Prep first
Before you start
- Find out the fiber and the maker. If it's wool or a wool blend, or you can't tell, use only the mild detergent and plain water, and stick to the maker's approved cleaners.
- Vacuum before you add any liquid so loose dirt doesn't turn to mud.
- Test every cleaner on a hidden spot, such as a back corner, and wait for it to dry before you judge the result.
- Gather white cloths or plain white paper towels, since colored material can transfer dye to damp carpet.
Carpet and rugs hold smells deep in the fibers, and sometimes in the backing and pad below, so a quick spray rarely reaches the source. Before you start, check what the carpet is made of and who made it, because wool and maker rules change what is safe.
You can get smell out of carpet with a gentle detergent clean, a water rinse, and baking soda once it's dry. A rug smell usually responds to the same approach, as long as you keep the moisture low. Skip strong products, since a cover-up that only masks the smell won't last.
Before you start
What carpet and rugs can take
Use with care6
- Water
- Hot water
- Oxygen bleach
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
- Heat (dryer, iron, hot air)
Avoid3
- Soaking
- Chlorine bleach
- Scrubbing and abrasives
8 items
What you'll need
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- Vacuum with a rotating brush or beater barLifts loose dirt before any liquid touches the fibers.
- Measuring spoons and cupsKeep the detergent and vinegar mixes at the right strength.
- Liquid dish detergent without bleachLifts odor-causing residue when diluted, and it is the base of the deep clean. (opens Amazon)
- White vinegarDeodorizes after the rinse when diluted with water. (opens Amazon)
- Baking sodaAbsorbs odors, dust and moisture from dry carpet before you vacuum. (opens Amazon)
- White clothsBlot up liquid without transferring color into the pile. (opens Amazon)
- Plain white paper towels (opens Amazon)
- Fan or open windowKeeps air moving over the carpet while it dries. (opens Amazon)
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6
Vacuum the carpet thoroughly
Vacuum the whole area from several directions so loose dirt is gone before any liquid touches the fibers. Use a rotating brush or beater bar for most styles, and empty the vacuum when you finish.
Tip. Use suction only on shag.
Step 2 of 6A few minutes
Clean with the detergent solution
Stir 1/4 teaspoon of liquid dish soap into one cup of lukewarm water. Work the solution gently from the edges of the odor toward the center with a white cloth, let it sit a few minutes, then blot.
Tip. Use small amounts and blot often rather than soaking the carpet.
Careful. Never make it stronger, because leftover residue makes carpet soil quickly.
Step 3 of 6
Rinse out the detergent
Blot the area with cool water, using small amounts, and repeat until the cloth comes up clean. Then press a dry white cloth into the area to pull out as much moisture as you can.
Step 4 of 6
Deodorize with diluted vinegar
Mix 1 cup of white vinegar with 2 cups of water and blot it into the area. Then blot dry with a clean white cloth until no moisture comes up.
Step 5 of 6
Dry the carpet completely
Lay a half-inch layer of paper towels over the damp area and weight it down. Change the towels often until the carpet is completely dry, and keep air moving with open windows or a fan.
Tip. A dry absorbent cleaning compound can cut the drying time.
Step 6 of 6A few hours
Sprinkle baking soda and vacuum
Distribute baking soda evenly over the dry carpet or rug. Let it sit for a few hours to absorb dirt, dust, moisture and odors, then vacuum it up.
Careful. Don't mix baking soda with the vinegar, since equal parts neutralize each other, so let the carpet dry first.
What makes the job easier
Products that help
Use plain liquid dish detergent without bleach rather than dishwasher detergent, and keep baking soda on hand for odors.
Rug Doctor Mighty Pro X3 Carpet Cleaner
BISSELL Little Green Portable Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner
Zep Advanced Oxy Carpet & Upholstery Stain Remover
How we picked these: each product is made for this kind of odor or surface, its maker doesn't warn against using it on carpet and rugs, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely before you use it again.
How to tell it's really done →A faint smell often fades as everything dries and airs out; give it a day before a second round.
Find the guide for your stain →Heavy grime or a lingering smell usually needs a second round once it's fully dry.
See what to do for what you're seeing →When to call a professional →How to tell it's done
The carpet is clean when the smell is gone from the area and the fibers feel soft rather than sticky. It's fully dry when a dry white cloth pressed into the spot comes up dry, so check that before anyone walks on it. If it still feels damp or smells after drying, repeat the rinse and drying steps.
If there is a stain too
Related guides
A smell usually has a stain or a spill behind it. These guides cover the cleanup in detail:
What changes for yours
Adjust for the smell
Spilled milk
Act quickly, since a delay can turn the spill into a permanent stain. Blot up the liquid, scrape up any solids gently with a rounded spoon, then break them up and vacuum them.
Clean with the same detergent solution as the deep clean, and rinse out all of it before you dry the area.
Beer spills
Blot the beer right away with a dry white cloth, before it can soak deeper into the pile. Then clean with the same detergent solution as the deep clean.
Rinse with cool water and blot until the area is dry.
New carpet
Ventilate the room with good air exchange for about 48 to 72 hours, and the new carpet smell should fade within that time. Most new-carpet off-gassing finishes within about the first 24 hours, so the smell does not continue for years.
If ventilating and vacuuming don't clear the smell, have a professional hot water extraction done.
Wet or flooded carpet
Have the water extracted and drying fans running, ideally within 24 hours, since a flooded carpet dries slowly. Soaked carpet cushion is very hard to dry quickly and usually needs replacing.
If the water carried mud, sewage or other contaminants, dispose of the carpet and pad rather than cleaning them. Use a professional trained in water restoration so the carpet, pad and subfloor are fully dried.
Wool or wool blend
Wool and wool blends need a milder procedure: use a detergent with no bleach or strong alkali, and warm rather than hot water. If you can't confirm the fiber, use only the detergent solution and plain water.
Ammonia damages silk and wool, so keep it away from wool even when a smell is strong.
Rubber car floor mats
Rubber car floor mats take only mild soap and water, so check first whether your mats are rubber or carpeted. Don't use tire or rubber cleaners, since they make the mats slippery and can cause an accident at the pedals.
Dry the mats fully, then reinstall them securely in the footwell.
Prevention
Keep the smell from coming back
Vacuum at least once a week, and more often where traffic is heavy. Doing it regularly keeps the dirt that holds smells from building up.
Have the carpet professionally deep cleaned with hot water extraction every 6 to 18 months, and sooner with heavy traffic or pets.
Between cleans, treat any spill right away with the blot-and-detergent method, and keep the carpet dry so smells don't settle in.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies get rid of the smell?
Many household products look like they should help with carpet smells, but several can damage the fibers or backing. Only a few of these belong on carpet: a mild detergent, a plain water rinse, diluted vinegar and baking soda.
Works3Helps1Skip1Avoid2
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't scrub the spot
Scrubbing or using a brush can damage the fibers, spread the spot and distort the pile. Blot gently with a cloth instead.
Don't use chlorine bleach
Chlorine bleach can delaminate the backing and discolor or dissolve the fibers. Keep it away from the carpet in every form.
Don't use laundry or dishwasher detergent
Dishwasher detergents contain bleaching agents that destroy dyes and some fibers. Laundry detergent's optical brighteners can dye the fiber, so it has no place in a carpet clean.
Don't reach for a strong cleaner
Carpet should not be cleaned with anything at a pH of 10 or higher, and ammonia cleaners fall into that group. Stick with the mild detergent solution from the steps.
Don't use hot water or steam on a spot
Heat can set a stain in place, so cool or lukewarm water is right for home spot work. Hot water extraction is a job for professionals.
Don't pour solvent straight onto the carpet
Solvents can dissolve carpet materials and destroy the backing. Apply any solvent to a white cloth instead.
Troubleshooting
If the smell comes back
Pick what you're seeing:
The smell comes back after it dries
Some odor products only mask the smell, and in high humidity the odor can come back. Repeat the baking soda step once the carpet is dry, and if the smell keeps returning, find and repair the source of moisture.
The spot looks dull or gets dirty fast
Leftover detergent residue attracts soil. Rinse again with cool water until the cloth comes up clean, then dry the area completely.
A stain is still visible after cleaning
Treat the stain first with its own method, since a stain may need a targeted approach. Once it's gone, repeat the rinse and drying steps so the area is clean and dry.
When to call a professional
Call a professional carpet cleaner when a pretested cleaner changes the carpet's color, when an oily stain remains, or when a spill needs hot water extraction. Extensive water damage also calls for a pro, since the carpet, pad and subfloor must be dried fully, from front and back.
Questions
Does vinegar leave its own smell in carpet?
It can, for a short time, because the vinegar smell is strongest while the solution is still damp. Blot the area with plain water and keep air moving over it, and the smell fades as it dries.
What should I do about an ammonia smell?
Blot the area with plain water and dry it fully with good ventilation. Never mix ammonia with bleach, and don't add a second strong cleaner on top.
Do odor eliminators actually work on carpet?
Look first for a cleaner the carpet maker approves, since non-approved products may damage carpet and void the warranty. Remove the source of the smell before you rely on any product.
Does cleaning carpet cause mold?
No, because properly extraction-cleaned carpet is dry within about 12 hours. Mold grows on the dirt in carpet rather than on the fibers, so regular vacuuming keeps it in check.
What if the carpet smells musty instead?
A musty smell usually means mildew, which needs moisture stopped first, often with a dehumidifier. For a rug or small carpet, one or two days of direct sunlight outdoors can help kill the spores.
Can I use the same steps on a rug?
Yes, the same steps work on rugs, with the same caution about wool. Work on one section at a time and dry the rug fully before putting it back down.
Start from the bigger picture
More odor guides
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.