Top 5 Ways: How to Get Rid of New Carpet Smell Fast

New carpet feels great, right? It’s so soft. It makes a room look new. I recall when we got new carpet in our living room. Our old one was green and shaggy! The new one made the house feel so different. But then, whoa. That smell. That strong “new carpet smell” was a surprise. It was not the fresh smell I wanted. If you just got new carpet, you may be thinking the same. You likely want to know how to get rid of new carpet smell fast. Because, let’s be real, it can be a lot to handle.

You’re not the only one. That first smell is very common. But here’s good news: you don’t have to just live with it. You don’t have to wait weeks for it to go away. I have learned some good tricks over the years. This includes the time we got carpet for the baby’s room. This was right before my daughter, Lily, was born. I really wanted fresh air then! My tricks are not hard or costly. They are my top ways to clear the air. So, you can enjoy your new carpet without that strong smell.

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Understanding the Source: How to Get Rid of New Carpet Smell?

So, what is that smell from new carpets? It’s not just “newness.” The strong smell often comes from VOCs. VOCs are Volatile Organic Compounds. That sounds science-y, I know. But think of it like this: it’s just stuff from when the carpet was made. These VOCs can come from the carpet threads. They can come from the carpet backing. That’s the underside part. Or they can come from the glue used to put the carpet down. It’s like a mix of “factory freshness.” This knowledge helps when you want to learn how to get rid of new carpet smell.

It’s a bit like “new car smell.” Some people like that smell in a car. But when your whole living room smells like a factory all day? That’s not so nice. The main thing to know is this: for most folks, the smell goes away. It is usually not a big health problem with new carpets today. It just needs help to air out. Knowing what makes the smell helps you see why some ways work well to clear it.

Top 5 Fast Ways for How to Get Rid of New Carpet Smell

Alright, let’s get to it. Let’s make your house smell like home again. Not like a carpet store. I have five main plans. These have worked for me. They have worked for many others too. This is your guide to breathing easier. We will cover the best ways for when you need to learn how to get rid of new carpet smell fast.

#1 – Fresh Air First: A Key Step for How to Get Rid of New Carpet Smell

This way sounds too easy. But believe me, it’s your best first step. It often works the best. You need to get the air with VOCs out. You need to get fresh air in. This is a very key step for how to get rid of new carpet smell.

• Open Windows: Right after the carpet is put in, open your windows. Keep them open for many hours each day. Do this for the first few days. A week is even better if you can. Open all of them if possible!
• Make a Cross-Breeze: Don’t just open one window. Open windows on different sides of the room. Or open them on different sides of the house. This makes a good cross-breeze. It really moves the air.
• Use Fans: Fans help a lot! Put box fans in windows. Make them face out. This helps pull the old air out. Use ceiling fans. Or use floor fans that turn. These keep the air moving in the rooms. When we put carpet in Lily’s room, we used box fans. It was like a wind tunnel for three days! My husband, Tom, thought I was a bit silly. But it made a big change!

Why does this work so well? It’s simple. You are taking the VOCs out of your house. You are mixing the air left with fresh outside air. This is the easiest path for how to get rid of new carpet smell.

#2 – Baking Soda Power: A Natural Way to Get Rid of New Carpet Smell

Good old baking soda. It’s not just for baking. Or for keeping your fridge fresh. This simple white powder is a great, natural smell taker. I use baking soda for many things. So, when our family room carpet had a strong smell (it was a very strong one!), I thought, why not try it? And it did help lessen that chemical smell. This is a top natural way to get rid of new carpet smell.

Here’s how to use it:

1. Get Some Boxes: You might need a few boxes. It depends on how big your carpet is. Don’t use too little.
2. Sprinkle it: Sprinkle the baking soda all over the new carpet. Try to get a light, even coat all over.
3. Let It Sit: This is key. Baking soda needs time to work. Let it sit for at least a few hours. All night is even better if you can. If you have pets or small kids, keep them out of the room then.
4. Vacuum Well: After it sits and soaks up smells, vacuum it all up. Use a good vacuum. Make sure it has a clean filter or bag. You might want to vacuum it two times.

A small tip: it’s always smart to test baking soda on a small, hidden part of your carpet first. Like in a closet. Or under a big chair. This is just to be sure it does not change the color. It hardly ever does. But it’s better to be safe.

#3 – How to Get Rid of New Carpet Smell with Activated Charcoal

If baking soda is a good smell taker, activated charcoal is like its super strong cousin. This stuff has tons of tiny holes. It works by adsorbing smells from the air. This means smells stick to the outside of the charcoal. How neat! This is a great method when you need to know how to get rid of new carpet smell that just won’t quit.

I first found out about activated charcoal when I tried to get a musty smell out of an old box. I read many reviews on home sites and forums. Lots of people had good luck with charcoal for all kinds of stubborn smells. So, it’s a good choice if you are really fighting to get rid of new carpet smell when it stays too long.

How to use it:

• You can buy activated charcoal in bags. (They are often sold as air cleaners or for fish tank filters). Or you can get it in small pieces.
• Put some bowls or open bags of charcoal around the room with the new carpet.
• Leave them there for many days. Or leave them until you see the smell is much less.

It has no smell itself. And it’s easy to use. Just put it out and let it work.

#4 – Houseplants: A Green Touch for Reducing New Carpet Smell

Now, this way needs a little note. You may have heard that houseplants can help clean indoor air. And it’s true, mostly! Some plants are better at filtering common indoor air issues than others. Think snake plants. Or spider plants. Or bamboo palms. NASA even did a study on this a long time ago!

So, can a few plants fix your new carpet smell problem all by themselves? No, probably not. Not if the smell is very strong. I would not use only plants. But I think every little bit helps. When we got new carpet in our sunroom last spring, I moved many of my snake plants and spider plants in there. Did they get rid of all the VOCs? I can’t be sure. But the room felt fresher. They looked nice. And it did not hurt! It’s a nice extra way to help when you are trying to get rid of new carpet smell.

If you want to learn more about plants for air quality, the EPA has info on indoor air and plants. But they also say you’d need many plants to do the job of an air cleaner machine. Still, a few green plants are nice to have.

#5 – Professional Cleaning: A Deeper Fix for Stubborn New Carpet Smell

This is often the last thing to try. Or you might try it if the smell is very, very strong and stays long. Or if someone in your house is very sensitive to smells and VOCs. Sometimes, a pro hot water cleaning can help. (This is often called steam cleaning. But it’s not always real steam). It can help take out leftover VOCs and factory stuff from the carpet. This can be a solution for how to get rid of new carpet smell when it’s very persistent.

When might you try this?

• If you tried good airflow and other ways for a week or two and the smell still bothers you a lot.
• If the carpet maker says to clean it after it’s put in. (Check your carpet papers!). I was surprised when the men who put in our basement carpet told us this. They said a light pro clean after a few weeks might help if the smell bothered us. We did not need it that time, good thing.
• If you have bad allergies or asthma that get worse with the smell.

If you do this, make sure you hire a good, trusted pro. The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) is a great place to look. They list cleaners and cleaning things they approve of. So, you know you’re getting someone good. They will not hurt your new carpet.

More Ways to Help Get Rid of New Carpet Smell: Bonus Tips

Those are my top five ways. But there are a few other things that can help clear that new carpet smell. Or things I’ve heard people say, that I have thoughts on.

Boosting Airflow: Vacuums, Purifiers, and Climate Control for Carpet Odor

These tools are great support for your main efforts for how to get rid of new carpet smell.

• Vacuum, Vacuum, Vacuum: Using your vacuum a lot in the first few weeks helps. Do it even if you don’t use baking soda. It pulls up loose threads and dust. These might add to the “newness” in the air. Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter if you can. This traps tiny bits.
• Temperature & Humidity: VOCs often leave the carpet more in warm, wet air. So, if you can (and it’s not cold out!), making the room a bit warmer while you have lots of airflow might help. It can make more VOCs come out. Then the airflow can take them away. Then you can cool the room again. I tried this one time. I’m not sure if it was the magic fix. But it seemed like a good idea.
• Air Purifiers (The Good Kind): If you have a good air cleaner machine, use it! Make sure it has a HEPA filter (for bits) and an activated carbon filter (for smells and VOCs). Put it in the room with the new carpet. I have one I use for allergy times. But it also helps with any new-smell issues! It’s like a stronger type of the charcoal bowls.

Carpet Smell Myths: What Might Not Work So Well

Okay, so you’ll see this online. People say to leave out bowls of cut onions or white vinegar. They say these soak up smells. My friend Sarah tried vinegar when she painted her kitchen. Her house just smelled like pickles and paint. Not good. I tried onions once for a smoky smell in a car years ago. The car then smelled like onions. So, maybe these work for some smells. But I am not sure they are good for new carpet smell. I’d rather my house not smell like a salad on top of the carpet smell, you know?

Patience is a Virtue: How Long Until the New Carpet Smell is Gone?

This is the big question, right? “When will my house stop smelling like this?!” The truth is, it’s different for everyone. For most new carpets, the worst of the smell usually goes away in a few days to a week. This is true if you are airing the room out a lot. But, a lighter smell might stay for some weeks. Or even a month or two in some cases. This is as the last VOCs leave. Understanding this timeline is part of managing the process of how to get rid of new carpet smell.

Things that can change this are:

• The kind of carpet and what its back is made of.
• The glues used to put it in.
• How much fresh air you can get in the room.
• The heat and wetness in your home.
• The size of the room and how much carpet there is.

It’s not forever! Even if it feels like it when the smell is strong. Just keep airing out and using other ways. It will get better.

Health Note: When New Carpet Smell Becomes a Bigger Concern

That new carpet smell is mostly just a bother for most people. But it’s good to know that some people can be more sensitive to VOCs and strong smells. If you or someone in your house has allergies, asthma, or other breathing issues, you might find the smell worse. Or it might make symptoms show up.

This is not doctor’s advice, of course. It’s just common sense:

• If the smell is very, very strong, or seems to get worse after a few days of airflow, or if it makes you feel bad (like headaches, feeling dizzy, sick to your stomach, or hard to breathe), take it seriously.
• If this happens, get as much fresh air in as you can right away. Think about staying out of the room as much as you can until the smell is less.
• You might want to call your carpet store or the person who put it in. Talk about your worries. They may have ideas or info about the carpet.
• For general info on inside air quality and health, good groups like the American Lung Association have helpful things to read (though they might not talk just about new carpet smell, the main ideas about clean inside air are good).

For most of us, it’s just a wait with some active airing out. But it’s always good to know and listen to your body.

Conclusion: on How to Get Rid of New Carpet Smell

Whew! That was a lot of info. But hopefully, it gives you a good plan. Now you can fight that “new carpet smell” well. Remember, fresh air is your best friend. Baking soda and activated charcoal are good helpers too. And a few houseplants might not be magic. But they add a nice green touch and help a bit with air cleaning. With these top strategies for how to get rid of new carpet smell, you’ll be breathing easier.

It might take a little time. But that strong first smell will go away. Soon, you’ll just be enjoying that soft new carpet. You’ll love the fresh look of your room. And the clean air. You won’t think about that first smell at all! So, open those windows. Get those fans going. And look forward to really enjoying your new floor! You’ve got this!

FAQ – How to Get Rid of New Carpet Smell