How to Remove Pet Stains With What You Have Around the House

As much as we love our pets, stains on the carpet are just a reality of having little furry friends running around the home. Even the best trained amongst us have an accident or forget the rules every so often, but it doesn抰 have to be a big deal! You don抰 need any special cleaning products or sprays, just use things that you have around your house to keep your carpet looking like new. Hopefully you抣l be able to keep up with your pet, as no matter what you choose to use, fresh stains are the easiest to remove.

For the newest stains, first remove as much as you can by blotting with a white absorbent towel or cloth. Next, pour a little liquid detergent (like what you would use on your clothes) on the cloth and rub the stain gently, taking care not to spread it beyond the edges that it already has. Then, mix one quart of warm water and a half-cup of white vinegar thoroughly and dribble it slowly on to the stain. Be sure to use the mixture while the water is still relatively warm, as that will increase its effectiveness.

Put new, clean white towels over the stain and walk on them repeatedly to draw out as much moisture as you can. Remember, carpet dries from the bottom layer up, so the deeper you can reach your towels into the pile the better. Place a few books or other heavy things on the area on top of the towels, leaving them there for four to six hours. After the allotted time, remove the towels and use a soft hairbrush to bring the carpet pile back to the level of the surrounding carpet.

For old or invisible stains that still plague you with their odor, you can still use household products. First, use a black light to find the stains you smell, urine will glow. Then, mix one tablespoon of a neutral detergent with one cup of warm water. Be sure to use a detergent that won抰 bleach or impart any color into your carpet. Dribble the solution into the stain or around the area causing the odor, blotting afterward with a clean, dry towel. Then, mix 1/3 of one cup white vinegar with 2/3 cup of water. Dribble this new mixture into the same area, blotting again afterwards with a new towel. Using some of the original mixture (the detergent and water, you can make more if you used it all previously) dribble on the stained area, following up with a third blotting. Finally, dribble clean water onto the area, blotting it away afterwards with a clean, dry towel.

Remember to always use white towels when you are blotting, so as not to add additional unwanted color to the stain. When you rely on chemicals that you have in your home to clean messes, you are making economical choices that will keep your home as clean as expensive, specialized cleansers could, without the high cost!

Learn more tips and tricks on home cleaning and maintenance at our Denver house cleaning website. Our blog has a large list of great articles on an array of home cleaning topics.