HOW TO CLEAN PET PEE FROM YOUR CARPET

Photo Courtesy of CB 27

Accidents happen. No matter how well potty trained your dog is, at some point or another your canine is going to relieve themselves somewhere in the house. Since one of the most frustrating things about owning a dog is the inevitable potty mess, we’ve scoured the web for some of the best advice for cleaning up pet stains on carpets.

Sop it Up!

It is very difficult to clean up a urine stain after several hours. You probably already know this from experience and it’s not fun. The sooner you can get to the mess the better, but most times that is just not possible. As soon as you spot the accident, gather paper towels and newspaper and soak up as much of the urine as you can. Make sure you lift up the rug and get to the carpet pad underneath or your dog will still smell the accident and be much more inclined to soil the same area again. Some sources suggest using saran-wrap or plastic over the newspaper as well. Step on the newspaper covered area with all your weight to make sure it is all soaked up. Repeat this until the carpet is only slightly damp.

Photo Courtesy of jessgrr

Rinse and Clean

Next, you want to wash the area with warm water and use an enzymatic cleaning product specifically for pet stains like Nature’s Miracle®. Enzymatic cleaners work by breaking down the molecules of the urine in your carpet fibers. An added bonus is they are non-toxic and safe to use. Let the cleaning solution sit for as long as the instructions specify and use enough solution to penetrate to the carpet pad underneath. Make sure the area is marked off so that no one in your household walks on the solution, especially your dog! Use a baby-gate or close the door to the room and let the enzyme cleaner do its magic.

Smell Nice!

To remove the smell, use a high-quality odor neutralizer. Pet Place recommends making your own by using a natural concoction of 10 to 12 drops of lavender oil with a cup of bicarbonate soda. After sprinkling the odor neutralizer of your choice on the area, let it sit for about an hour and then vacuum.

For Stains that Refuse to Go Away

If you have followed these steps and the stain remains, consider these more drastic solutions.

-Rent an extractor or a wet-vac which you can get from a hardware store. A wet-vac works like a vacuum and pushes out the dirty liquid with clean water. NOTE: Do not mistake a wet-vac for a steamer. The HumaneSociety’s page on removing pet stains makes sure to point out that steamers will only set the stain!

-To further mask the smell, clean it with a solution of one cup of vinegar or one cup of hydrogen peroxide to a gallon of water. To make sure it won’t bleach your rug, test on a hidden portion of it or a corner.

-Replace your carpet pad.

Share with us what has or has not worked for you!