Tips for Dealing with Pet Odor in Your Carpets

I was commiserating with a friend whose daughter wants to get a puppy for Christmas. Don’t get me wrong, I love dogs! But they are work. Our Roxie, shown here, may look calm but she is a giant ball of energy.

And then there’s housetraining. Multiple trips a day outside during a Cincinnati winter is enough to chill anyone to the bone. Especially when it typically takes 4-6 months for a puppy to be fully house trained! But these are the things we do for family and our four-legged friends.

For those brave enough to enter into a battle of wills with a puppy, one of the main questions is how to deal with inevitable accidents on your carpet. And while it’s not pleasant to think about, or discuss, pet urine stinks. Literally.

A key challenge is that urine can saturate the carpet and pass through to soak into the pad, making it difficult to treat at home. This is why the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), recommends “hot water extraction to permanently remove olfactory pollutants.”

The hot water extraction method is also what top carpet manufacturers recommend, and in some cases require, in order to maintain your carpet warranty.

However, it is not feasible to call a professional cleaner after every accident so we have put together this printer-friendly pet stain removal guide.

Our approach requires basic household items that you likely already have on hand:

• liquid dishwashing detergent
• white vinegar
• plenty of clean white cloths or paper towels

Applying the treatment solution as quickly as possible will help to minimize surface stains and keep odors down until you have an opportunity to have your carpets professionally cleaned with the hot water extraction method.

For more about picking the right carpet cleaning company, see our post – How to Pick the Right Carpet Cleaning Company. And, as always, we are proud of our:

• A+ BBB Rating and IICRC Certification
• Personalized Service with Large Company Capabilities
• 33 years in West Chester, serving Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky
• All-Inclusive Pricing (We will give you an exact estimate before any work is started and WON’T tack on extra costs for fuel/trip charges, deodorizer or fabric protection.)

Questions? I am always available to answer your stain removal questions and concerns. Call us today at (513) 777-8770 to learn more about our carpet and upholstery cleaning services. Or email us at service@extra-effort.com to learn about this month’s cleaning special.

Elliott S. Fishman, Co-Owner
Extra Effort Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning, Inc.

About Elliott S. Fishman

Elliott Fishman, along with his son Brian, is the owner and operator of Extra Effort Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning, Inc.   We serve the residents and businesses of Greater Cincinnati to include West Chester, Mason, Maineville, Loveland, Wyoming, Fairfield, Indian Hill, Montgomery, Hyde Park and Anderson Township. Elliott started this company in 1984, based on the belief that it takes Extra Effort to make each job a success. The father/son team puts the extra time, extra care, and extra effort go into every task they undertake – no matter how large or small the job. Extra Effort’s quality equipment, trained technicians and safe products have made the company a top choice for residential and commercial carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, water damage / water extraction, fabric protection, odor control and spot removal.