Freshen Up Your Carpet In A Pinch With A Citrusy Kitchen Ingredient

As frustrating as carpet odor can be, it is often difficult to avoid. From little ones tracking grime and dirt into the house after spending time outside to pets running across the floor all day, it isn't easy to keep carpet smelling fresh. If this sounds familiar, you probably turn to the popular carpet cleaning products on store shelves to clean the stains and freshen your carpet. For a more affordable, natural alternative, try stripping funky odors from rugs and carpets with lemon–yes, the citrus fruit.

There are a couple of unexpected ways you can use lemons to help freshen up your carpet. You can either incorporate lemon into your carpet cleaning routine to leave a pleasant citrus fragrance or brighten the material. This all-natural DIY will work on both area rugs and carpeted floors. Lemons are great at killing certain odor-causing bacteria that prevent your carpet from smelling fresh. As a result, their juice can be used as an alternative to traditional deodorizing products. Just keep in mind that it can cause discoloration on certain materials. So, to avoid ruining your carpet, test the lemon on a small section before using it all over.

If you'd like to use lemons to remove odor from your carpets, you can create a spray with one part lemon juice and three parts water to apply to your carpet. Spray a light layer over any areas where you notice an odor. Before you use this solution on your carpets, you'll likely want to give them a deep clean first. You can start by pouring baking soda over the floor and allowing it to work to get rid of those unpleasant smells for 24 hours. The next day, vacuum the powder out of your carpets thoroughly. The baking soda should help eliminate odors in preparation for the lemon spray. That way, you can use the spray to tackle those more stubborn, smelly spots on your carpet.

To use lemon to brighten your carpet, all you need is a bucket of water, a natural carpet cleaner, and half a lemon. First, double-check that your carpet cleaner does not contain bleach, then squirt the lemon juice into your water solution with carpet cleaner to give it a brightening boost that will also leave a pleasant citrus scent on your carpet. Always be sure to check whether the lemon juice can be safely mixed with the natural carpet cleaning product you select.

After treating your carpet with lemon, you probably want to keep it smelling fresh moving forward. You can achieve this by identifying exactly what is causing the odor. Moisture contributes to mold and mildew growth. It is important to look for any signs of excess moisture or water leaks to tackle this problem before it results in a musty-smelling carpet.

Pets are also a common cause of carpet odor. If lemon did not help to get rid of pet odors in your home, you might want to consider purchasing a product designed for this issue, like the Arm & Hammer Carpet Pet Fresh Odor Eliminator on Amazon for $14.86. Finally, spills often lead to carpet odor as well. When you spill liquid onto your floor, make sure to clean it as soon as possible so it doesn't soak deeper into your carpet. Once it seeps beneath the surface of your carpet, the liquid will likely remain there, becoming difficult to remove and eventually emit a foul odor.