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

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

In article , Sam Nickaby
says...

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


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

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.

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.

"Sam Nickaby" writes:
We are trying to get rid of mold odors from the carpet, usually from
under the bed. The northern wall also tends to show signs of
moisture.

What is the best and practical way to reduce the smell of mold on
the carpet?

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.
http://www.toddh.net/

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. http://www.epa.gov/mold/


"Sam Nickaby" wrote in message
om...
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

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

"Bob" wrote in message
. ..
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. http://www.epa.gov/mold/


"Sam Nickaby" wrote in message
om...
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

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.

Sam Nickaby wrote:
We are trying to get rid of mold odors from the carpet, usually from under the bed.

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.

--
If John McCain gets the 2008 Republican Presidential nomination,
my vote for President will be a write-in for Jiang Zemin.