Celebrities, most notably Howard and Beth Stern, love pets and urge us all to adopt. That being said, accidents happen. Luckily, there are simple and natural ways to remove pet stains from your beautiful carpet.
Suggestion 1: Vinegar + Water Stain Remover
You will need 1/2 cup of vinegar, 2 cups of water 1 tablesppon dishwashing detergent, and 1 tablespoon of salt. Mix everything together, then apply the stain remover to the area, using a washcloth or sponge.
Carefully blot the area dry with a dry towel. You may have to repeat the process several times, depending on the nature of stain.
Suggestion 2: Vinegar + Water + Baking Soda Stain Remover
For this stain remover, you will need equal parts water and vinegar, a towel, baking soda, and a vacuum cleaner.
Step 1: dry the stain with a towel, making sure to blot and not rub. If the towel becomes too soiled, start using a second towel. Keep patting dry until the stain is as dry as you can get it.
Step 2: Mix the water and vinegar, then spray on the stain.
Step 3: Pour the baking soda (and maybe a little bit of vinegar) onto the stain. Rub the mixture into the carpet. You will hear it sizzle, which means the stain is being lifted. Leave the baking soda there until it dries.
Step 4: Vaccuum the dry baking soda up.
Suggestion 3: Hydrogen Peroxide + Baking Soda Stain Remover
You will need hydrogen peroxide and baking soda.
This is a good stain remover to use after you have tried the vinegar solution to no avail. Hydrogen peroxide is a natural bleach, however, so you may want to try this on a smaller piece of carpet, perhaps in the corner of the room, to make sure it does not bleach the fibers.
Step 1: Generously sprinkle a couple handfuls of baking soda on the stained area. Ensure that it covers every affected part.
Step 2: mix 2 cups of water with 1/2 cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Add a teaspoon of dishwashing detergent.
Step 3: Spray the stain remover on top of the baking soda, then rub the stain remover into the carpet with a towel or brush with soft bristles.
Step 4: Let the stain remover dry on the carpet for several hours.
Step 5: Once the baking soda is dry, you can vaccuum it up.
Tips for Cleaning up Pet Stains
While stain removers are very effective, it is important that you do your best to help the stain remover do its job.
- You want to act fast. As soon as you see that your carpet has a stain, you need to lift the carpet up and dry beneath the carpet. If it soaks for too long, you might not be able to get it out. Fortunately, you can hire a professional carpet cleaner, and they will use water extraction methods which are effective at removing stains.
- Do not use steam cleaners, as the heat causes the urine’s protein to bind with the carpet fiber. The smell and the stain will be there for forever.
- Pet stain removers might actually encourage your pet to repeat its accident, as ammonia-based cleaners and cleaner with strong-smelling chemicals may be attractive to your pet. In the long run, these cleaners may remove the stain, but they will not effectively take care of the odor.
- Store-bought pet stain removers are good, so long as they are all-natural and enzyme based. These enzymes digest the stain and the proteins that cause the odor in the pet urine.
Conclusion
If you act fast and with the right ingredients, you can easily and effectively remove your pet’s stain and odor from your carpet.