03 Feb How Do Carpet Deodorizers Work?
About How Carpet Deodorizers Work
Are you tempted to try a spray or powder to kill the odors in your carpet? You might be making things worse. Here’s what you need to know about carpet deodorizers.
Homemade Deodorizers
Some common household items can work as carpet deodorizers. Baking soda and salt are common items from your kitchen cabinet that will work to lift some stains and odors. You can use them as powders or blend them with water to create a paste.
Pros: These inexpensive solutions work, especially if you use them at once on a spill or stain.
Cons: While they can help lift individual stains, they won’t take out longstanding odors or pet urine odors. If you don’t vacuum thoroughly, leftover grit can get embedded in your carpet fibers and damage them.
Powder Deodorizers
Powder deodorizers work on the same principle as salt or baking soda. You sprinkle them on your carpet, and they soak up oils and moisture. When you vacuum the powder, you lift out the smells. Commercial powders also have perfumes that can help mask the odors.
Pros: If you have people coming over and your carpet smells terrible, they can be a quick, temporary fix.
Cons: They mask odors instead of removing them. Some people’s asthmas and allergies can be triggered by chemical fragrances. The fine powders can also be very damaging to carpet fibers. Over time, they’ll make your carpet look frayed.
Spray Deodorizers
Aerosol or spray carpet fresheners use propellants mixed with fragrance to cover up odors.
Pros: In theory, these sprays use chemicals called cyclodextrins that bind with hydrophobic molecules. Many odor-causing materials are high in hydrophobic molecules, so when they bind with the cyclodextrins, they lose their smell.
Cons: That theory doesn’t quite hold up in practice, however. Testing by Consumer Reports found that the most popular “odor neutralizers” sold today didn’t do much to conceal orders in a blind test. Even when the spray improved the smell slightly, the effect didn’t last, and the chemical smell was noticeable. The testers concluded that these products were barely better than not using anything.
Why Don’t They Work?
None of these products work because none of them remove the source of the odor. If you want your kitchen to smell fresh, you take out the trash and wash the dishes. You don’t expect a dirty bathroom to smell good just because you sprayed some air freshener in there.
Your carpet also needs a good cleaning if you want your home to smell fresh. Covering up the smells with a spray or powder may help temporarily, but it doesn’t remove what’s causing the smell.
What Should You Do Instead?
The best way to keep your carpets smelling their best is to follow a simple maintenance plan.
- Vacuum your carpets regularly. Removing grease, dirt, and pet hair from carpets will keep the fibers clean.
- Blot spills immediately. Use a mild cleaning solution for tough stains.
- Professionally clean your carpets at least once a year. When you do, choose a company that uses only natural, non-toxic cleaning products. These are safe for your carpet, your home, and your family.
Discover the PureScience Difference
If you want to be sure your carpets look, feel, and smell amazing, call CarpetKeepers. When we clean your carpets, we use our patented, nontoxic PureScience method that eliminates stains and odors at the source. Call us today to discover the CarpetKeepers difference.
Reference
CBS Local: Consumer Reports Puts Febreze Air Effects to the Test.
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