Cleaning Methods: Cleaning Methods: Removing Pet Urine & Cleaning Carpets

Pet owners often find themselves searching for methods to remove pet urine, which can leave stains and odors. Read on below to find out how to remove cat and dog urine stains.

Removing Pet Urine

Cat and dog urine stains are smelly and incredibly tough to get out of carpeting or other materials and in many cases the products sold to eliminate the stains can smell just as bad. And because pets are territorial, if the odor isn’t completely eliminated, the odds are good that they will soil the same location repeatedly. Here’s a safe and effective way to neutralize pet urine so your home will smell and look better.

• Add ½ cup of white vinegar to a quart of warm water.
• Lightly pour the solution onto the stain, but don’t over-saturate the area.
• Place dry paper towels over the stain and set something heavy on top of it. Allow it to sit for a couple of hours.
• Remove the paper towels and use a bristle brush to raise the carpet fibers back up.
• If some of the odor remains, while the area is damp, sprinkle some baking soda onto the area and work it into the rug with the brush.
• After the area is dry, vacuum up the baking soda.
  

Materials needed:

• Bucket
• White vinegar
• Paper towels
• Baking soda
• Scrubbing brush
  

Cleaning Carpets

In most homes, carpets see more traffic than virtually any other surface, so cleaning them properly is key to maintaining a clean, healthy home. Here are a few essential tips for making sure your carpets are as clean as possible.

Vacuum your carpet a minimum of once a week, or more if your carpet experiences extensive traffic or if you have pets.

Once a month, use the crevice tool on your vacuum machine to really get the dirt out near the baseboards and other tough to reach areas.

On plush carpets, a single vacuum pass is not enough to get all the debris up through the fibers. Move the vacuum over one section of rug at a time very slowly and make multiple passes for the greatest benefit.

For cleaning up spills, avoid rubbing the spot or it may cause the stain to spread. Start blotting at the outside edges of the spill and work your way inward.

To soak up excess moisture, place a stack of clean paper towels on the area and place a heavy item on top of the towels to weigh them down. Leave it alone for a few hours to soak up the remaining moisture.

Before using spot cleaner on your carpet, always test it in an inconspicuous place to ensure colorfastness.

For deep cleaning carpets, you should use a carpet cleaner with a rug shampoo and a rinse extractor. Once you deep clean an area, fluff the fibers against the nap to help bring the carpet back to life and to allow for more thorough drying. Make sure the room is well ventilated and avoid walking on the carpet while it is still damp.