Smells awful. Some parts of the basement are still wet. I am using fans.
I have carpet, no windows to open.
Any tips on how to get this smell out.
2006-08-06 09:54:43 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Get a dehumidifier, rent it if you have to. It'll get the water out of the air, and dry out the basement faster so the smell will go away. There's an enzyme spray sold at some stores that sell carpet product which kills mold and mildew. Get some and use it too.
2006-08-06 09:59:54 · answer #1 · answered by fishing66833 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My first choice would be to buy or rent a dehumidifyer. That will get the humidity out of the basement so that molds and things don't have anyplace to grow (they are likley what is causing the smell). If you cannot find/afford a dehumidifyer, go get a dehumidifying product like DampRid - you can get it at discount and hardware stores. They will chemically pull moisture out of the air.
Get some bleach and dilute it down for cleaning (there should be some sort of instructions for this on your bleach containers). If your basement is unfinished (no drywall) you will simply scrub down the walls with the bleach solution. Make sure you have the fans running while you do this so that you are not overcome with the bleach fumes! If you believe your carpet is salvagable, you will want to protect it from the bleach.
Rent a steam cleaner with a good extractor and steam clean the carpets. After a week of damp, I'm not sure that the carpet will be salvagable, but it's worth a try. Before you clean it with solution, I would run the cleaner over it a few times just on extraction mode (to pull up the maximum amount of dirty water). Then clean it with good, hot water and a carpet cleaning solution; you will probably want to do this 2 or 3 times. After you have cleaned it I would run the cleaner over it a few more times just on extraction mode (to pull up the maximum amount of water). With the assistance of the fans and the dehumidifier you might have some luck with the carpet.
If you have drywall on the walls and it has been saturated, you will probably need to remove the drywall so that you can clean the areas behind the walls. The drywall and any insulation behind it will probably have to be replaced.
After you have bleached the walls, cleaned the floor and both have dried completely, the musty odor should go away. If it doesn't I would suspect the carpet and remove it.
2006-08-06 10:21:59 · answer #2 · answered by Novice restauranteur 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you can rent a blower fan. Most equipment rental places have these. Once you get it Pull up one corner of the carpet and stick the fan under the carpet. Make sure that the carpet sets on top of the lip of the fan where the air comes out. Leave it on all night and this should dry it out. If it was sewer water then I would suggest replacing the pad. If it was clean water you should be ok. I would also suggest using the enzyme spray. Then have your carpet cleaned. But since it happened last week I would guess that your carpet is a gonner. If it ever happens again Then use a blower fan.
2006-08-06 10:06:22 · answer #3 · answered by pappabear 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the carpet has been there a few days, it might be easier to throw it away than try to clean it.
I llive in the Hurricane ZOne and have repaired about 400 flooded houses fo far this year...
Go buy a product called SHOCKWAVE by fiberlock. It runs about $30 per gallon and mixes 64 to 1 so you get a lot of product for your money. Spray down things that got wet with this mildewcide.
Dry everything out with fans and dehumidifiers if possible.
Paint previsolsy painted surface with ZInnser permawhite mold paint and sealer. you can tint it to any color and it is warranted against mold growth for 5 years.
The biggest thing is to get EVERYTHING out that is wet and get it dried. AS FAST AS YOU CAn!
Good luck. This is no fun. Sorry.
2006-08-07 18:10:33 · answer #4 · answered by Frust Parent 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You'll probably have to take out the carpet because even when it dries out it will still smell. After all the clean up, etc - you need to buy basement sealant for the walls and floor. Maybe check into using standpipes in the drains. Good Luck!
2006-08-06 10:11:53 · answer #5 · answered by Bogie Boy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get rid of the carpet, mop up any standing water, throw anything else out that got ruined. spread a couple of pounds of coffee around the floor. Coffee absorbs odor. Then put 2 or 3 fans facing the cellar door so you can air it out. I'd advise you to have a sump pump installed. If it flooded once, it will do it again. (sump pumps don't cost that much,considering how much work they save you)! Any plumber will do it..
2006-08-06 10:07:58 · answer #6 · answered by MIGHTY MINNIE 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your carpet's a goner. You're smelling mildew. Rip it up, along with any carpet pad, and let the floor dry out.
If you really want to try and save the carpet, put it outside to dry completely, then shampoo it. If it smells ok, you can re-lay it. I'd suggest new carpet pad, though.
2006-08-06 10:03:00 · answer #7 · answered by functionary01 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the carpet is ruined....it will have to go.....the carpet, and the padding beneath it is loaded with water and it will take forever for that all to dry out, especially in a humid basement...you will have to remove it and get rid of it...the sooner the better.
2006-08-06 12:38:12 · answer #8 · answered by Jenny A 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
underneath your carpet is this padding stuff that gets put down to collect stuff like dirt and such...when it gets wet it makes a very bad smell...you might have to get somebody to replace it
2006-08-06 09:59:49 · answer #9 · answered by Kathryn B 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
get some dehumidifiers the when dry use clorox to kill any mold which maybe growing
2006-08-06 10:00:44 · answer #10 · answered by aussie 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋