops of essential oil. Use a mixer to stir the smell and integrate it into the baking soda. Pour the baking soda into a shaker, then treat your rug as directed. The following fresh scents will help counteract the smell:

- lemon or citronella
- lavender
- eucalyptus
- cedar


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NOTE: If you have pets, make sure the oil you choose is safe to use around your cat or dog.


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Repeat the process after a few weeks. If you allow too long to re-clean your carpet, bad odors will build up again. Keep your carpet clean by using a baking soda treatment every few weeks or at least once a month. Baking soda is very likely to completely eliminate odors that have lingered for months or years.

Tips
Add a few drops of lemon juice to the baking soda and mix well before using. This will add an extra layer of pleasant scent on top of the odor-neutralizing effect of the baking soda.

Things you will need
- baking soda (also known as sodium bicarbonate)
- Vacuum cleaner