Carpet Cleaning - Tips to Remove Pet Stains and Odors
by Jim Thornton

There is nothing like the elegance and beauty of carpet in your home. It gives the rooms a rich appearance and that feeling of softness and comfort beneath your feet. The beauty of carpeting is obvious and if you have pets, you probably already know that they can make a huge difference to your carpeting and furniture and that your biggest problems will be to remove urine stains and remove odors from these stains.

Many people are pet lovers and they are constantly receiving love and companionship from their pets. As a result, they overlook the hair, dust, dander, stains, odor and other issues that often come with having a pet as part of the family.

Pets quite often carry viruses, bacteria, and parasites that can be harmful to humans into the home. These germs get into our carpets, furniture, and sit and grow at room temperature. It is important to take measures to stay healthy, to keep a clean home and to protect your investment in your home. With a few good tips and a little hard work, you can live together in harmony with your pets, maintain the beauty and keep the carpet cleaner.

One of the biggest problems people run into is the amount of hair that get's into the carpets, furniture, drapes and in some cases, if it is bad enough, it gets in the glasses, dishes and into the food we eat. Take the time to brush your pet; even a shorthaired animal will shed.

The best place to brush is outdoors however if that is not possible look for an area with bare floors. The point is to keep the hair in one controllable location instead of all over the house. It is then a lot easier to remove pet hair.

Keep your pet off the furniture; pets will leave tons of hair behind on your favorite chair, which will transfer, to you then other areas of the house. Put a stop to this by creating a special place for your pet to lay then train them to use it.

Vacuum daily with a vacuum that will not clog every two minutes so that you can remove pet hair. Pets are losing hair constantly especially an indoor pet. Also with pets laying on the carpets and furniture they transfer oils from their skin to these items. Dirt constantly comes in our home, not only by our pets but also by the people living in the home. This dirt will stick to the carpets and furniture and cause path areas. Vacuuming frequently will keep this problem under control and make it easier to remove pet stains. The cleanliness in your home will improve dramatically.

Pet owners know that even well trained pets can occasionally have accidents. It is important to have a good enzyme cleaner on hand to remove pet stains. You can get these at any pet store and an enzyme cleaner will remove the stain and odor in the furnishings or carpet. If you have a pet stain and you do not have an enzyme cleaner on hand you can try some natural household products.

For any pet stain the first step is to remove any solid particles first. Blot up as much moisture as possible with soft white towels or paper towels. Get two spray containers. In one put a mixture of mild dish detergent and water. In the other put a mixture of one third vinegar and water.

Start by spraying the dish detergent on the stain. Blot and use very gentle agitation to remove pet stain. Next spray the vinegar on the area and blot. The vinegar helps to break up the urine and is a bactericide. It contains agents that will kill bacteria and remove odors.

If the stain or odor remains repeat these steps until the stain and odor are gone. To prevent any residue from returning you should press down on the area with absorbent paper towels until you have removed as much moisture as possible. Pour a substantial amount of salt on the spot to absorb any residue that is left.

When the carpet is dry just vacuum up the remaining salt and you will find the stain and odor are gone. With pets it is important to deep clean the carpets every few months to keep the carpet cleaner. It also keeps them stain and odor free. You can either buy yourself a good machine to wash the rugs and get them cleaned professionally on occasion or get a professional carpet cleaning company to come in regularly every six to nine months.

Either way if you follow these simple solutions you will maintain the cleanliness of your home and the beauty of your carpet. You will keep the carpets for many years because they look good and that is like money in the bank.

Jim Thornton may be contacted at http://www.bubblesandsuds.ca
Jim Thornton has been cleaning carpets for many years. In that time many methods of carpet cleaning have been used but the best carpet cleaning results have been achieved using dry foam extraction. For more information go to www.bubblesandsuds.ca