Here in the US, 70% of households have a pet. Most people own a dog, but cat owners are close behind.
We love our pets, but they can have accidents that leave stains on our carpets and floors. Carpet cleaning pet stains isn’t always easy, and not doing a good enough job can result in lingering odors and lasting damage.
We’ve put this guide together so you can clean up those stains when you see them the right way. Here are some of the most common cleaning mistakes homeowners make.
Waiting to Clean It Up
Accidents tend to happen at the worst time, such as in the middle of the night or when you’re about to head out the door. While it can be tempting to ignore the stain and resolve to clean it up later, this is a crucial mistake.
Unfortunately, the longer a stain sits, the harder it is to remove.
One common problem is the lingering odor of cat urine after an accident. Leaving the mess for later means you’re giving it more time to soak into the carpet fibers, the padding, and the baseboards.
Soak up the urine with paper towels and blot gently. Even better, use a handheld extractor to remove the urine from the carpet.
To remove the smell, you’ll have to use an enzymatic cleaner, which breaks down the bacteria.
Scrubbing the Carpets
Many homeowners are guilty of making this mistake when removing pet stains. Scrubbing the carpet forces the material deeper into the carpet fibers and beyond.
No matter how frustrated you might feel, scrubbing is one of the worst moves you can make.
When dealing with urine stains, gently blot the carpet to soak it up. When it’s another mess left behind by our furry friends, gently scrape the material with a putty knife to remove it. Paper towels don’t work well for this purpose and can push the mess deeper.
Using Home Remedies
The problem with many DIY approaches and home remedies using vinegar or baking soda is that they only cover the scent for a short period. When the scent comes back, your pet may use that spot to go to the bathroom again.
Rather than live through a continuous cycle, make sure you use the right cleaning products, like bio-enzymatic cleaners. These cleaners are great for preventing pet stains. They break down the proteins, starches, and uric acid left behind, tackling the odor at its source.
Spot Treating
Another common mistake is cleaning pet stains by only focusing on one small area of the carpet. You might think blotting up the small stain was enough to deal with the issue, but carpets are highly absorbent.
It’s highly likely that the liquid has spread farther than you expect and out into the surrounding area. So make sure to clean a larger radius than the spot you can see.
If the stain has been sitting for a while, or you’re dealing with multiple pet stains that you just can’t seem to clean, it’s time to call the professionals.
The Key to Carpet Cleaning Pet Stains
Make sure you avoid these common mistakes when carpet cleaning pet stains. It will make cleaning up those unexpected messes so much easier.
Of course, the easiest and most efficient way to clean deeply soiled carpet is to have it professionally cleaned. Steam Wave Carpet is a family-owned carpet cleaning company here in the Dallas area. Contact us to get an estimate on carpet cleaning and pet stain removal today.