How To Get Rid Of Wet Carpet Smell In Car?

Have you spilled water on the car carpet? Or, maybe some food or oil has made the carpet wet and greasy. In that case, you need to clean the carpet. But what may bother you later is the smell of the wet carpet in case it has not been dried properly. Even after washing, if the carpet remains wet, it will stink too much. 

When the car carpet stinks, it gets really uncomfortable to sit in it. Besides the odor, it makes the carpet flooring damp. This is why drying the carpet and getting rid of the smell is very important. But for that, you need to learn the right way to treat the wet carpet. The right treatment will remove the odor from the car carpet and make it fresh. 

On that note, I am here to tell you how to get rid of the wet carpet smell in a car. I have been solving such issues for a long time and from my experience, I will guide you on this. 

Let’s start then!

5 Steps To Get Rid Of Wet Carpet Smell In Car: Know The Steps

First, let us know about the solution for wet carpet smell. But next, you will have to know the reasons for this smell. As precaution is better than cure, knowing the reasons can help you in preventing the cause that makes the carpet stinky. 

Here are the steps of getting rid of wet carpet smell in the car: 

Step 1: Vacuum The Car Carpet

Though we are only talking about the car carpet, you should actually vacuum the entire interior of the car. I mean there is no harm in doing that rather it will remove every spec of dirt from the car. 

Clean the seats and the gaps, the doors, and the carpet thoroughly with a vacuum cleaner. Change the hose to reach the corners properly. It not only removes the dirt and dust but also somewhat dries the carpet and other surfaces. So yes, it is a plus point before you thoroughly clean the carpet for removing the odor. 

Step 2: Try Baking Soda First

To be honest, baking soda is something universal that works on any surface to remove odor or soak up any liquid. It is so popular for this that I am almost sure that you kind of knew about it. Did you? 

Okay, but you should also know how you can use it on the car carpet. Though it is extremely effective, any misuse can mess up the process. 

Basically, baking soda can remove odor from car carpet, clear out stains, deeply disinfect the carpet, and just freshen it up. And for that, you just need to sprinkle enough baking soda on the carpet. If the spill is minimal and the odor is mild, you can wait for an hour for the baking soda to work on it. If the condition is too bad, leave it overnight. And then go to the next step.

Step 3: Steam Clean With A Mild Detergent

Steam cleaning is a great way to clean car carpets. It not only cleanses the carpet but also kills germs, removes mold and mildew. So with steam cleaning, you get a hygienic and fresh car carpet. And adding a car cleaning detergent or any other mild detergent can give even better results. 

Fill half of the steamer with warm water with the other half with the detergent or cleaner. Now steam clean the carpet thoroughly. This will remove the stubborn dirt and dust from the carpet, clean the stains as well as neutralize the odor. 

After applying baking soda, if you steam clean the carpet with a mild detergent, it will give you a good result. But there is more you can do in case you are still not satisfied with the result. 

Step 4: Apply White Vinegar

Applying white vinegar to remove the odor is another very popular option. Besides removing the odor, it also cleanses the car carpet and disinfects the surfaces. So you can actually use it in the car in the areas that are stinking. 

First, fill half of a spraying bottle with warm water and add white vinegar to the other half. Now spray it on the carpet and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then cautiously blot up the vinegar from the carpet. This will neutralize the odor completely as well as deep clean the carpet. 

Step 5: Use Essential Oil

Essential oil is another option for removing any odor coming from the wet car carpet. I mean if the smell is gone but you want something refreshing on the car carpet, using essential oil is a good idea. 

Take a few drops of any essential oil of your choice on a towel or cloth. It can be tea tree oil, lavender, or any flavor you like. Now tap the cloth on the carpet and on the seats to spread a soul-cleansing fragrance in the car. 

And that is it!

3 Remedies To Get Rid Of Wet Car Carpet Smell: Know The Alternatives

There are three more ways that you can use to get rid of wet car carpet smell. These remedies don’t involve cleaning the carpet. They are instant solutions to the odor coming from your car carpet. Though very effective, don’t consider them as an alternative to cleaning. 

Here are three remedies that can help you get rid of that bad car carpet odor instantly: 

1. Activated Charcoal: 

Charcoal is an amazing thing that actually soaks up any odor in the car. So you can actually keep chunks of activated charcoal in the car if the weather is damp or the carpet is stinking. Within a few days, the odor will be absorbed by the charcoal chunks removing a normal condition in the car. 

Put some small pouches of activated charcoal in the car at multiple corners. That is all you need to do. You can expect the best outcome within a week. As it works naturally without any need for extra care, it takes this period to slowly soak up the odor. This may not add any extra fragrance to the car but will definitely remove the odor. 

2. Natural Fragrance: 

There are a lot of extractions from nature that can give an alluring fragrance in the car automatically discarding any wet car carpet odor. They are completely natural and thus linger for a long time. 

You can spray tea tree oil, lavender oil, mint essence, or even lemon juice can freshen up the car and eliminate the odor. Apart from that, any floral essence can be sprayed in the car for a refreshing fragrance. If you like the aroma of the coffee, you can put crushed coffee beans in pouches and keep them in the car. Also, you may use chocolate or vanilla essence in the car with a cloth dipped in the essence. 

So, you can use extractions from nature to install a refreshing aura in the car and eliminate the wet carpet stink. 

3. Air Freshener: 

Very basic and simple! Just get a commercial air freshener of your choice and keep that in the car. Buy an air freshener spray if you want the result fast. Otherwise, if you want it to freshen up the car all the time, you can use oil diffusers or gel fresheners. They diffuse slowly and keep the car fresh-smelling. 

If you want something with the AC of your car, using vent sticks and oil wicks are the best options. They spread fragrance with the air coming out of the AC. Paper air fresheners and pocket air fresheners are popular and useful too. Use any type of commercial fresheners that can keep the car interior fresh. 

Frequently Asked Questions: 

Will Wet Carpet Smell Go Away?

The damp and wet carpet smell doesn’t go away automatically. The damp smell will go away from the carpet only if you take any action. For letting the smell go away, you have to dry the carpet. You can first vacuum the carpet and then treat it with bleaching powder or baking soda. Even white vinegar will work. Use something that absorbs the odor, freshens up the carpet, as well as removes the dampness. 

Why Does Your Car Smell Like Wet Carpet?

Your car can smell like a wet carpet for so many reasons. The most common reason can be the growth of mold and mildew. When the carpet is wet and damp, mold and mildew can grow that make the carpet stinky. Or maybe some spills, leaves, or liquids have settled in the carpet that has created an odor. Hence, you need to clean the carpet to ensure the car doesn’t smell like wet carpet.

Can You Put Baking Soda On A Wet Carpet?

You can put baking soda on a wet carpet. In fact, it is a great agent for cleaning carpets, soaking up the extra dampness from them, and discarding the odor. If you spread a decent amount of baking soda on the carpet and leave it overnight, it will soak up moisture as well as remove the wetness from it. Also, the wet carpet odor will go away eventually. 

How Long Does It Take For Mold To Grow On A Wet Carpet? 

If the carpet remains wet for so long, there remains a high chance for mold to grow on it. Usually, it can take about 48 hours for mold growth on a really damp carpet. If it is moderately damp, it can take about a week for mold to cover the carpet. This is when you see marks on the carpet as well as get an odor from the carpet. 

How Do You Deodorize A Car Interior? 

If your car interior is stinking, you need to put some air freshener in it for instant freshness. But if you really want to get rid of the odor, you can treat the carpet, seats, and other things with white vinegar. Mix an equal portion of white vinegar to warm water. Now spray it in the car interior and then blot it up. Then you can use an air freshener to ensure that the interior is deodorized. 

How Do You Dry A Wet Car Carpet? 

It is really important to keep the car carpet dry to avoid mold growth, bad smell, and dampness. Now if the carpet gets wet, you should dry it as soon as possible. Here are some ways to dry a wet car carpet: 

• Put a small fan in the car interior pointing the fan towards the wet area of the carpet;
• Use a hairdryer to directly blow warm air on the wet carpet area;
• Vacuum the carpet thoroughly to blow air and moderately dry the carpet. Then leave the windows and doors open to let it dry;
• If the carpet is wet, you can use a microfiber cloth or paper towel to soak up the moisture. Then leave it to dry; 

Apply the method that is suitable for your carpet condition. 

Can You Use Carpet Freshener In Your Car? 

An easy solution to stinky car carpets is to use a carpet freshener. After you clean the car carpet, you can spray any carpet freshener of your choice in the car. This will add a fresh fragrance to the car as well as keep the carpet fresh and good-smelling. This means you are tension-free for a long time. But still, make sure that the carpet remains dry. 

What Happens If a Car Carpet Gets Wet? 

There are a lot of consequences of a wet car carpet. If you don’t address it fast, there are the consequences that you may need to face: 

• The car interior and the carpet will be damp and uncomfortable; 
• The car carpet will release an odor due to the dampness;
• The foam underneath the carpet can swell damaging its shape;
• Excess moisture will cause molds and mildews to grow on the carpet;
• Marks, patches, and spots of water and mold can ruin the look of the carpet;

So make sure that you keep the car carpet dry to avoid such things. 

Final Thoughts: 

To conclude, I must say that it is important to keep the car carpet dry. Now if you fail to do so, you already know what you can do about it. I have provided you with several solutions to remove the dampness and get rid of the odor. 

 Now, why don’t you make your car carpet fresh-smelling again?