[terrymaloy]

Cleaned a carpet on Tuesday and the customer has just rang me saying theres an overpowering smell...bit like a sweaty sock ?
It smelt fine when I left, but she reckons its getting worse.

I'm popping over later to deodorise the carpet.

Any ideas what this could be ?

ps...she didnt find it funny when I told her to look behind the sofa...could be her husbands socks 

[Hilton]

I thought you were referring to our Scottish friends. 

[Ken Wainwright]

From experience, this is most noticeable in the mornings after the room has been shut up overnight. Phone her now and ask her to close doors and windows in advance of your arrival, it may help with identification. Unfortunately, you'll need to get on your hands and knees and use your olfactory sensor to locate the problem and identify whether local or overall problem.

Check TV shuffle areas in front of chairs, around table, bed etc. Fungi, bacteria etc. can transfer from sweaty feet.

Does she use Shake and vac type products? I have come across this in the past where water can mix with residues and other elements to create a mal-odour, but this has typically been more like a "dog that needs a bath" rather than sweaty socks.

My first thoughts as to retification is to thoroughly vac then treat with a colloid and brush well then leave. It's my view that this type of action is less likely to cause skiin sensitivity issues than some other types of products.

Safe and happy sniffing
The Ken

[lesterM]

Does she actually mean  "sweaty sock" ? I she suitable qualified to make this statement?   I have heard similar used erroneously to describe Athletes foot infection.   Many fungal infections are gender denied. Women suggesting  its a Man thing and men refferring to female anatomy in their description.
Acidity and  damp meter tests  may show its ideal for one of the yeasts.
Many can be picked up by animals and develop to make vets even richer.   Thin coated dogs are particularly vulnerable; as itching becomes compulsive.

After cleaning rinse with antibacterial additive, and make sure it dries out thoroughly as a first step. Then think about UV treatment if pile will allow and if used by any non-humans.

[Steve Chapman]

 

[murky]

You could try Microban.

The same happened to me years ago, couldnt get rid of the smell, wool carpet in master bedroom. As I was with SM at the time used all their stuff, cleaned it again rinsed it again, dried it dehummed it etc etc, all to no avail.

In the end we agreed it would go and it did, sort of. Nice people, nice house etc etc so not really a prob.

Couple of years later I was at a place that was just opening and Chemspec were the preferred suppliers, rep was going through his stuff, yadderr yadderr etc etc.

'Any body had an experience where wool carpet smells of sweaty socks?' Up went my hand, no body else knew what we were talking about. 

He said Microban is the stuff to use, as its a fungicide, biocide, deodouriser etc etc it kills everything, but isnt dangerous. Well unless you drink it of course! I use it all the time now on anything thats dodgy, blood, vomit etc. I show people the label and they see what i does and its not so dangerous.

Actually to go off on a tangent, while I was working on the customers smelly carpet and other things there, I saw loads of his diplomas, citations, pictures of him with Maggie letters of thanks etc etc. I met him a few times and according to his wife he used to be in Special Branch when 'The Troubles' were on in Northern Ireland, and he was working under cover over there, so he wouldnt look suspicious, he had to put 5 stone on to be overweight so he didnt look like super fit SAS type. And yes he had lost it all again whem I was working for them.

Murky