If you own dogs and have floor coverings in your home, you’re bound to have soiled carpets sooner or later. Unfortunately, many pet owners don’t know the best ways to clean common accidents, and their techniques may cause a bigger mess or leave a permanent stain behind.
The good news is that if you have a few tools and supplies, you can remove pet soils to keep your rugs in the best possible condition. So, let’s look at some tips for cleaning different messes from your carpet.
Removing Dog Poop Stains Off the Carpet
Poop piles on the carpet can be a disaster. They leave stains, odor, and bacteria in the fibers unless you clean them properly. There’s more to it than just picking up the pile. Here are some helpful cleaning tips for when you find dog poop on your carpet.
To begin, you want to remove the solid waste. Wear gloves and use a paper towel or poop bag to pick up the excess soil being careful not to push any of the feces into the rug. A putty knife comes in handy for safely removing the solids.
Once you pick up the pile, check to see if there’s any residue left behind. Spray the area with a fabric-safe pet stain remover such as an enzymatic cleaner. These products are safe around pets and work to naturally break down the waste product. Thoroughly wet the area and let the solution sit for several minutes or as otherwise directed on the bottle.
After the residue has soaked for the required time, make a soapy solution of cool water and three or four teaspoons of laundry detergent. Soak a non-abrasive sponge in your solution and wring it so that it’s just damp. Blot the area carefully with the sponge.
Using a bristle brush, thoroughly scrub the spot to loosen fecal mater. Use vigorous strokes but be careful to not damage the carpet fibers. There should be visible soap bubbles working to lift the stain. If not, dab more of the detergent solution on the spot and continue scrubbing. Keep going until the stain is gone.
When the residue is gone, you’ll need to remove the excess liquid. While you can dab the carpet with a towel or sponge, we advise using a handheld extractor that sucks liquids from the pile. Residual moisture can cause odors to settle in the fibers.
For further deodorizing, combine equal part amounts of warm water and distilled white vinegar. Pour this solution over the affected area and let it soak into the carpet for a few minutes, rinse with cold water, and suck the liquid out.
Finally, sprinkle baking soda on the carpet and let it sit overnight. You can also rub the powder into the fibers with a bristle brush. Vacuum your rugs the next morning.
Following these steps after your furbaby poops on the floor should leave you with a clean fresh carpet.
Removing Dog Diarrhea Stains Off the Carpet
Solid poop is one thing, but what if your furbaby has diarrhea in the house? It usually has a horrendous odor and leaves an ugly stain that can soak deep into the fibers. But you don’t have to wait for professionals to clean your carpet. Here are some steps that you can follow to remove the mess and restore your rug.
To protect yourself, put on gloves before you get started. Next, remove as much of the feces as you can. Use a putty knife, piece of cardboard, or another firm edge to lightly scrape the material from the floor surface.
Once you remove that layer, use paper towels and gently pinch the surface of the carpet toward the middle of the stain to absorb as much liquid as possible. Don’t press down as that will drive the putrid liquid deeper into the pile.
Use a clean cloth soaked in cool water to lightly wet the area. To do this, wet the cloth and gently wring it out over the affected area. This will help to lift the putrid liquid from the carpet. Use more paper towels to soak up the brown residue. Repeat until the paper towels are absorbing clear liquid.
Now that the feces is gone, you can deal with cleaning the stain from the carpet fibers. As noted above, you can use an enzymatic pet stain carpet cleaner, or you can make a solution of dawn dish soap and water then apply it to the carpet using a spray bottle. This will create a good foam to help break apart the stain and lift it from the pile. Saturate the stain with your cleaner and let it sit for several minutes. You can gently massage it into the carpet with your gloved fingers, but don’t scrub the area.
After the cleaner has ample time to work on the stain, follow the steps you took above with a clean cloth soaked in water to rinse out the soap. Finish by removing sucking up any remaining liquid with a handheld extractor.
Use a vinegar solution and baking soda as described in the section above to sanitize and deodorize the carpet.
Removing Dog Urine Stains Off the Carpet
Whether you’re potty training a new puppy or dealing with a senior, bladder control issues can result in pee on the carpet. It’s easier to deal with urine stains if you can catch them when they’re fresh. But even if you have old yellow-orange spots, following these steps can be helpful.
If you catch your pal peeing on the rug or see it while it’s wet, take immediate action. Blot the area dry with a rag or paper towels. Do not scrub or rub the area. Your goal is to pull the liquid up and out not to push it deeper into the fibers. You can also suck out the liquid with a handheld extractor.
Once you’ve removed the excess liquid, sprinkle a layer of baking soda over the spot. You can gently rub the powder into the carpeting with your fingers or a toothbrush. Then use a spray bottle to soak the area with a 50/50 solution of distilled white vinegar and water. The vinegar will help neutralize the ammonia in the urine to eliminate odor. Leave the mixture to foam and work out the stain for about 15-30 minutes then use a wet vacuum or handled extractor to remove the liquid.
If there’s some remaining stain, use a mixture of 2 T baking soda and 3-4 T of hydrogen peroxide. Apply the paste to the stain and gently work it into the fibers with an old toothbrush. Soak the spot with the vinegar/water mixture, cover with a cloth, and saturate the cloth with the solution. Let it sit another 15-30 minutes then soak up the liquid with a wet vac.
In many cases, these household items will be all you need to eliminate urine stains and their odor.
Removing Dog Odor From Your Carpet
Carpets have a way of trapping unwanted odors. That’s because the liquid will usually soak through the carpet and down into the padding. Whether you find a wet spot on the rough or have lingering scents from previous accidents, try the following to eliminate the smell.
When you notice a wet spot, it’s best to act immediately. Soak up the liquid with a handheld extractor or terry cloths. Then liberally sprinkle baking soda over the spot to neutralize the odor and absorb any remaining moisture. Leave the soda on the carpet for a day before vacuuming it to remove the powder.
If baking soda alone isn’t enough to remove the odor, spray the spot with distilled white vinegar. Use enough to thoroughly soak the carpet down to the padding. If you are able to lift the carpet from the pad, apply the vinegar on the front and back of the fabric and the padding for better effect. The vinegar’s acid will deactivate the urine so that the scent becomes neutralized.
In the case of a lingering scent from previous accidents, you may need to use a UV light to locate the original spot. Once you find the source of the odor, follow the procedures above to try to remove the smell. These simple solutions are often able to neutralize odors. If not, you may need to seek professional help.
Removing Dog Vomit From a Carpet
You walk in the door and the pungent odor hits your nose. Your dog puked on the carpet. Here’s what you need to do to clean the stain and neutralize the stink.
The first thing you want to do is remove the solid material with a clean cloth or paper towels. Be careful to lift the vomit from the surface without pushing fluid deeper into the pile.
Next, take a bottle of warm water with a few tablespoons of dishwashing liquid mixed in and spray the spot. Use a clean, cloth to gently wipe or blot the area. Do not rub. After using the cleaner, spray the region with a 50/50 warm water and distilled white vinegar solution. This will neutralize the odor. Soak the liquid with a shop vac or handheld extractor.
If there’s any remaining stain or odor, repeat the steps until the carpet is clean.
Happy Cleaning!
Sometimes messes are unavoidable when you own a dog, but that doesn’t mean you have to settle for permanent stains and odor. Fortunately, you can take care of most of the clean-up with a few common household items. So, before you call in a professional try doing it yourself.
