Regular cleaning and maintenance of carpets can be quite challenging. Large amount of dirt and bacteria come in your home daily with your shoes, and despite your best efforts, you won’t be able to prevent these dust, dirt, bacteria and germs from tracking their way into your carpets.
Best 3 Ways to Remove Mould from Carpets
Mould is one of the biggest sources of headache in carpet owners. These microbes thrive in dark and damp conditions, making wet carpeting a perfect environment for them to prosper.
Nevertheless, you should not let few mould spores dampen your mood – or your carpet. In our today’s article we will share three best ways to remove mould from carpets. With our step-by-step guide, you will be able to get rid of mould without any hassle. But first, you need to know what mould actually are and what causes them.
What is Mould?
Just because your carpet is infested with mould it doesn’t mean you have to throw it out. Mould is a general occurrence in water damaged carpets which can be easily prevented.
- The most common form of mould in residential premises is yellow mould. It infests mostly in wooden floorings and window panes. Wet carpets near furniture and above wooden floorboards suffer great damage from their invasion.
- Aspergillus is a form of airborne mould which can be detrimental for pets and kids.
- Alternaria alternata is a species of allergic mould spore which causes severe sneezing, wheezing, coughing, and breathing issues in asthma patients.
- Cladosporium is powerful fungal spore which is black in colour. It can be quite dangerous in seniors, children, pets, and adults with respiratory problems. Cladosporium thrive mostly in carpets and thick rugs where solid black spots spread quickly.
- Stachybotrys is one of the most toxic species of fungal mould which grows in damp fabrics. This dark coloured mould is difficult to remove with DIY methods and requires professional attention. Moreover, it spreads very quickly, eating away your carpet padding bit by bit.
Causes of Mould Infestation in Carpets
Floods, leaking pipes, overflowing toilets, blown up sewage system, and high humid environment, when left unchecked, cause mould and mildew to prosper in carpet flooring. Check the walls and foundation base for cracks and crevices. Water can flow through even the tiniest of fractures in walls.
High levels of humidity cause mould to spread not only in carpets but also on walls. Furthermore, humid environment also attracts fungus, dust mites, and bed bugs as they all prefer dark and damp atmosphere.
Know When to Step In
World Health Organization has addressed several cases of mould outbreak and issued detailed guidelines to help people understand when to step in and throw the towel. Unless you are willing to throw away the entire carpet, you need to hire a professional mould removal service as soon as possible.
If mould has spread to more than 5 square feet of carpet area due to contaminated water damage, call a Professional Carpet Water Damage Restoration in Sydney technician immediately. And make sure that the technician you hire has adequate experience and understands the process of mould removal.
Remove Mould With Vinegar
The first treatment in our list is of course, vinegar, the go-to solution for all cleaning needs in residential premises. Whether it’s your window sills, glass tables, or deep and soft fibres of your carpet. Nonetheless, it takes a lot more than a few drops of this acid to remove mould completely.
- Mix two parts of white vinegar with one part of warm water. Alternatively, you can also use a mixture of vinegar and baking soda to break down solid mould.
- Spray this solution on mould spots. The mild acid in vinegar will eliminate more than 50 percent of mould spores immediately.
- Let the solution sit for an hour or two before scrubbing it lightly with a clean rag.
- Allow the carpet to dry overnight.
- The strong smell of vinegar will also disperse within few hours.
- Adding a small amount of baking soda in the solution will also help in getting rid of foul fungal odour.
Remove Mould with Bleach
Although a quick and cost-effective method, using bleach for cleaning requires exclusive precautions to avoid intensifying the damage. In addition to the possibility of staining your carpet due to improper use, bleach slowly eats away the fibres of your carpet the more you allow it to sit.
- First, vacuum the entire carpet to suck out dirt and debris. If possible, use a steam cleaning machine for complete and deep cleaning.
- To avoid getting bald spot in place of a mould stain, mix only a quarter cup of bleach with at least a gallon of water.
- Note that you should always wear gloves while handling bleach.
- Test the solution on a small and hidden portion of carpet to make sure there is no side effect.
- Pour the bleach solution in a spray bottle.Apply the cleaning solution evenly on all affected areas.
- Let the mixture sit for 15 to 20 minutes. This will allow fungal spores to soak in bleaching agents.
- Scrub affected areas using a clean rag cloth.
- Vacuum the entire carpet again to suck up
- residue mould spores.
- Allow the carpet to dry by increasing ventilation in room and placing dehumidifiers.
Remove Mould with Dishwashing Liquid
- Vacuum the entire carpet with a wet/dry vacuum cleaner. This will remove all physical contaminants such as dirt and dust; reducing the chances of water stains after treatment. It will also help in loosening up mould spots.
- Make a cleaning solution by mixing one teaspoon of dishwashing liquid in one cup of water.
- Soak a clean cloth in this solution and dab scrub the affected area with it.
- Wipe in a circular motion while moving inwards to prevent the liquid from spreading anywhere else.
- Dry the carpet with fans, air movers, and dehumidifiers.
Hire Professional Mould Removal Services
Flood Water Damage Restoration Sydney is a renowned name in professional carpet mould removal industry. Our team of expert carpet technicians have more than 20 years of experience in carpet cleaning and carpet mould elimination along with a certificate of expertise from the IICRC. We specialise in providing carpet mould removal, carpet dry cleaning, carpet steam cleaning, and carpet flood water damage restoration services.Call us today to Make an Appointment and get a free quote of our services. You can also get in touch with our experts by filling out the small contact form on the right side of your screen. Our team will get back to you in no time at all.
