How To Get Rid of New Carpet Smell

At Frank’s, we love carpet, that’s no secret! There are loads of reasons why it makes for the perfect home addition, including how it feels underfoot, how it adds instant warmth and creates characterful and stylish interiors.

However, when freshly installed, it can carry a distinct aroma that is known as ‘new carpet smell’. Some people find it unpleasant and look for ways to eliminate the odour, but what even causes it in the first place and how do you get rid of it?

Why does my new carpet smell?

The odour that new carpet produces is caused by chemicals known as VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). 

This group of chemicals includes many that are used frequently in the manufacturing of household products such as paint, wall covering, and floor finishes.

In this case, volatile means that the chemicals evaporate at room temperature and release off-gasses when they enter the air, causing us to smell them.

How do I get rid of the new carpet smell?

Before your flooring is installed, unroll it and allow it to dry in a well ventilated room for a minimum of three days. This will allow it to ‘off-gas’ most of its chemical fumes.

As well as this, stapling or tacking down the carpet instead of glueing it will decrease the number of chemicals. At Frank’s, our expert flooring fitters know this and will do the very best job of installing your carpet perfectly.

Ventilation is best for eliminating odours

Properly airing out your room is the most effective way of eliminating any unwanted smells in your carpet. 

During and after installation, open your windows and turn on any fans you have on a high-speed setting to help push the fumes outside. We recommend doing this for around 72 hours or until the smell goes away.

Home remedies for new carpet smell

To continue to help the removal of the odour, try these things at home:

• Sprinkle some baking soda onto it, leave it overnight and vacuum it the next morning. You will find that the baking soda will help absorb the odour.
• Consider adding some house plants to help filter chemicals from the air.

Here’s what not to do 

While there are many ways to get rid of “new carpet smell”, there are also some things you should avoid that could make the odour worse.

• Try to avoid masking the odour with food. Cooking smells are easily absorbed and once they are it can be difficult to get the smells out. While this may mask the smell, it will form a new unpleasant odour.
• Do not use detergents to remove scents because this will only leave behind residue that can cause damage to carpets.

Pop down to your local Frank’s and we’ll be happy to help you find the perfect carpet for your home.