Cleaning Pet Damaged Carpeting

How to Deal with Pet Damaged Carpeting - Many of us out there are animal lovers. They are an extension to our family, but like other family members they can cause damage to our home and usually the carpeting. I own 2 large dogs, one German Shepard and one Black Lab, plus a cat and have had many before them. Knowing how to handle any accidents can save you alot of money later on not having to replace the carpet. Cleaning it should be your first line of defense to stains and odors. It is by far the most cost effective way and there are many products out there that help you with the job. Make sure with any product to test a small hidden area to check for color fastness. Better safe than sorry with that I think. Spot cleaning is a great way to keep your home looking nice with out wearing down the fibers of the carpeting. It is recommended to clean the entire carpet no more than twice a year for the fibers to stay strong.

Different stains you may run across with pets:

MUD

Dogs sure do enjoy running around in it so it is really no surprise when I find brown paw prints on my light gray carpeting. The best way I have found to remove them is actually a foamy shaving cream, cheap kind is fine, my mother had me try this and it works wonderfully, just let it sit for about 5 minutes and blot up, let dry and then finish by running the vacuum over the area.

PET ACCIDENTS:

There are many ways to deal with this kind of mess. One of the ways I have used with much success is to spray an ammonia and water mix on the area and blot up. The ammonia neutralizes any odor that could seep into the padding. Baking soda sprinkled over a area does the same but with that you simply let dry and vacuum.

For urine stains

When you come across the mysterious wet spot in the hallway (or wherever) a bit of pure rubbing alcohol might be just what the rug doctor ordered. The rubbing alcohol neutralizes any smell that might try to linger in that area.

FOR STUBBORN STAINS

Use a solution of Tide laundry detergent (has to be Tide!) and warm water. Brush the suds into the stain vertically and horizontally with a soft brush. Blot up the excess. Repeat until the stain is gone. This works nine times out of ten! I hope that these tips will help you enjoy your furry companions and keep your carpeting looking as well as it can.