How To Clean That Nasty Pet Stain

No matter how hard we try to keep our pets from having ' accidents' it just happens. Not only do you have to clean up the mess, but you must also neutralize the odor. It depends on how much there is and how long it`s been there to know how quick the clean up will be.

If you can catch the urine stain within a couple hours, first get up all the excess liquid by dabbing a cloth on the spot. Next, pour water on the spot and sponge dry, as good as you can. Then, mix a teaspoon of neutral detergent or a non-alkaline detergent, like dishwashing liquid, with a cup of lukewarm water. Work a little bit of the mixture into the spot with your fingers. Flush and sponge with water. Repeat process. Rinse with a vinegar rinse made from equal parts of water and vinegar. Dampen spot and let sit for several minutes. Blot dry, as dry as you can get it. Get a half-inch piece of some type of absorbent material and put over the spot. Weight it down, if it becomes wet, replace it. Leave for 8 hours, then brush the spot with your hand to blend it back into the carpet.

Another solution to use is a disinfectant cleaner solution, a water soluble deodorant, or a carpet shampoo, basically anything that says it`s safe for carpets. You may also be able to get some special cleaners from your vet or local pet store. Sunlight and plenty of air circulation has neutralizing effects on odors so air out the area where the spot is at.

A stain can cause discoloration so you can consider applying a dye to restore the color or possibly cutting out the patch of carpet and replacing it. This could also be true for odors. It`s very hard to flush the urine from wall to wall carpet, but first try some deodorants or as a last resort, call a professional carpet cleaner.

Wood floors can be cleaned with undiluted white vinegar. You can apply many times but allow to dry completely between applications. If the stains and/or odor has penetrated the finish, the top layer can be sanded and refinished.