kitkat90
New Member
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 14
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Post by kitkat90 on Jun 9, 2021 6:47:48 GMT -5
I have a flat inspection in 2 days time. Ive been cleaing all week and almost finished, have manged to get rid of so much. Was feeling really positive but now all stressed out again. Ive had a cardboard box by the front door for over a year and have just emptied it to find mouldy food leaking at the bottom and when I lifted the box the carpet is covered in black mould, the smell is terrible, like soil and all musty it made me feel ill and now the flat stinks.
I've tried scrubbing with warm soapy warer which had helped get some of the stain out but it's still black and the smell is awful.
Any tips on how to remove? Bicarb of soda and white vinegar? Or would chemicals
be better? Im just worried I wont finish on time and ive already pushed the inspection back a week so I cant change it. Really stressing!
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Post by sillycanuck on Jun 9, 2021 8:30:36 GMT -5
Sorry, unsure of the answer. Maybe try goggling?
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Post by NewLifeToday on Jun 9, 2021 8:33:32 GMT -5
Could you use a Q-tip (cotton swab) and dip hydrogen peroxide on it? or white vinegar? A tiny test is important, as carpet fibers can disintegrate. Baking soda and then vacuum will help some.
If the carpet is not attached to the floor or at the walls, one can work underneath as well.
--- Could you also put something over it for the inspection, such as small cupboard? And then work on cleaning more after the inspection. Perhaps some others will have better ideas. |
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Post by papermoon on Jun 9, 2021 8:51:41 GMT -5
Honesty might be the best policy here. If the mold has eaten its way into the flooring underneath, your landlord needs to know.
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Post by lydia on Jun 9, 2021 9:15:15 GMT -5
I'd try the baking soda and vinegar then perhaps buy a small washable mat to cover the entrance area. Also open all the windows and use air freshener. If you could anchor the mat with something as suggested by NewLifeToday that would help.
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Post by ohblondie on Jun 9, 2021 9:41:58 GMT -5
draw out as much watr out of the carpet as you can. A rug steamer cleaner or tons of towels to absorb the moisture....
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kitkat90
New Member
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 14
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Post by kitkat90 on Jun 9, 2021 10:23:57 GMT -5
Thanks for the replies. I went out and got some bicarb of soda, white vinegar and also carpet cleaner. Sprinkled with baking soda and left a couple hrs and vaccumed up. Stain looks quite a bit better and smell not as bad as it was. Going to test a little vinegar and see if its ok to use and then will try carpet cleaner later on. Going to put a book case over it for inspection. Just hope the smell will be better by then. I can clean more over weekend and see how it is, but yeah think I will have to report it to landlord in case its gone underneath carpet. Will do that next week after more cleaning. Do you know if you get evicted for something like this?
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Post by NewLifeToday on Jun 9, 2021 11:46:28 GMT -5
Your plan sounds good to me. If your cleaning efforts don't resolve the problem, I think it would be good to tell the landlord at some point. I have never heard of someone being evicted over damage to a carpet. Perhaps payment for professional carpet cleaning would be taken out of one's security deposit. It would be good to test any cleaner on a very tiny spot in a place which is not visible, to make sure that the cleaner does not damage the carpet fibers. There are also professional supply stores, if the carpet cleaner you bought is not enough. The professional supply stores might have some good ideas and how-to advice, as well. I wish you success!  |
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Post by risenshine on Jun 11, 2021 13:42:16 GMT -5
Some damage to carpet and underlying flooring has likely already been done. I would consider your most urgent priorities to be stopping any further damage and preparing for the flat inspection. you have already decided to place a bookcase over the area for the present time. Do whatever you can to get the area dry before covering it.
My recommendation would be to remove any mold nutrients and water to stop the mold from growing. Drying out the area might also help with the odor. Also covering it with plastic or some other barrier, but only if you can be sure it is dry. There used to be a cat litter based on silica gel which is a desiccant. That would be an excellent choice for drying out the area. Powdered bicarbonate of soda powder will also dry out the area, as will just about any dry solid matter, but you want something that won't feed the mold. Drying with air or a combination of heat and air is likely to make any smell temporarily worse. It might also put more mold spores into the air, and I would advise against it if you are feeling sick. Mold spores are floating about everywhere, you will never remove them all from the carpet.
I have made such discoveries of rotten food in the past and I understand the unpleasantness. Uncovering the problem and facing it is the first step in correcting it. I hope you are able to see this in a positive light, though it may be difficult until after the inspection. You are now preventing this problem from becoming worse. After your inspection, you will be able to learn from this experience.
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Post by catcats on Jun 11, 2021 23:30:42 GMT -5
Hoping some of these ideas work and I am wishing you good luck with the mold removal and with the inspection. I don't THINK you would be evicted for this, but they may charge you for some expense.
catcats
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Post by papermoon on Jun 14, 2021 20:05:25 GMT -5
kitkat90 , hoping your inspection went well without any problems.
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Post by creativechaos on Jun 14, 2021 20:53:57 GMT -5
i hope your inspection went ok. let us know how it went. the main thing is to keep the carpet as DRY as possible, whatever you do to it or have done to it. Any dampness will just exacerbate the mold. I understand about the rotten food and smell... been there myself not long ago. Luckily mine was on the kitchen linoleum and I caught it in time. but... wake up call!
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Post by papermoon on Jun 14, 2021 23:15:31 GMT -5
kitkat90 ~ Yes, listen to creativechaos and keep that area DRY. If you still have the bookcase sitting there, move it. But also wipe and dry the bottom of the bookcase. There's danger of the mold getting into any dark or porous area, such as the bookcase seams or wood grain, and taking hold.
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