Pets are one of the greatest additions to any family, aren’t they? They bring so much joy and laughter, most of the time. However, when it comes to your flooring, and especially carpet, pets can sometimes mean trouble! Even though they don’t mean to, those “accidents” that happen can leave behind unwanted stains and odors. We have a few tips on how to remove pet odors and stains from your carpet.
First, act fast! If your dog has just urinated on the carpet get a wad of paper towels and use those to soak up as much of the liquid as possible. Stand on your pile of towels to help it absorb more. You can even add a layer of newspaper on top if you have it.
Once the majority of the urine is gone, rinse the area thoroughly with water. You can use a wet dry vac if you need, but just warm water and a lot of towels can work too. Once you’ve rinsed and dried the area, cover it with about 1/4 cup of baking soda and let it sit overnight. Vacuum up the next day.
For stains that have been around longer, or that you notice when moving into a “new to you” home, start by rinsing the area thoroughly with water. You can definitely use a wet-dry vacuum here if you have it. Just keep saturating the area with water and vacuuming it up for a bit. Don’t use a steam cleaner as this will just set the stain.
If this still doesn’t work, you can try this alternative method from akc.org: In a clean spray bottle, mix one cup of distilled white vinegar with one cup of water and 2 teaspoons of baking soda. Shake it up to mix the ingredients, and then spray on the stain. Let it sit for a few minutes, and then blot with towels until clean.
In most situations, if you act quickly you’ll be able to remove pet odors and stains from your carpet quickly and easily! Additionally,
carpet padding is also available with a moisture barrier on the top that prevents liquids from reaching the pad and subfloor. Shaw also makes a waterproof backing carpet that prevents liquids from reaching the carpet pad. The liquid pools up when spilt on the surface of the carpet.
If you’re interested in learning more about new carpet and how we can help you prevent stains and odors before they even happen, come see us!
