We love to travel and we love technology, but we love pets even more. Let’s face it, we’re a nation of pet lovers, which is why we adore seeing pictures of cats and dogs on the internet and love watching them at home. A pet will brighten up any home and provide a huge amount of love whenever we want it, but as every pet owner knows, there can be downsides as well. Foremost among these is the mess that pets often leave behind them, whether that be mud, leaves and garden debris, food remains or worse. If you have carpets, this can result in unsightly stains, so here are five ways to remove a variety of pet stains, leaving your carpets fresh and clean.
Dabbing With Water
If you catch any kind of stain quickly enough you may be able to remove it using a simple combination of warm water and vacuuming. Always remove surface debris as soon as possible, and then try to mop up the stain using lukewarm water and a white cloth or strong kitchen towels. Here’s an important tip for all cleaning methods: always dab the stains, never rub them or you risk driving the stain into the fibres of your carpet.
Mild Detergent
One of the most common pet-related carpet stains is caused by muddy paws but cleaning the mud away quickly can usually solve the problem. As before, remove surface mud that can be picked off, and then dab with a mixture made from one teaspoon of mild detergent and a cup of lukewarm water. When we say mild detergent, we mean a washing up liquid or washing powder; never use anything containing bleach or other agents that may fade colours in fabrics.
Vinegar
You may have heard of vinegar being used to clean all manner of things, from cutlery to glass, and you can add carpeting to that list. It can be especially effective against that stain we all dread – cat or dog wee. Mix a quarter cup of vinegar with two pints of lukewarm water and dab until the stain has gone. This can not only remove the urine stain it can also help to neutralise the odour.
Soap, Vinegar And Cool Water
I’m sorry, we’re staying on the subject of toilet functions a little longer, as what happens if your pet poops on your carpet. Firstly, don some gloves and remove as much as you can as quickly as you can. Next mix one tablespoon of liquid soap, one tablespoon of white vinegar, and two cups of cool water. Spray onto the stain, leave a few minutes and then blot away. You’ll probably find it useful to use an odour neutraliser afterwards as well.
Professional Cleaning
Your carpet is beautiful and valuable, so to avoid the risk of making stains worse, it can often be best to call carpet cleaning professionals. Your carpet cleaners Clapham and beyond can use a variety of methods from steam cleaning to dry carpet cleaning, and because they have a wealth of experience they’ll be able to tailor the solution to the type of carpet and the type of stain. It’s often the most effective and the most risk-free carpet cleaning method.
If you get a pet stain on your carpet, don’t panic. Clean as much as you can as soon as you spot the problem and then use one of the methods above or call in the carpet cleaning specialists. That way you can love your pets and love your carpet too.