Mold odor on carpet.

[Sam Nickaby]

We are trying to get rid of mold odors from the carpet, usually from under the bed. The bed is pushed against the cold northern wall. The carpet is cut to fit and laid onto the vinyl floor. The vinyls are glued to the concrete floor. The floor can get cold and sometimes. The northern wall also tends to show signs of moisture. Occasionally, we spill water on the carpet. Usually we just blow a fan on the spills or allow it to dry on its own. What is the best and practical way to reduce the smell of mold on the carpet?

Thanks

[hallerb]

fix the water leak, as it it can cause mold which is dangerous.

regrade outside so rain runs away from house, make certain downspouts do the same well away from base of house, confirm gutters are working.

after all that add interior french drain.

just trying to fix odor is like treating a cancer patient by buying them new clothes, looks nice accomplshes nothing

with people spending a third of their life in bed this needs to be fixed properly fast

[Banty]

1. Remove the carpet, clean vinyl floor and/or install new vinyl,stone, or tile floor.
2. Diagnose and repair water problem on the northern side.

Banty

[m Ransley]

The wall lacks insulation if it is condensing, insulate. Mold can make you sick, under your bed and you breath it all night, best is remove the junk and toss it, sure you can spray soak it in bleach, not sleep there for a day or 2, but mold is inside it and bleach the standard way to kill it.

[marks542004]

The moisture on the Northern wall may be simple condensation.

I would try to arrange the room so that there is nothing against the outer cold wall if possible.

Consider a dehumidifier.

Rent a carpet cleaner (Rug Doctor) and give the carpet a good clean.

If the carpet is loose then consider lifting it and make sure the backing and floor under it are dry.

[Todd H.]

1) Eliminate source of moisture. Mold and its associated moisture source is a very bad thing for health, structural integrity, and resale value. 2) Replace carpet. You can try steam cleaning, treating with some mildew/mold stuff, but there are some smells that just never come out. And carpet when you get down to it, really isn't that expensive. Once you do replace it, usually you ask yourself "why the f--- didn't I do this sooner?"

Best Regards,

-- Todd H.

[Bob]

You don't want to just remove the mold smell. You have to remove the mold, and the source of the mold. Mold can be very dangerous. Molds and mildew can produce fungi and bacteria that are extremely hardy and proliferate easily. Fungi won't grow without moisture, but dry fungi can produce an allergic reaction. Fungi and bacteria can produce Microtoxins and Endotoxins, which are classified as poisons. Bacteria can grow through any surface that moisture can penetrate through. Go to the EPA web site and read what they say.

[Jay Stootzmann]

You need to remove the carpet. Then address the moisture problem.

[frippletoot]

I agree w/those who said fix the moisture problem then replace the carpet/flooring. Once carpet and padding gets mold in it, you can't ever really get rid of it. Also, if you sell the house with this carpet in it, and the new owner gets sick or claims to be sick from mold, they can claim you didn't disclose a mold problem and you can end up being sued. Just bite the bullet and tear it out. Don't recarpet until the moisture problem is resolved. Even if you managed to "kill" the mold, the odor and spores and potential allergens remain, and without fixing the source, it will just come back again and again.

[clifto]

Like everyone else said, first get rid of the moisture problems.

In our last apartment there were some bad leaks, apparently from the window sill on the floor above us into the wall. We'd get a steady flow of water from the tops of the bedroom windows from any good rain, and eventually it started coming out the light fixture. Landlords were useless.

I asked an amateur mycologist I know on the 'net what to kill the mold with, since every rain leak brought us lots of mold into the carpet. He first said, "Bleach." I said that was fine for the walls, but I couldn't use it on the carpet. He said, "vinegar." Vinegar did the trick quite nicely; it didn't just cover the smell, it apparently killed the mold since the smell never came back until the next good rain. Put up with the vinegar for a day or two, then if it still smells you can deodorize with baking soda and a vacuum cleaner.