How to Guide – Stains & Odors
HOW TO CLEAN PET ODORS AND STAINS: A GUIDE
Fresh Urine:
- Soak up as much of the urine as possible. The more you soak up the easier it will be to remove the stain and odor.
- Get an enzymatic cleaner. They work to neutralize organic odors and stains. Follow the directions on the back of the bottle. Depending on the cleaner you use, it is possible for the area to retain the odor for a week or two. The cleaner may still be working on the odor.
- You may want to go back to the area after a week to make sure the area has been totally cleaned. A black light will help you locate any stains that may still be in the carpet. Turn the lights off and look closely at the floor with the black light. The stain will appear lighter than the rest of the carpet if it is still there.
Old Stains:
- Find the stain by using a black light and then follow the above steps.
What NOT to do:
- Do not use steam cleaners on carpet or upholstery. The heat can permanently set the odor and stain.
- You should avoid using strong smelling cleaning chemicals. They may encourage your pet to scent mark the area. Do not use ammonia or vinegar for the same reasons.
You can make the areas that your animal has been urinating on unattractive by:
- Feeding them over the cleaned up stain.
- Putting double sided sticky tape, aluminum foil, or another unattractive surface over the area.
Teach your pet the appropriate place to eliminate by using positive reinforcement. When you yell at your pet for inappropriate elimination, your pet hears, “Hey don’t EVER go to the bathroom. That is bad.” This is not what we are trying to tell them. What we want them to understand is that there are “good” and “bad” places to eliminate. Praise your pet when he or she does eliminate in the correct area. Using positive reinforcement will prevent even worse problems in the future.
To clean washable items you can add one pound of baking soda to your regular detergent and machine wash. You can also add an enzymatic cleaner to the machine. Be sure to read the back of the bottle.
These methods do not always work. You may need to replace the item, carpet, flooring, or walls at some point.
Just like people, your animal is not perfect. Please have some patience.
These tips are courtesy Beth Mattei-Miller from First Class Canine
