Statistics; you gotta love them.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, 38.4% of American households are home to a dog, while 25.4% have cats.
That’s a grand total of more than 48 million dogs and nearly 32 million cats.
Imagine the amount bodily fluids that ends up on carpets nationwide. It’s inescapable, really. Even the most well-trained pet can have an accident indoors.
Let’s take a look at some of the more common messes our pets leave behind and how to clean them from carpet.
Pet vomit
Cats vomit more often than dogs. It’s true. Some cats vomit more often than other cats. If you live with a serial vomiter, don’t despair. Whether it’s a cat or a dog who leaves behind vomit, we have a tip to remove it, and the stain, from the carpet.
- Lay a paper towel over the mess and gently blot the liquid from it. Don’t press to hard while blotting to avoid pushing the vomit further into the carpet.
- Use another paper towel to gently lift the vomit pile from the carpet.
- Clean the resulting stain a.s.a.p. with a paste composed of two parts of baking soda in one part hydrogen peroxide. Stir well and use the spoon to spread the paste over the spot until it’s covered entirely. Avoid pressing the mixture into the carpet.
- Allow the paste to remain on the stained area of the carpet until it is dry. This may take anywhere from a few hours to overnight.
- Use the vacuum to suck up the dried paste.
You may need to reapply a fresh layer of the paste for stubborn stains. Repeat the procedure, allowing the paste to dry completely, before using the vacuum to suck it up.
Pet urine
Owners of geriatric dogs, more than other pet owners, deal with a lot of pet accidents. As our pets age, especially dogs, they often lose bladder function and become incontinent.
Many owners deal with this by diapering their dogs or crating them at night when they can’t help the dog outside to relieve itself.
Accidents still happen, though, and although urine is a tough substance to remove from carpet, it is possible.
A new urine stains is far easier to deal with than one that is set-in. In fact, when we discover pee long after the fact, we hire a specialist to help. After all, it probably soaked into the pad beneath the carpet as well.
Here’s what you’ll need to clean a new urine stain:
- Rags or paper towels
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup distilled white vinegar
- ¼ cup baking soda
- ¼ cup 3% hydrogen peroxide
- Spray bottle
- Scrub brush
After mixing the solution, check to ensure it is safe for your type of carpet. Try it on a small section of the carpet that is seldom seen. For instance, under the sofa or behind the drapes.
Use the rags or paper towels to blot out as much of the liquid as possible. When you think you’ve gotten all of it, put a clean rag over the spot and stand on it for a few seconds. You’d be surprised how much urine is left in the carpet.
Combine the water, vinegar, baking soda and peroxide in the spray bottle. Spritz the urine-stained area until it is wet.
Use the brush to lightly work the solution into the stained area, then allow the solution to sit for about 5 to 10 minutes.
Work the solution into the carpet with a brush or by rubbing it in with your fingers while wearing a rubber glove. Allow the solution to remain on the area for about 10 minutes.
Use a clean rag or bunch of paper towels to blot up the solution.
Sprinkle a bit of baking soda (enough to cover the area with urine), allow it to dry completely and then vacuum up the residue.
Alex Saenger and the Saenger Group are Top 1% Maryland Real Estate Agents serving the Washington DC Metro area. We are licensed Realtors based in Rockville, MD at Keller Williams Capital Properties.
