bath rug stinks! help! this unusual odor has been coming from the bath rug-i suppose it has been unable to dry

Question

off properly-and now it reeks-any suggestions as to how to eliminate the odor? i tried lysol spraying it, left it in the sun today and that made the smell worse! it has a rubber backing...i don't know if washing it will really get rid of the moldy stench...

Answer 1

i have the same problem! These tactics should help, if not rid you of the problem completely ....

instruct everyone in house to dry off BEFORE they get out of the damn tub. it's not rocket science. it's effortless. shake the mat out daily, if you can.

febreeze, for surfaces and textiles, is amazing stuff. better than lysol.

if the mat does get wet and you've got some airflow in bathroom, throw it over the shower curtain rod for a few hours to dry, rubber side out. hit both sides with the febreeze first.

put down another mat, terry cloth, underneath the stinky one. something to wick away any moisture that does make it down to the rubber.

worse comes to worst and nothing works, wash it in hot with your regular detergent and 3/4 to 1 cup of baking soda. don't let it sit in the dryer too long once the cycle finishes.

needless to say, i love my bathmat ;). it's like walking on a cloud. otherwise i wouldn't go through all this.

good luck!

Answer 2

Borax will help eliminate the odor. I would not put it in the washer because the rubber backing will disintigrate, especially if the rug has stayed damp or wet for a while. Moreover, washing it will not kill the mold & mildew as water & moisture is what they need to grow. First, sprinkle the carpet with borax and let it sit as long as you can. Vacuum up the excess. Now to get rid or the mold or mildew, get a product called DampRid Mold & Mildew Remover and Protectorant for fabrics. You can get it on the cleaning aisle at the Lowes home improvement store. I like this one because it has no harsh chemicals or odor and is safe for fabrics. It not only kills the live active mold & mildew, but it kills the spores and leaves an inhibitor that prevents future growth. Smell and mold will be gone.

Answer 3

Use Tide or something in the washing machine. Wash it by itself. You may need to do it a couple of times. If it is a warm day, hang it to dry. If not, dry it on low in a dryer and keep an eye on it. USE DRYER SHEETS to give it extra-nice scent. It also helps if you hang up your rug to dry any time it has gotten wet, stepping on it after a shower... Keep it clean and dry. Lysol? Do these things only if you're reeeally attached to this damn rug!
All else fails, just buy another one. And keep it dry!

Answer 4

The best way to remove the mouldy smell is with bleach (Pure) if the rug is white you'll have no problem, if the rug has colour this will discolour or spot with the bleach.
Another way is to wash it with detergent and a glass of ammonia...This also will remove the smell, but possibly not all the mould on the backing...

Answer 5

I seriously have the same problem. I tried everything, but found the only way to get rid of the odor was to....invest in a new bathmat.

Answer 6

Try putting it in the trash. Bathrugs are not that expensive. Once the rubber backing gets smelly, its impossible to get the smell out.

Answer 7

Wash it and air dry it in the sun. If it still reeks, invest in the $5.00 for a new one.

Answer 8

wash it in Woolite, cold water, gentle load and dry in the sun, add Clorox2 to get rid of moldy smell.

Answer 9

you provbaly smell mildew wash the mat in vinegar and bleach and hang to dry or if machine washable dry also in maching

Answer 10

we throw our bath rugs in the wash machine all the time, then hang it to dry.