How do I get rid of mildew smell in my carpet?

Take your slumlords to court. In order to get rid of the mildew smell. You have to get rid of the mildew. Replacing the carpet padding and carpet is more than likely nessecary. Also more sanitary. Molds can wreck havoc on sinuses. The #1 allergy issue. Get sue happy!

You need two things immediately - fans and dehumidifiers. Most rental places have "squirrel cage" high flow fans that are perfect for drying carpet. Dehumidifiers at rental places are often industrial size and can really zip moisture out of the air. The fans will help evaporate the water, and the dehumidifiers will pull it out of the air to be disposed of down a drain. If you know somebody with handy-man skills, they might be able to help peal up a corner of carpet, allowing the fan to point under the carpet and dry both the carpet and floorboards simultaneously.

Also look into getting a wet-dry shop vac. These machines allow you to pull out the paper filter and use them for water. The water may be too soaked-in to get out with a vacuum now, but in the future they can help you make quick work of such an emergency.

Once you have the moisture problem under control, you will likely need to shampoo your carpet. Rent a shampooer, and look for shampoo that includes mold/mildew inhibitor or buy mold/mildew inhibitor that you can use as an additive with the shampoo. That should help get rid of the mildew in the carpets.

Hard surfaces (wood, flooring, etc) should be wiped down with vinegar/water mix or a bleach/water mix - just be careful if you use bleach... you may want to test it in a small area first to make sure it doesn't wreck the finish of the wood.

That should get you going - hopefully it works out!

You need to lift the carpet to allow the floor underneath to dry. Either take it out if it's small enough, or grab one edge and pull back. Rest it over a chair until both the underside and floor is dry, then peel up the other end. After it's all dried, a quick shampoo (by hand is possible).

Just get a jumbo sponge, a decent foaming carpet shampoo, mix with water, dip in sponge and create a foam, spread the foam over the carpet, no need to rub it in. Don't wet it too much just apply an even foam and let it dry.

According to both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Center for Disease Control, any organic, porous or absorbent surface that came in contact with water and did not completely dry in 48 HOURS needs to be removed and discarded. That is how long it takes for mold to develop. And once mold develops in carpet, fabric, paper, upholstery, wood, drywall and similar materials, according to these agencies, there is no 100% safe and effective way to remove it. I am afraid you will need to get rid of your carpet. You have a small baby, don't even think about trying bleach and mold killing products. Save yourself the hassle and the money. you do not want to poison the air with harsh chemicals. Please get rid of the carpet and lets pray that the sub-floor underneath is sealed and not infested. Also, consider running a dehumidifier to dry up the mold and make it stop releasing spores, and an air purifier to get rid of the mold spores that are already in the air your family is breathing.

Some carpet stains can be removed with a paste of 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar and 1/4 cup salt or baking soda. Rub into the carpet stain and let dry. Vacuum up the residue the next day.

White distilled vinegar is a popular household cleanser, effective for killing most mold, bacteria, and germs, due to its level of acidity.

Call a local extricating company that specializes in water damage. Then call your slumlords to let them know what happened and what you have paid for. Document everything you did and everything that was said. Keep all documents.

Use vinegar. Its not the most pleasant smell but it will go away quick and usually gets any smell out even pet urine

that sounds like a mess, that happened to my mother once, and we sued the plumbing company and moved.. but i don't think you should do that. you should go to home depot and get one of those industrial rental vacuums, that might get some of the nasties out, if that doesn't work... umm.... get a sham-wow?

try bleach & a carpet scrubber. a carpet vacum that sucks up water.

you need to replace carpet the smell never goes away