Dogs are a real delight. Their wagging tails, joyful barks, and warm embraces are simply adorable.
And, there is the flip side of the coin, which is the occasional accident. Finding little surprises on your carpet is less than perfect, and that’s putting it mildly.
This happens more frequently if your pet is still in house-training, or an older dog is suffering from urinary incontinence.
Dog excrement and urine on your lovely carpet can create stains, nasty odours, and obnoxious germs. On a brighter note, managing this problem is easier than you think, especially if you know the right method.
This article will show you how to handle pet problems head-on, and also when to call in the experts.
Immediate Steps for Removing Dog Poop from Carpets
The least favourite part of pet ownership must be discovering dog excrement on your carpet.
Nevertheless, the outcome is far better if you respond quickly. Acting fast is crucial, since fresh poop is significantly easier to handle than dried or smeared leftovers.
Start with clearing the solid matter. Scoop up any hard poop using a paper towel or plastic bag.
By all means, avoid pressing down, as it could cause the substance to be pushed farther into the carpet fibres. Once the bulk is gone, resist the need to start scrubbing right away.
From experience, pet owners know that rubbing makes the stain set deeper, which complicates the nasty task even more. Instead, lightly dab the area with a damp paper towel or wet cloth.
It’s time now for a more thorough clean. Use an enzyme cleaner that’s formulated specifically for dealing with pet waste.
These cleaners neutralise smells and break down the proteins in dog faeces, thus removing the stain. You can find really good products in most pet stores and online.
It’s pretty simple. Just apply the product to the problematic area, and let it do its thing. If you want a homemade remedy, a simple mixture of white vinegar and water in equal amounts will work wonders.
Put the right amount on the soiled area, let it marinate for a few minutes, and then blot the remains dry.
Dealing with Dog Urine: A Tougher Challenge
Dog urine discolours the carpet, and the scent can persist for days or even weeks, if it is not managed properly.
If the area isn’t completely cleaned and sterilised, the smelly ammonia in dog urine could become an eternal problem.
The best approach is to use paper towels for sponging out as much of the urine as you can, which really helps.
Again, steer clear of scrubbing. Press down lightly, and repeat the process until the area feels dry. Larger accidents could call for many blotting rounds.
Here too, enzyme cleaners are your friends. They work by destroying the proteins and germs in the urine. This removes the stain and the stench at the source.
As an alternative, you can make a homemade cleaning solution by putting together a two-to-one water/vinegar mixture. Though it won’t have the same disinfecting power as an enzyme cleaner, vinegar is fantastic in neutralising smells.
Apply your cleaner, and forget about it for ten to fifteen minutes. This gives the enzymes time to completely break down the urine. Blot the area once more to eliminate the remaining moisture.
The final step is getting some baking soda from the pantry, and covering the whole carpet with it. Leave it like that for several hours, but overnight would be ideal, so do that if you can.
This simple kitchen staple does wonders in neutralising nasty smells, and it also helps in absorbing residual moisture. When the powder dries, sweep it with a broom, or use a hoover to tidy up the carpet. It will smell as fresh as a meadow.
Disinfecting Your Carpet: Ensuring Clean and Safe Floors
Cleaning dog poop and pee is one thing, but making sure your carpet is correctly sterilised is a different matter.
Although invisible, pet accidents can leave behind bacteria and germs that endanger your house and health. While many enzyme cleaners are designed to fight the worst of these bacteria, occasionally, deeper disinfection is needed.
Once the mess has been cleared, you can spray a disinfectant. Use a product made specifically for carpets. Moreover, you need to make sure that it is pet-safe.
Common household cleaners could include chemicals that aren’t safe for dogs.
Although a vinegar/water solution is a decent do-it-yourself disinfectant, in more severe cases, you would need a specialised product.
Furthermore, professional carpet cleaning services could be worth considering for more stubborn stains, or frequent mishaps.
These specialists guarantee that all traces of the accident, including dangerous bacteria, are removed. That’s primarily because they use industrial-grade tools and powerful cleaning solutions.
This way, they can reach deep into the fibres of your carpet, and yank the remaining dirt from there.
It’s worth noting here that hot water extraction techniques used by expert cleaners completely disinfect your carpet. They ensure that it is clean and safe for the whole family, including your dog.
When to Call in Professional Carpet Cleaners
As much as we would like to handle everything ourselves, sometimes it is simply more convenient and effective to contact professional carpet cleaning.
Call them if you are struggling with regular mishaps, deep-set stains, or nasty smells, despite your best efforts. They possess the gear and knowledge to treat even the toughest stains and smells.
Their high-powered devices can reach deep into the carpet fibres, where house vacuums and do-it-yourself approaches just cannot.
Additionally, they disinfect the carpet by means of hot water extraction or steam cleaning, which removes any residual germs or smells.
They also use stain protectants afterwards. These substances form a barrier on your carpet. Eventually, it would be more difficult for mishaps to seep into the rug and cause damage.
It’s like arming your carpet against your dog’s next oopsie moment. In effect, you save time and effort by calling experts.
Most people want to spend their Saturday afternoon not cleaning dog waste and urine. To that end, you can get the heavy lifting taken care of the moment you call in the pros.
Conclusion
Cleaning dog faeces is understandably an icky chore that no one wants to do. Then again, it can be less apprehensive if you use a sensible cleaning routine.
Most messes will be resolved if you act quickly, use enzyme cleansers, and disinfect the soiled area. Also, bear in mind that in cases of persistent stains, it is advisable to let the experts handle the work.
Pets bring happiness into our lives, and even if mishaps occur, they will always be man’s best friend.
