Francine, As a proud owner of three lovable, but rambunctious dogs, urine stains are a regrettably common occurrence for me. Any advice?
All of us proud pet owners have had to deal with pet stains at one point or another. Truthfully, the most effective way of removing pet stains and pet odours is to use professional equipment as well as professional quality cleaning agents. That’s why hiring a professional is usually your best option. However, there are a few things you can do to minimize the effects of your pet’s “accidents”.
First, you’ll need to locate the stain and isolate the stained area. New stains are easy to spot and should be cleaned with absorbent paper towels. Pet urine odor lingers if not properly cleaned. Older stains are a little trickier.
The smell of your pet’s “accident” alerts you to a stain’s presence, but it’s not always easy to find the source. Careful examination of your carpet should reveal the darkened or somewhat off-colour areas of the original pet stains. Check both sides of any rug to see if the stain has soaked through. Should you be unable to locate stains with the naked eye, ultraviolet blacklights are available from most home improvement stores and will help pinpoint the subtlest stains.
With the stains located and any remaining urine absorbed with paper towels, you’ll want to rinse the area with cold water. You’ll need to air out any stained rugs outdoors to neutralize odors. For carpets, you may consider picking up pet odor neutralizers from a pet store or any number of widely available carpet stain removers. Before using either, it’s important you test both products on sample carpeting or a less visible area of your carpet – a spot usually covered by a chair or couch, for example – to ensure they won’t stain.
Are you embarrassed to let company see your living room or den due to lingering pet odors? We can help you. Sparkling Clean Carpets employs a revolutionary Dry Foam Cleaning method that makes pet stains and odors history. Whether you’re in Oakville, Burlington, Ancaster, Hamilton or Dundas, give us a call for a free estimate on your next carpet cleaning.
Remember, for all your homecare questions, be sure to “Ask Francine”.