How to Take the Spark Out of Old Curtains and Carpets - Bob Vila

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Carpet, curtains and other fabrics present unique challenges when it comes to keeping your home cool . These textiles accumulate odors over time and negatively affect the smell of your home. Cigarette smoke, pets, mothballs, and mold are just a few of the most common smelly culprits that permeate carpets, rugs, and upholstery. Whether you're tackling your spring cleaning list, getting a rug from storage, or trying to get the stink out of buying a fancy property, you'll want to find the best way to get rid of those unwanted odors. Keep in mind that many of the curtain and carpet odor elimination tips below can also help you keep carpets , upholstery, and other surfaces fresh. Before cleaning curtains, carpets or any fabric, be sure to check the care label. If you're unsure whether a particular cleaner or cleaning method is safe, try spot cleaning, dry cleaning, or even hang the smelly item outside to air it out.

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1. Smoking

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Cigarette smoke has a strong, distinctive odor that can linger for a long time. Although it can be difficult to get rid of smoke smells, all is not lost if your carpets or curtains smell like cigarettes. If the curtains or rugs are machine washable, run them at the highest temperature listed on the care label and use ½ cup of vinegar instead of detergent. Vinegar is acidic and can break down odor-causing molecules in smoke more effectively than laundry detergent. After washing, hang curtains or rugs outside to dry. Only drop off dry cleaning supplies at the local dry cleaner and be sure to mention the smoking issue. If the smell persists after dry cleaning, hang the rugs or curtains outside for a day or so.

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If you can't machine wash or dry clean, remove the baking soda. This kitchen utensil absorbs odors instead of just covering them up. Spread the stinky curtain or rug out on the floor, sprinkle with baking soda and leave overnight before vacuuming the next morning.

For particularly stubborn odors, try combining or repeating some of these methods. For example, if the smell lingers after washing and air drying a curtain, try applying baking soda. If baking soda doesn't work, try airing the item outside for a day or two. You are more likely to be successful if you use all the options available to you.

RELATED: How Much Does Professional Cigarette Smoke Removal Cost for a Home?

2. Mold

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Mold is another unpleasant odor that is difficult to get rid of. Before attempting to remove musty odors from carpets or curtains , find and eliminate the source of the odor. For example, if it's a moldy carpet that has been stored in the basement, locate the mold and remove it with a diluted bleach solution to prevent mold from growing and affecting other items.

Once you've fixed the source of the problem, move on to the moldy item. If it's a curtain, rug, or other machine-washable fabric, try soaking it in an all-fabric bleach detergent in the washing machine for about 30 minutes. Then drain the water, run a rinse and wash the load again with your regular detergent. Be careful not to use commercial bleach for fabrics.

RELATED: What's the Difference? Mold vs Fungus

3. Pet odor

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We love our pets, but we don't always like the smells that accompany them. If you've noticed that your carpets or curtains are starting to smell like wet dog or have other unpleasant odors left behind by your furry friends, try baking soda. As mentioned above, baking soda absorbs odors and can help freshen up your home. Sprinkle baking soda on affected curtains or carpets and leave overnight. (Keep your pets out of the room.) Next day, vacuum up the baking soda from the carpet or curtain. If there are still odors on your carpets or rugs, you should consider hiring a professional carpet cleaner.

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4. Cat urine

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Quickly eliminating cat urine odors on curtains and carpets is important not only to improve the smell of your home, but also to prevent your cat from repeatedly urinating in the same spot. An enzymatic cleaner is the ideal product to remove cat urine odors. These cleaners break down the molecules in the urine and remove the odor. If you don't use an enzymatic cleaner, your cat can still smell the urine when you can't and may continue to urinate in the same spot.

5. Moldy

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Vintage rugs and curtains have stories to tell and can add character to your living space. Whether they got hold of them at a flea market or inherited them from a family member, these charming finds often smell musty. Depending on the intensity of the odor, baking soda can be effective at removing it. As above, sprinkle baking soda on carpets or curtains, leave overnight, and vacuum in the morning.

Some musty odors, especially on old carpets, are too ingrained to remove with baking soda. In these cases, you may need to use a carpet cleaner along with a pH balanced carpet shampoo to thoroughly inspect the carpet. For really stubborn musty odors, consult a professional.

RELATED: The best odor eliminators

6. Mothballs

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Mothballs kill moths, their eggs and their larvae so your clothes don't get punctured. While mothballs are certainly effective, they leave a strong odor on items that have been stored with them. If you've recently removed curtains or rugs from your closet, you might be wondering how to get rid of that nasty mothball smell .

Airing your curtains and carpets can help, but if the items are machine washable, you may have more success using vinegar. Try doing a wash with vinegar instead of detergent, and then do an extra wash with detergent. Before putting clothes in the dryer, check if the mothball smell has gone; You don't want to accidentally lock the smell into the carpet or curtain from the heat of the dryer.

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If your carpets or curtains aren't machine washable, you can always use vinegar to minimize the mothball smell. Mix equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle and lightly mist the entire area. Always start with a spot check to make sure the vinegar doesn't negatively affect the appearance of the fabric.

RELATED: Air Purification: 10 Natural Ways to Cure Household Odors

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