Everyone loves animals, or at least most of us do. Pets give loving companionship for both our families and us. They also teach kids responsibility for how to take care of others later in life. The downside to having pets is that sometimes they have accidents that cause stains on our home’s carpet.
Knowing how to deal with these stains is essential to keeping your floors spotless of any sign of stains your pets may have left behind. Follow along as we give you ideas on how to get pet stains out of your carpets.
PRO TIP: Read this article on the best carpet cleaning methods before you start. We know you will love it!
Table of Contents
Potty Training
While this article is about removing pet stains, we must mention the best way not to have a stained carpet is to help your pet not make any. While there is always the potential for accidents, when leaving a pet locked in a room or being late home from work, all pets can hold themselves from going to the bathroom at least for a short amount of time.
Make sure to investigate professional services if you are having issues training your pet to not “go” in the house. Now let uslook at what you can do when those accidents happen.
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Removing Urine Stains
Urine stains can be some of the harshest stains for your carpets and require intense carpet cleaning. Not only does it turn your carpet into dark yellow spots, but the smell of urine is strong within a home. If your pet has urinated on your carpet, here are a few ideas to remove any stains or residue.
- Act Quickly: Urine still in a wet state is much easier to remove than when it dries.
- Soak and Scrub Brush: If found still wet, use a dry cloth to soak up as much of the urine as possible. Then using a cleaning agent and a stiff-bristled brush, scrub the area until the stain is no longer visible.
- Use a Home Steam Cleaner: Many stores now sell small steam cleaners to remove urine and other types of stains. Instead of the old bulky carpet cleaning machines, most of these are compact and strong enough to help with a fresh stain, although they are not efficient at large or multiple stains.
Removing Pet Vomit Stains
Cat owners will appreciate this advice, as inside cats are the most susceptible of vomiting, especially after eating. The best way to help protect your carpet from vomit stains is to make sure your pet’s food supply is as far away from your carpet as possible and in a place that is easy to clean. Of course, this is not always a choice but will help tremendously in the clean-up effort.
Luckily for those that have no way of having another area to feed, pet vomit is normally thicker than urine and, therefore, mostly stays on top of the carpet fibres, making it easier to clean. Usually, a rag, cleaner, and a quick scrub will remove any signs of pet vomit.
Tip: Be careful of purchasing cat foods that have been heavily dyed in food coloring. One, your cat will not care what color the food is, and the food coloring is a huge culprit in causing stains.
Protecting Carpet
While covering your carpet with plastic is not an option, what is available to you are chemicals, like Scotchguard and others, that help to remediate the severity of stains within your carpet. When purchasing a new carpet ask about the options for adding a protectant to it.
Using Natural VS Human-Made Substances
There are people who choose to use only natural cleaners to remove stains. The most popular of these are vinegar, water, and hydrogen peroxide. Even though these and other types of cleaners may be considered natural, some will still react with the fibers in your carpet and could cause issues. Before using, make a test on a small patch that is not visible to guests to see how it performs.
Natural products will normally work but might take a bit more scrubbing to remove stains that chemical cleaners may not need. For tough stains set in, these chemical types of carpet cleaners are almost always a better option.
Use A Professional Carpet Cleaner
Professional carpet cleaners will be your best choice for dealing with pets who cause multiple stains and have the best chance to remove odours from your home. The equipment owned by these companies is better than anything you can rent or purchase your own.
Not only is their equipment state of the art, but the experience and training of professional carpet cleaning companies are suited to giving you the best chance of removing pet stains from your carpet and getting your home under control.
Contributor’s Bio: Mary Beth Gossman is a freelance writer and poet. She is highly proficient in writing, editing, and all aspects of the English language. For over 30 years, she has experience in teaching at the university level including Technical Writing, Expository Writing, Professional Writing, and Composition.