How to clean pet stains from your carpets

How to clean pet stains from your carpets was first seen on First Class Reviews

Our beloved pets can create a mess in our carpets by marking their territory every once in a while, and these stains (and the accompanying foul odor) can be a real pain to remove.

Fortunately, there are quite a few simple ways to clean such stains and messes, especially if you can catch them shortly after they occur.

Today, we will talk about a few different ways you can go when it comes to getting rid of such stains and odors.

Using homemade solutions and simple tools to remove pet stains

First of all, like we said in the beginning, it will be a lot easier to get rid of the stain if you manage to treat the carpet shortly after the mess is created. The first thing you need to do when you catch your cat or dog on the act is to use paper towels and a newspaper to soak the urine.

To do so, place a newspaper under the carpet (the area where the stain is), put a few sheets of paper towel on stained spot and then cover those sheets with another newspaper. Standing on top of the newspaper for a few minutes will make the papers soak most of the water, making the stain easier to remove. If you need to, you can repeat the same thing once or twice more until the carpet is nearly dried.

Afterwards, clean the carpet with water or a wet vacuum if you have one (or with a carpet cleaning machine). Avoid using any chemical solutions or a steam cleaner. Chemicals with strong scents may “challenge” your pet to do it again to reinforce her message, and steam cleaners may actually cause the stain to settle even deeper into the carpet.

Tip: if you can, try to place the papers that you used to soak the mess into your cat’s litter box or your dog’s designated bathroom area in an effort to remind them where the right place to do what they do is.

Here is a video that can help those who need visual guidance:

Using Vinegar and Baking Soda

Although it’s not recommended by everyone (some think that using vinegar ruins potty training as we have mentioned above (strong scents further encouraging your pets), most homeowners got pretty good results using a mixture of vinegar and baking soda to clean pet messes.

The process is quite simple; you take a bowl and mix white distilled vinegar with lukewarm water (1 cup vinegar and 1 cup water). Then you add up to two tablespoons of baking soda (you may need to add less if you suspect it will fizz over).

Once the mixture is ready, you can use a spray bottle to apply it on the stained area and give it about 5 to 6 minutes before rubbing and cleaning the area with a soft cloth.

Using a Home Carpet Cleaning Machine

If you have a carpet cleaning machine (especially one specifically designed for pet owners like the Bissell Deep Clean Premier Pet or Proheat 2X Pet), you may not have to deal with it using the methods we explained above. You’d just need to fire up the machine and clean the stained area. Bissell and Hoover have their own special design cleaning solutions for pet stains which can make the cleaning process very easy and effective. You can check out our reviews for the latest and best carpet cleaners for pets here.