Summer Tip: Pet Stains

You got pets? As you’re probably aware, you might also have pet stains.

You don’t always need a professional carpet cleaning. Here’s some ‘on the fly’, money-saving, do-it-yourself pet stain treatment tips (no harsh chemicals necessary). NOTE: Please pretest all treatments on a practice area in a hidden area of the carpet. Urine is chemically composed of uric acid, and acids are always low ph. So your first step is to neutralize the acid with a higher ph solution. How? Baking soda!

Step 1) Mix two teaspoons of baking soda in a bucket of 3 cups warm water. Mix well, sponge up, and dampen the area in question (not sopping wet, just damp enough to wet the carpet). Let sit for a five minutes, soak up moisture with clean towel.

Step 2) Mix one teaspoon white vinegar in a bucket of 3 cups warm water. Repeat process above with new solution. No waiting, soak up as soon as dampened.

Step 3) Rinse in the same manner as above two steps with clean, clear, warm water. Soak up.

Step 4) Extract excess moisture with wet vac, or soak up with several iterations of dry towels.

Step 5) Open windows, turn on ceiling fans, and set a fan to blow on the treated area until well dried.

That’s it! You’re all set. This process neutralizes the pet stain, and brings the carpet ph into normal balance. Sometimes larger pets can soak stains deep into the carpet underlayment. If this is the case, and you are smelling odor, it may be time to have a professional treatment. Or you might first try a more thorough repeat of the steps above.