Just like all surfaces and materials, carpet can suffer from mould. Here’s why it happens, and what you can do about it.
The answers you're looking for:
* Yes, carpets can get mould
* Always caused by moisture that cannot escape
* If it’s not too far embedded, then you can scrub mould out
* Too far gone and you’ll likely need to replace your carpet
* Preventing mould isn’t hard, you just need to ventilate and keep carpets dry
Right then. Buckle in. We’re not here to sugar-coat the issue with scented candles and lifestyle fluff. Let’s talk carpets. And not the shaggy beige kind that your Grandmother had, either.
We’re talking about your carpet. The stuff right under your feet, the tough endurance carpet that supports the foundations of your life, and the question is simple, although the answer will likely make your skin crawl. Can carpets develop mould?
Yes. Always yes. Of course they can, and if your carpet has already developed that fungal structure then you aren’t living in a house anymore – you’re living in a petri dish. Let’s start with the basics, shall we?
Got Mould? Get the facts
Mould isn’t an exotic growth that only shows up in rotting tree stumps and your housemate’s forgotten Tupperware. No, it’s basically a form of domestic terrorism; launching an attack on your home using a bit of water and a touch of warmth, while you look the other way. That’s it. That’s the holy trinity of doom right there.
You spill a drink. Tea, Irn Bru, wine – fine. It happens. Yet, if you don’t get every last drop off the fibres, if you think that giving the spillage a cursory dab with a tea towel will suffice, then you’ve basically rolled out the red carpet and declared, “Come on in, Lads”.
Mould doesn’t need much. A leaky radiator pipe, a rainy day sneaking in through a cracked window seal, or even a house that’s too humid; because you can’t be bothered to open a window. It all adds up.
Then, one day, you catch an earthy whiff of something damp. Something wrong. It doesn’t make a grand entrance, instead opting to creep and lurk, spreading quietly like gossip from the Woman’s Guild.
You’d think a biological invasion would at least knock first. But no. You don’t notice at first. Maybe just a smell. Maybe a bit of discolouration, tucked behind the couch where you rarely hoover. You start coughing more. The air feels thick like you are breathing soup. Even the dog starts giving the carpet side-eye. And still, you’re thinking, “bit musty in here.”
You’re not wrong. It’s musty because your carpet is festering. It will take longer to tell should you smoke or insist on using scented things. Perhaps this is the perfect reason for binning all that Potpourri you’ve been wanting to get rid of for years.
However, it’s worth remembering that mould growth is not a societal death sentence. It doesn’t mean that you are dirty or the shame of the street. Mould can happen anywhere and to anyone.
So what do you do?
Here’s what you don’t do. You don’t light a candle and hope for the best. You’ve got to deal with it. Ruthlessly. Mould hates the dry, it hates the air and loathes a consistently dry temperature. So, you start by drying everything. Properly. Not a lazy once-over.
If something spills, dry it like your life depends on it - because it sort of does.
Open the windows and let the house breathe, even if it’s raining outside. Buy a dehumidifier. Steam clean the carpet – really clean it, not just a hoover with the fluff setting on.
Boiler leaking? Roof dribbling? Bathroom floor wetter than a fish market? Sort it. Immediately. Mould won’t stand for making excuses. Mould doesn’t care that you’ve been busy. It’ll wait. It’ll grow, and it’s not good for you.
What if it’s too late?
If mould has already settled in, you’ve got a choice. You can try to scrub the fungus out if it’s purely at surface-level with all the sprays and stiff brushes money can buy, or you can accept the hard truth and rip it up. If you’ve left it too long, then your carpet is likely a goner. Try not to get sentimental. It’s not a dog, it’s a biohazard. Bin it and replace it before it starts breeding things that boast self-awareness.
And no, don’t set fire to it. It may be tempting and you’ll want it gone with righteous fury, but the fire brigade don’t support that sort of thing, and neither will your insurance.
How to prevent mould taking hold
Right, listen. We’re not here to mollycoddle you with chirpy yet ineffective DIY advice and Pinterest-level enthusiasm. This is about mould, so first thing first – let your rooms breathe. People are often oblivious to basic ventilation, and the effect seals mould in like a tomb.
You dry your washing indoors with the windows shut and then wonder why the walls begin to sweat and your carpet smells like the back end of a compost bin. Well, that’s because the moisture doesn’t just vanish. It sinks into the floor, the walls, your soul, and then mould begins to pop up like a bad rash.
Open a window, even if it’s Baltic outside. Let the air move. No windows? Get a fan, a dehumidifier, hell, wave a newspaper around if you must. Just don’t let the air sit still and fester.
Sunlight also helps, if you can find it. Although we live in Britain and the sun’s rays feel more rumour than reality, when it does show face, use it. If you’ve got carpet tiles or anything you can lift, get them outside. Peg them on the line like your nan used to do with the rugs. A bit of direct sun, and a bit of a breeze, works wonders.
Don’t forget, it’s not about sun-bleaching to perfect white. It’s about drying everything out so the mould has nothing to feed on. Mould loves damp, so starve it.
Now then, baking soda. Don’t roll your eyes. I know it sounds like something your Aunt employed to turn fruit load into lead additive, but trust us, it works. Sprinkle it over the dodgy bit of carpet, the part that smells like it’s planning something. Leave it overnight, hoover it up in the morning. Won’t make it smell like roses, but it’ll look cleaner and you’ll have knocked mould back a step or two. Cheap. Easy. Doesn’t involve setting fire to anything. Win-win.
Still not shifting? There’s one more option left should you need to go nuclear, and that’s white vinegar. The stuff that makes your chips sing. Slosh a bit on, scrub like you mean it, and dry it out with a hairdryer or some hot air. Whatever it takes to stop that carpet acting like a mushroom farm. Mould doesn’t die gently, you’ve got to bully it out of your house.
Look, you don’t need a science degree or a team of specialists to keep your carpet clean. You need common sense, a bit of patience, and the guts to face the stink head-on. Five steps. That’s all. Open the windows, get the sun on it, use baking soda, scrub with vinegar, and for the love of sanity, dry it properly.
Do all that and you’ll keep the mould at bay. Ignore it, and you’ll be breathing in spores while pretending everything’s fine. You’re better than that.
