Mildew on Carpets and Rugs - Properties and How to Remove

What is the Difference between Mold and Mildew on Carpet?

• The main culprit for both mildew and mold is moisture.
• Mildew, like other molds, has a musty smell.
• Mildew is a kind of mold that tends to grow on flat, moist surfaces. This tendency to grow on flat surfaces is one of the main differences that can exist between mold and mildew.
• One of the most important ways one can tell mold from mildew is how each fungus looks. Mildew is typically white, gray or yellow and grows on the surface of moist, warm areas. Its texture is fluffy or powdery. Mold tends to be green or black, and it usually grows underneath the surface of anything that has gotten wet. Its texture can be fuzzy or slimy.
• According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), mildew is considered to be early-stage mold, meaning it could become a serious problem if not dealt with promptly.

How to Remove Mildew from Rugs:

1. Mildew is far easier to remove than mold.
2. The first sign of a mildew problem in an oriental rug the musty smell and the small circles of dark brown or black.
3. If the problem is not dealt with, the mildew infestation can spread quickly and the rug may end up being ruined.
4. If possible, remove the rug outside to deal with more effectively. Otherwise, work with the carpet where you can.
5. Use a vacuum cleaner (with a HEPA filter) to remove as much mildew as possible from the rug.
6. Be sure to vacuum both sides.
7. Dispose of the vacuum bag quickly, to prevent the spread of mildew spores.
8. Pre-test for colorfastness by applying Sporicidin Disinfectant Solution^® to an inconspicuous area and rubbing with a clean white cloth. If the color changes or transfers to the cloth, a water-based cleaning method should not be used.
9. Pre-clean area with Sporicidin Disinfectant Solution to remove contamination.
10. Thoroughly wet pre-cleaned area with Sporicidin Disinfectant Solution and allow surfaces to remain wet for ten minutes.
11. Sporicidin can be applied by hand sprayer, sponge, mop, cloth, pressure sprayer, fogging device or portable sprayer.
12. Use Stain Magic for Wool to remove any remaining stains.
13. Thoroughly extraction clean the rug with LCA^®-256 or Natural Fiber Cleaner, treat with Brown Out to prevent potential browning and dye bleeding and get dry as quickly as possible.
14. If desired, you can apply Sta-Clene^® solvent-based protector to the rug.
15. We have a detailed article on how to clean a rug on our web site titled “Rugs, Area Rugs, Orientals, Partitions, Tapestries - Cleaning the Bane-Clene Way”.

How to Remove Mildew from Carpets:

1. Use a vacuum cleaner (with a HEPA filter) to remove as much mildew as possible from the carpet.
2. Dispose of the vacuum bag quickly, to prevent the spread of mildew spores.
3. Pre-clean contaminated area with Sporicidin Disinfectant Solution to remove contamination.
4. Thoroughly wet pre-cleaned area with Sporicidin Disinfectant Solution and allow surfaces to remain wet for ten minutes.
5. Sporicidin can be applied by hand sprayer, sponge, mop, cloth, pressure sprayer, fogging device or portable sprayer.
6. Use Stain Magic^® to remove any stain. The stain will fade away as it reacts with the Stain Magic. Reaction time will vary from 15 minutes to 5 hours.
7. Thoroughly extraction clean the carpet and get dry as quickly as possible.
8. On 100% olefin fibers, apply undiluted chlorine bleach, agitate and extract or rinse after 15-20 minutes. Do not get bleach on any other surface!