September 6, 2018
Have a cat or a dog as your furry friend?
As much as we love them, we don’t love it when they do a little more than just relax or play on the carpet and we definitely don’t love it when this ‘little more’ involves urine!
Don’t worry, there are effective ways to clean up. The best course of action for you, will depend on how quickly after the event you can get there.
If the accident just happened, follow these steps:
Start by firmly pressing paper towels onto the affected area – Do this up to three times to absorb as much as possible.
Old newspapers will do the trick too. However, this isn’t recommended for lighter coloured carpets due to possible ink smudging.
Remove the paper towels/newspapers and thoroughly rinse the affected area with cold water.
To prevent spreading and widening the stain, pour the water from the perimeter of the stain, slowly moving toward the centre. Make sure the water flushes completely through the carpet fibres.
Let the water work through for a minute or two.
Now it’s time to clean using an enzymatic cleaning product or a paste of baking soda and vinegar.
Non-toxic and effective, enzymatic cleaners work by breaking down stains into their basic elements, eliminating the compounds that create smells and stains – This is the best way break down the proteins left over from the urine, along with removing the smell.
If you’re using an enzymatic cleaner, you need to keep it on the wet area for several hours. However, different cleaners may vary, so be sure to read the instructions.
Own a wool carpet? Ensure your chosen cleaning product is wool-safe prior to using.
After soaking the area, it’s time to follow the first step again, using a towel.
Weight the towel with a heavy object and leave it alone for several hours.
We suggest you use an old towel and throw it away once absorbed.
Enzymatic cleaner didn’t remove the stain completely?
It’s time to consider steam cleaning your carpet. If you don’t own a steam cleaner, you can rent one or hire a professional to do the job for you.
We’re hoping for your sake that you were able to attend to it immediately, but if this isn’t the case, follow these steps:
Usually, the smell of pet urine will point you in the right direction! However, if you think there might be old stains on your carpet, explore using a sweeping motion, gradually moving farther away from the generally smelly location – You’re looking for yellow or green stains.
Found the spot? It’s time to mark it.
If you’ve found yourself going on a ‘stain-finding adventure’, don’t let yourself forget where the stains are – Keep a roll of coloured tape with you and mark each spot as you go.
Wet the affected area with cold water, pouring a small amount around the perimeter of the stain, moving from the outside of the stain toward the centre.
Spray on an enzymatic cleaner and leave it overnight.
Own a wool carpet? Ensure your product of choice is wool-safe prior to using.
After soaking the area, it’s time to follow the first step again, using a towel. Weight the towel down with a heavy object and leave overnight.
We suggest using an old towel and throw it away once absorbed.
Enzymatic cleaner didn’t remove the stain completely?
It’s time to consider steam cleaning your carpet. If you don’t own a steam cleaner, you can rent one or hire a professional to do the job for you.
Still can’t seem to get the pet stain out? Perhaps it’s time to consider new flooring options.
Contact us today for all your carpet needs.
