Can Carpet Cleaning Really Remove Pet Odors and Stains?
If you’re a homeowner wondering, “Will professional carpet cleaning remove pet odors,” you’re definitely not alone!
Many families don’t feel complete without their four-legged companions, but pet ownership isn’t without its own challenges. One such problem we face in dealing with pets always is keeping our carpets and upholstery clean and disinfected.
Some extra details about cleaning requirements to remove pet odors and other important information regarding carpet shampooing are here to help make sure that you are taking care of your home’s carpeting, keeping it in the best condition it can be, and ensuring that it smells its best as well.
These tips will help you determine the best way to clean your home, so you can enjoy your four-legged friends without worrying about the mess, stains and smells they can cause!
Professional Carpet Cleaning (for Pet Odors) is Effective; DIY is Not!
Professional carpet cleaning will take some of the odors and dirt, dust, mud and other detritus out, but don’t expect your do-it-yourself shampooing to not leave residual pet odors.
First, be aware that hot water activates the bacteria in the urine that makes it smell so “lovely” so steam cleaning or shampooing can help release pet odors, not remove them!
This is compounded by pet stains that have penetrated the carpet pad. Eventually, you may not smell any urine, but when steam or hot water can reach that carpet backing or its underlying padding, you may suddenly discover unpleasant pet odors emanating from your carpets.
A homeowner may want to know that sprays and other treatments applied during or after carpet shampooing often mask pet odors, rather than eliminating them.
When the chemicals in these sprays wear off, you could be left with unpleasant pet odors that you thought you’d finally gotten rid of. Neglecting to extract rinse water also puts you at risk of developing mildew and mold along the carpet backing or underlying padding. And this too will leave the home susceptible to bad odors long after the shampooing or steam cleaning
Its the reason you need a professional carpet cleaner for removing dog pee or pet odors. They have the training and know how to apply the right odor neutralizers and cleaning solutions that far exceed what homeowners can buy!
How to Clean Carpet of Dog Smells
Even though hot water may activate the bacteria that live in urine and other waste materials, this does not mean that carpet shampooing or even steam cleaning won’t get rid of every dog and cat smell. Keep in mind that animals may rummage in household waste or come in contact with dead animals and bring those unpleasant odors in from the outside.
Professional carpet cleansers can usually take out the more pungent animal odors and the scent of a dog that’s overdue for a bath or proper grooming. Carpet shampooing or steam cleaning can also pull out the fresh waste a dog or cat might have tracked across the carpet recently, getting rid of those unpleasant odors, too.
How to Permanently Remove Pet Odors from Your Carpet
There are several hacks for getting pet smells out carpets for good. The first is to inform a carpet cleaning professional that you’re employing them for pet stains and odors and not just cleanings! This will also make them aware of needing specialty odor neutralizers and mentally prepare them to best approach tough stains and odors.
A cleaning contractor will also likely pull up the carpet and clean its underside, to scrub out soaked-in urine and ground-in waste that’s left along that backing. They’ll also use a UV light to detect pet stains out of their visible range. This way he or she cannot miss any such stains and you will have your carpet scrubbed to the core.
What Do Pro Carpet Cleaners Use for Pet Urine?
As mentioned, when professionals clean carpets, they lift up sections of carpet in order to clean its underside as well as its top. This helps eliminate stains, ground-in substances and the odor associated with them.
They also use odor neutralizers. These neutralizers don’t help mask or cover up stinky smells or provide a competing scent to “drown out” those unpleasant odors. Instead, they modify or take on the chemicals that produce odors. Eating those parts removes the smells entirely.
How to Naturally Make Your Carpets Smell Good
Here are some things you can try to prevent carpet odors and then some ways to remove them naturally. Look over a few pointers and after that talk about these ideas with a carpet cleaning expert near you as required:
Wet carpets give off musty, mildewed smells. Instead, to keep a humid enough environment from becoming too humid, clean up spills promptly and use a dehumidifier in the house as needed.
Warm up carpets and help evaporate odor-causing agents, such as air pollution residues and cigarette smoke. Keep in mind that your home’s HVAC systems are designed to help circulate the air so don’t be afraid to turn that AC or furnace on when you need to in the coming months.
Even if you just walk from your home to the vehicle each day, your shoes can still carry plenty of soil, bird-poo remnants, tiny bits of animal waste and other things as well. Be conscious of taking shoes off at the door to not track such residues into the home and on top the carpeting.
Once a week, scatter baking soda on the carpet and allow it to settle for a few minutes before vacuuming. Baking soda will absorb any moisture and other lingering residues that can cause odors to actually neutralize those smells.
Frequent vacuuming — even daily — removes dirt and residues that can contribute to odors. Be sure to replace the vacuum filter and empty its canister or replace the bag regularly so it’s always operating at peak performance.
Buy a robust air filter for the home or at least for the most used rooms. Air filters capture and contain dirt, smoke and other irritants that would have otherwise rested on the carpet and can cause odors, proving that carpets do in fact smell cleaner.
Homeowners should also plan to replace the carpet in their home every 10 years at the most because carpet fibers will lock in and hold dirt, dust and odors, regardless of how well you take care of and clean the fibers. Over time, padding will break down also and will need replacing. Replacing your carpets with new carpets after so many years is a great option to keep your home odor-free and clean.
How to Remove Dog Urine Stains from Carpet
Because you don’t want to trigger the dried urine’s enzymes and emit the smells that accompany them, it is generally advised that you contact a carpet cleaning professional for dry cleaning services. Similar to the technique of dry cleaning clothes, carpet dry cleaning utilizes specialty chemicals, and very little, if any, water to break up and extract old stains and annoying odors.
A professional carpet cleaning contractor will also be able to remove the carpeting so he or she can clean under the backing, as mentioned, and extract dried urine from the underlying padding. This will ensure carpet cleaning without reactivating those enzymes and paths of nasty smells!
The Best Natural Pet Urine Carpet Cleaner
For a more natural route, mix white vinegar and water in a 50-50 ratio and pour it into a spray bottle to break up dried dog urine or other bothersome stains in your home’s carpeting. Generously spray the affected area, then use a sponge to work the mixture into the carpet itself.
Avoiding Pet Urine on Carpets
The best way to prevent urine from staining carpets is to ensure your pets have access to the grounds and/or a clean litter tray when they need to use the toilet! Do not make assumptions about how long a pet “should” be able to hold their bladder, and keep in mind that even a very house-trained cat will refuse to use a litter box if it’s no longer clean. Pets need to feel safe during the process of relieving themselves, too, so make sure you keep noisy and rambunctious children away from your pet and its litter box.
If you’re in the process of training your pets on where to let loose, try running orange and vinegar scents around the home, since these are really unpleasant to animals, and they most likely are going to steer clear of those types of smells when they have to relieve themselves.
Why does my carpet look dirtier after shampooing?
Carpet shampooing is also typically not advised for removing pet odors — and homeowners should never try this job themselves. Well, if you didn’t extract shampoo or detergent properly and thoroughly, it can cause sticky residue after a wash; that residue attracts more dirt and dust than before!
And shampoo residues can compress or weigh down carpet fibers, creating a permanently worn, dull appearance. As a result, the rugs in your home may be worse off after shampooing. To make sure that never happens, you should use a professional whenever you have the need for carpet cleaning.
What is the Best Carpet Cleaning Method?
Your carpet cleaning contractor will also suggest the optimal carpet cleaning method for your home but be made acquainted with some essential information regarding types of cleaning options so you know what to expect or inquire about when you book your next rug cleaning service.
Though regular shampooing isn’t ideal for deodorizing pet odors, it’s a necessity sometimes for extremely dirty carpets, namely those coated in thick grease or mud, which other cleaning methods probably won’t budge.
Steam cleaning is a perfect option for pet owners due to the removal of carpet shampoo scents remaining after stain removal. Steam also kills mold and mildew that can grow along carpet fibers or their backing.
Pet odor can be removed through dry cleaning, which is also ideal for any carpet cleaning in very humid places where damp carpets may not dry fast and easily.
Thick, plush carpeting can have ground dirt removed with the use of encapsulation or foam cleaning. When applied in powder form, this cleanser bubbles and foams, lifting dirt as it goes.
Odor neutralizers also aren’t always part of this carpet shampooing method, so consider discussing those needs with your contractor. Your carpets will smell as clean as they look, as he or she can apply such neutralizers as needed.
Can a professional carpet cleaning get riddance of pet odors? Yes! So Call the Experts Today
This information is provided by Thoroclean, an Albuquerque carpet cleaning company. Hopefully, we’ve answered the question: Does professional carpet cleaning remove all pet odors and stains? Trust our reliable Albuquerque carpet cleaning contractors if you’re new in New Mexico or long time resident looking for expert floor or upholstery cleaning. Call now for free estimates and guarantee services!