It may cost you up to $1,000 to remove pet urine stains and their odor from your carpet. That’s why you should address the issue immediately. Otherwise, the stain will reach a point where you will require a professional.
Keep reading to learn how to remove fresh and older pet urine stains from your carpet. You’ll also learn what tools to get and how to clean the floor under your carpet.
Tools You Will Need
Unless you have a carpet cleaner or want to rent one, you will want to get the following supplies to clean pet stains:
- Pet urine remover: you can get ready-made cleaners from the store or create your own
- Paper towels: to blot your stain; you can also use clean rags
- Newspaper: covers your paper towels
- Pet urine smell remover: a deodorizer or enzyme-based cleaner will do
- UV flashlight: to reveal invisible stains—these will make cleaning easier
If you use paper towels and newspaper to clean your mess, you will want to have a plastic bag ready to throw the stained towels into. That way, you don’t carry the stench throughout your home.
How to Deal With Fresh Pet Stains
Once you have chosen whether you want to use chemicals or attempt the do-it-yourself route, you will need to tend to the stain. These points will cover how to treat pet urine stains and how to remove their residual odor.
1. Soak up the Stain: Dry Your Carpet
Blot the stain with a thick layer of paper towels. Cover the stack of towels with a newspaper. Stand on top of your padding for around a minute. Once that time passes, repeat with a different group of paper towels.
You will want to continue this step until you barely feel the dampness from the stain.
If you have a wet vacuum, you can use this instead.
2. Apply Your Solution
Douse the spot with your pet urine spot cleaning solution. Follow the instructions on your cleaner and let it sit for however long it states.
If you prefer an alternative, you can mix water and vinegar in a 1:1 ratio. It doesn’t matter whether you use apple cider- or white vinegar. Apply this to the stain and let it sit between 3 to 5 minutes.
If you opt for using the vinegar and water mix, you will want to apply a couple of teaspoons of baking soda to where you sprayed your homemade solution. Cover it for around 24 hours with a towel.
3. Rinse Your Solution and Vacuum If Necessary
Depending on your stain cleaner’s instructions, you may need to rinse after you’ve let it sit. Whether you applied the vinegar mix or went the store-bought route, you will want to vacuum any remains.
Once your carpet is dry, spritz an air freshener on your carpet.
If you’ve followed all of the above steps and still notice a smell, you will want to contact a professional pet stain cleaner. Integrity First Chem-Dry is an excellent carpet cleaner in Midland, Odessa, and Big Springs.
How to Deal With Older Pet Urine Odor and Stains
Whether you waited too long to treat your carpet’s stain or if you’re moving into a place that has a foul smell, you will want to get rid of the stain. It’s possible to remove dried stains, but it’s difficult.
How to Find an Old Mess
The best way to find an old stain that’s invisible to you is to use a UV light. You will need a light that emits wavelengths between 365 to 385 nanometers (nm). Usually, general stores or hypermarkets will sell these.
When using these lights, you will want to darken your room. Doing so makes it easier to find stains. Shine the black light on your carpet and search for individual spots or a yellow splatter.
Don’t forget to mark this spot so you’ll know where to clean it. You can use chalk or other small objects you can find around your home.
If you can’t get a UV light, you will need to sniff around your rug or examine it for faint spots.
How to Clean an Older Mess
You will need clean towels and warm water for this. You will want to wet the stain and continually blot it with your towels.
If you have a wet-dry vacuum, you can replace the towels with it. Vacuum the wet-stained area until clean. Once you clean the stain, shine your UV light at it once more to ensure it’s gone.
Avoid using a steam cleaner for this project. Doing so will cause the stain to remain permanent and allow the odor to set.
The easiest way to clean an older mess is to use a carpet cleaner. This will eliminate the stain and remove residual odors.
What Should You Do If the Wood Under Your Carpet Is Damaged?
Once you clean the pet urine stain, you will need to inspect the surface beneath your carpet. Observe or sniff the area for urine spots. To make your job easier, you can use an ultraviolet flashlight.
If you find something, you can buy a chemical solution or try a DIY option. One alternative to store-bought sprays is by mixing water with a little hydrogen peroxide (3%). Moisten a rag with this solution and let it sit over the stain for a few hours.
Once that time passes, use a separate cloth to wipe away the mess.
After cleaning your mess, check whether the urine damaged the wood. If so, you will need to add a new coat of pet-friendly varnish or paint.
Stop Waiting: Get Rid of Your Pet Urine Stains Now
If you find pet urine on your carpet, you need to act fast. Stains can seep through your carpet and affect your flooring. This scenario could cost you more than it would to clean the mess your pet made.
All you need to clean these stains are pet urine spot treatment or natural alternatives that give you almost the same results.
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