It's that time of year again. It's time to clean and dust every nook and cranny, scrubbing harder than you have for the past 365 days, and that includes getting down and dirty with stains your pet may have left on your carpet.
Sure you may "treat" the stains when they first happen, but even after you give him (and your carpet) a good scrubbing,pet odors can still linger, making spring the perfect time to really attack those problem areas. So we asked the team at brightnest.com to test four pet-safe common household products, like club soda, that can eliminate those funky ground-level stains and scents.
"While my wife and I were out of the country, our dog sitter let my two Golden Retrievers explore the tomato garden," says BrightNest CEO Justin Anthony. "If you don't know what happens when dogs dine on tomatos, let me share — a very messy carpet. So I asked our team to explore the best techniques for turning my living room back into a space where you'd want to live."
White Vinegar
If you have a urine spot on your carpet that's still wet, opt for eco-friendly white vinegar, which neutralizes odors due to its high acidity — and works well even if the stain or smell has been there for a while. Start by blotting the area, rather than rubbing it, which will only push the stain further into the carpeting fibers. Then mix equal parts white vinegar and cold water, and pour the mixture generously over the soiled section. Blot well, and then let it dry. (A fan can speed up the process.) Once dry, run a vacuum over the area.
Baking Soda
For a urine spot that has already dried, sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda over the soiled section, and then let it sit for a couple hours before vacuuming.
Dr. Tina Wismer, DVM, DABVT, DABT, medical director of the ASPCA Poison Control Center, just advises owners to use a baby gate or an overturned laundry basket to keep pets away from the area while the baking soda sets. Although this cleaning method is safe to use in homes with critters, “if ingested, baking soda can cause stomach upset and electrolyte imbalances,” says Dr. Wismer.
