Carpets are one of the best ways to add comfort and warmth to your living spaces, but everyone knows how much of a hassle they can be to keep clean. Hopefully, you’re vacuum cleaning every week or fortnight at the most and keeping stains and food crumbs out of the carpet. Even with good cleaning habits, however, there’s always a risk of black mould growing in your carpet and causing an awful odour in the home.

Below are five signs of black mould in your carpet and how you can have them dealt with as quickly as possible:

  • Stinky Stanky Odours

Mould is a fungus that emits a musky, unpleasant odour. If your home is starting to stink up, the first place to check is for rubbish and organic waste. Toss it out and clean up your cupboards, if necessary. If the smell persists, then the smell could be coming from your carpet.

Inspect the carpet up close and check for visible signs of black mould. If you’ve found the source of the stink, bleach and mould-killing products can help to remove the fungal growth. If the mould is resilient (and it usually is) and won’t go away, call in a professional carpet replacement company immediately to get quick and effective solutions.

  • Surface Discolouration

A big problem with carpet mould growth is that quite often, early signs of mould are unseen as the fungus grows and festers deep down into the carpet’s piling. This means that if you see the telltale green or black (sometimes a turquoise-greenish colour), it’s at a late stage whereby immediate action is required, and in many cases, sections of the carpet may need to be completely replaced.

Nevertheless, it may be possible to detect signs of discolouration from up close and on the sides of the carpet. If you suspect mould is growing, take action immediately lest you permit it to get worse over time.

  • Excessive Dampness

Spills happen, but it’s imperative that you remove as much moisture and damp as possible from deep down in the carpet by blotting with a dry microfibre cloth. If your carpet holds damp or water for 24 hours or more, chances are high that mould will be encouraged to settle in and grow.

  • Triggered Allergies

What makes black mould so dangerous is that it poses serious hazards to respiratory health, including triggering bouts of sneezing, shortness of breath, and allergic reactions. Asthmatic or not, black mould isn’t something you want to live with.

If you’re noticing your allergies or asthma triggering by simply sitting indoors and have eliminated other causes (pet dander, dust, etc.) then chances are it’s coming from black mould. Contact a professional to have the carpet repaired and/or replaced and breathe easy.

  • Flooded Carpet

If your home recently suffered from flooding, whether from an overflowing bathtub, backed up water, or from a particularly nasty storm, your carpet can quickly become inundated with water. When water stagnates deep within your carpet for a day or longer, the inevitable result is black mould.

If your carpet is flooded, take action immediately. In many cases, most or all of the carpet can be salvaged. If you wait too long, chances are pretty good that you’ll have to have it tossed out and replaced completely.

Electrovac

Get in touch with us at Electrovac today if you suspect that your carpet contains black mould. Our team of professionals will provide helpful, cost-effective solutions to leave your home clean and healthy.