Smelly rug

I've just relegated our rug to the loft Gilly over Christmas as it badly needs a wash too. So I'm interested to hear that a carpet machine did the job. I'll leave it until spring when I can put it outside to dry in the sunshine (hope springs eternal)

Re the smell, that's odd if its bone dry. Try hanging it outside and whacking it a few times to let the air in. You could perhaps try a freshening powder ?bursts into Shake 'n Vac jingle ?? then hang it outside and whack it

I would hang it outside for a day and see if it improves.

As I said it has come up like brand new with the carpet cleaner but it's just the smell. It's a bit like damp dog (and I haven't even got a dog). It seems to be totally dry too. It's quite heavy so don't know whether I will be-able to hang it outside but wish I had waited until the better weather now. Might try to "do the shake 'n vac and put the freshness back..."

Think its maybe bicarbonate of soda that can be sprinkled on rugs etc then hoovered. Supposed to lift any smells. May not be easy if it is a shaggy rug!

I sprayed mine with Fabreze, worked a treat

No it's not shaggy Alima but it is wooly (I'm not explaining it very well am I ?). It's made up of squares. Some smooth wool going one way, some another and some rough and wooly. Its a gorgeous rug. I will be sad to have to throw it out.

I will def. give Fabreze, S&V and/or bicarb a try. It might end up smelling worse than it does now Thank you.

As an aside, I washed a Readicut (remember them) woollen rug in a twin tub yonks ago. Came up a treat, no pong. But was fishing bits of wool out of the washer for ages!

I was about to ask if it is wool. Damp wool always smells doggy (or maybe its sheepy) Can you hang it over the landing banisters where it will get lots of air, to the underside as well as the top, maybe it has stayed damp underneath. Use a hairdrier on the back?

We have an elderly smelly dog. The last time I vacuumed the living room the Hoover absolutely reeked of dog. Today I changed the bag and sprinkled bicarbonate of soda on the filter and in the new bag. Voilà, no smell. As for your rug, I would try the bicarb method and see if it helps.

You could cut out the middleman Hilda and bicarb the dog

Yes Elegran it is a wool mix. So could be a smell of damp sheep. Great minds think alike! I am going to hang it over my banister upside down, this evening just in case the heavy backing has retained some dampness which might explain the nasty smell.

Anya ???

gillybob You have got it in one its the tight weave on the back of the carpet that will be holding the smell if you look at the side of the rug you will see just how tight it is so will take a few days to dry,try if you can to maybe leave in your garage or outhouse and then spray with feebreezey type stuff,Savers do a fabulous one called deo-fab and it is very pleasent indeed, worth a try.

Could you hang it upside-down over a few chairs next to a radiator. Worked for me.

I'm assuming it is wool, I can't imagine a synthetic rug smelling of anything much? We have an old Afghan carpet that used to belong to my mother and it has always smelt faintly (of goat?) but we've got used to it. We did try washing it once but it made it worse. Surprised that your more modern rug smells though, we have a carpet cleaning machine and even our wool carpets barely smell of anything once we've finished.

Do you have pets? I gather that it is hard to remove pet smells, and the water might have reactivated the odour. We use a concentrated Bissell Wash and Protect - perhaps this makes a difference? There is a version of this designed to remove animal smells. (Please don't be offended by the smelly pet suggestion, we have a cat and I can always smell him when we come home from time away!)

Definitely a damp wool smell. I would use the bicarb and air it out on both sides as it's obviously not totally dried out. I've found shake and vac leaves a stale smell eventually that is overwhelming so wouldn't bother with that, but the only thing is to dry it thoroughly as wool retains moisture, a dehumidifier would certainly do the trick best of all

Bicarbonate of soda works a treat. Put on some rubber gloves and rub it well in then leave for as long as you can (at least an hour.) Then vacuum and the smell should be completely gone.

A LIGHT CREAM floor covering? I'm going to have to go and lie down for a bit...

Going to try to bicarb bit on the dogs. will let you know what happens.

Annifrance .... me too and I have threatened Dh too

I have a small Chinese bedside rug that was my mums, she would have a fit but I put it in the washing machine on the wool cycle and it comes up lovely. Can't do this with big rugs of course.

ExaltedWombat that's the second time within a few minutes you've made me nearly inhale my calcium-rich-Alpro-pretend-milk. Stop it!

What is the backing made from? Could the smell be that if a jute type product?