- You have to give the soiled area a good cleaning. This can be done with vinegar, which also makes a wonderful deodorizer, or mild dish soap. After the stain is completely gone, rinse by blotting with a damp rag or paper towel.
- Sometimes with pet urination, wicking can occur. This means the stain went deep down into the lower fibers of the carpet and has pooled at the bottom. You may feel you got the entire stain out, but in a few hours or even a day or two, the stain will magically reappear as the liquid rises up through the fibers to the top of the carpet. To eliminate wicking, take a thick towel or rag and place over the stain. Weigh it down with some books or other heavy items and leave it there for a few hours or even overnight. This should absorb all of the liquid. Clean the stain once again to make sure it�s all lifted.
- Avoid using a steamer to clean pet stains or a hair-dryer to dry them. Heat causes stains and odours to set, making them virtually impossible to remove.
- Once a week or so, sprinkle a deodorizing powder on your carpet. This will help to keep your carpet smelling fresh. A more frugal option is to use baking soda. Baking soda doesn�t have an odour, so if scented deodorants aren�t for you, this is the alternative.
- Visit your local pet emporium for some good heavy duty pet smell removers. These are more expensive than those found in the supermarket, but this may be necessary if common household deodorants don�t work.
- Contact your vet for a recommendation. They have to contend with pet smells on a daily basis and will certainly have some advice or product recommendation.
- If you smell pet urine but can�t quite locate the stain, a black light may be in order. Be prepared for a rude awakening, however, as these lights will expose all your carpet�s impurities and may send you running for a professional.
Cont.