Why Do Carpets Smell Worse After Cleaning? (Causes & How to Fix It)

We hear this question often, especially from new customers who have had bad experiences or hired lower-quality cleaners in the past. When carpets are cleaned by an experienced professional using the proper equipment and techniques, this usually should not happen.

In this article, we’ll explain exactly what causes carpets to smell worse after cleaning and what can be done to prevent it. In most cases, odor problems come from improper pre-vacuuming, over-wetting the carpet without extracting enough moisture, poor drying techniques, reactivating pet urine or dander, bacteria trapped in the carpet pad, or using the wrong cleaning chemistry.

The Issues Addressed-

In the following section we will go into depth about each of the major causes, and by the end, we will hopefully give you a better idea of what to expect next time you get your floors cleaned! We will even follow up with advice when we think its probably time to look to replacement over cleaning.

Over-Wetting The Carpet:

Over-wetting the carpet is probably one of the biggest reasons carpets end up smelling worse after cleaning. Too much moisture can create several problems if the carpet is not properly extracted and dried. Essentially when you steam clean a carpet, you are turning all the soils and contaminants into a liquid form, then extracting it.

When excessive water is left in the carpet, it can activate bacteria and contaminants deep near the backing and pad. This makes proper extraction more difficult and leaves the carpet wet for far too long. When carpets stay damp, it creates the perfect environment for mildew growth, bacteria reproduction, and unpleasant odors.

Professional cleaning should use the correct amount of solution combined with strong extraction and proper drying techniques. When too much water is used without enough suction or airflow, the result is often a carpet that smells worse than it did before it was cleaned.

Not Vacuuming Before Cleaning:

Another major factor that can contribute to bad odors after cleaning is skipping the pre-vacuuming step, or using a vacuum that is not strong enough to remove as much hair, dander, and dry soil as possible before the cleaning begins.

At Two Sheas Restoration, we use commercial-grade vacuums with beater bars to reach deep into the carpet fibers and remove as much loose debris as possible. This step is extremely important because dry soil, pet hair, and dander can hold odors and bacteria. If these materials are not removed first, they can become wet during cleaning and create a muddy residue deep in the carpet.

Proper vacuuming allows the hot water extraction process to focus on rinsing the fibers, breaking down oils and stains, and removing contaminants instead of turning loose debris into dirty water. When this step is skipped, the result can be carpets that stay damp longer and develop unpleasant smells after the cleaning is finished.

Pet Urine Reactivation:

This problem doesn't apply to everyone, especially if your not a pet owner, however this is often overlooked. Even if there aren't visible urine stains on the carpets, sometimes dribbles, clear urine and heavily soiled carpets can hide these bacteria deep down in the backing and pad. When we hit it with steam it reactivates and re-liquifies the urine causing the odor causing bacteria to come back even stronger than before cleaning. This is another reason why proper chemistry and extraction is important to remove and destroy the odor causing bacteria.

Poor Extraction/Weak Equipment:

Touching all these points together a bit, a big factor comes down to the equipment's ability to remove as much moisture, soils, and dirty water as possible.

At Two Shea's, a major part of our 11-step process is the double dry stroke system, this allows as much extraction as possible so that we can remove as much of this debris and moisture as possible.

We also use truck mounted gas powered machines that have significantly more suction and cleaning power. This combination allows us to remove about 90% of the water that we put down into the floors. This often leads to faster dry times, better cleaning results and a better smelling final product.

Properly maintained, clean and powerful machines can make a huge difference on a job. This is why we choose high performing equipment and stay away from portable or electric machines.

Slow Drying/Not Using Fans:

Another important step in preventing bad odors after carpet cleaning is proper drying. Most professional carpet cleaners, including us here at Two Sheas Restoration, use high-powered air movers to help remove as much moisture from the carpet as possible after cleaning.

Increased air movement helps the carpet dry faster and prevents moisture from sitting deep in the fibers and pad. When moisture stays trapped in the carpet for too long, it can create the perfect environment for mildew growth, bacteria reproduction, and musty odors.

In most cases, carpets should be dry within several hours after a proper cleaning.

If the carpet stays wet for longer than 24 hours, there is a much higher chance of odor problems developing. Fast drying is one of the key factors that separates professional cleaning from low-quality work.

How Professional Cleaning Prevents Odors:

When hiring a professional its important to research the full processes and methods the cleaner uses, this way you can verify that they follow the major steps to help prevent the odor to begin with. Here at Two Shea's our 11-Step cleaning process has been developed with these things in mind, in order to provide the best job possible every time. You can research more about our process on our carpet cleaning page.

Professional cleaners should be using premium detergents, these are designed to destroy odor causing bacteria, balance the PH level in the floors, and ultimately make soil and dander removal much easier. By hiring a professional with high powered machines, proper drying equipment, well-maintained equipment, and the proper process, you can rest assured that you carpets won't smell worse after cleaning than before.

How To Fix Carpet That Smells After Cleaning:

If you are dealing with odors after a previous carpet cleaning, or have had a bad experience in the past, don’t worry, this is a common problem and in most cases it can be fixed.

The best way to correct odor issues is to have the carpet professionally cleaned again using the proper process. A qualified cleaner should use the correct chemistry, perform a thorough hot water extraction, and make sure the carpet is properly dried after the cleaning. In some cases, a topical deodorizing treatment may also be applied to help neutralize any remaining odors.

When done correctly, this process removes the contaminants that were left behind during the previous cleaning and gives the carpet a clean, fresh starting point again.

Two Shea's Restoration is not the only high-quality cleaning company in the area, and we always recommend that homeowners do their research before hiring anyone. Look for a company that explains their process, uses professional equipment, and takes the time to clean the carpet properly. Choosing the right cleaner makes a big difference in whether the problem is solved or comes back again. If you'd like to see if you're inside our service area check out our Cities We Service page!