How to Get Rid of Mildew in Carpet There is no question if whether or not mildew is a major carpet problem. The good news is, you don’t have to live with carpet mildew. Mildew is considered to be the primary cause of carpet odor and discoloration. The problem with mildew is that it not only leaves a bad odor, it will completely damage your carpet. Carpet discoloration as a result of mildew is irreversible. Mildew can leave a variety of color discoloration ranging from green, brown red and even black – this all depends on the type of mildew that is within your carpet. You can tell the beginning stages of mildew discoloration by its musty scent. Usually, it is hard to tell if mildew is growing underneath your carpet unless you find the location of the growth and examine the back. How to Detect and Stop Mildew Growth To help stop mildew growth in your carpet, all you have to do is invest in a good dehumidifier. A dehumidifier will get rid of the moisture from the air and help avoid your carpeting. Keep in mind, the mildew will stop its growth only if the moisture within the room is low. There are a few things you can do to help keep moisture low and that is keeping a fan in the room. The air circulation from the fan will automatically help reduce moisture within a room. You may also want to leave a window or two open to help prevent moisture within a room. Leaving a fan on and a window open can be difficult or impossible if the home you’re trying to prevent mildew in is a vacation home or if you travel away from your home months at a time. One great idea is to hire a house sitter or have a neighbor that you can trust to check up on your home while you are away to air out rooms that are carpeted. If you have central air, you can time it to come on once a day. Keep Your Carpet Looking Fresh & Avoid Mildew You may also want to use a green carpet care carpet freshener at least once a week to help prevent mildew in your carpet. Lightly sprinkle carpet freshener on your carpet and leave for several minutes before you vacuum it up. Also, it is important to change your vacuum bag as frequently as possible. If you live in a warm climate, you may want to think twice before installing wall-to-wall carpeting. Mildew tends to thrive in warmer climates. If you have nice oak wood flooring, invest in a Oriental rug. An Oriental rug will really enhance the beauty of any room within a home — whether you live in a condo, townhouse, apartment or a house. You will no longer have to worry about mildew like you normally would with wall-to-wall carpet. Lastly, if you have noticeable mildew stains on your carpeting, you are better off removing your entire carpet and replace it with a new carpet. Then once you have installed your carpet, use the previously mentioned techniques to help prevent mildew on your carpet. A neglected carpet is more likely to have mildew. Unfortunately, mildew can wreck havoc on a carpet. You’re better off either replacing it with an Oriental rug or a new wall-to-wall carpet.