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19 February 2015
How to Clean Carpets when You Live with Pets
How to Clean Carpets when You Live with Pets

Having a pet is most definitely a very wonderful thing, but the truth is that while a little furry friend can bring a lot of joy, it can also bring some extra house cleaning tasks as well. Not to worry though, most of the stains created by our little “non-speaking” friends can be removed if you have a bit of “home cleaning know-how” in your back pocket.


Of all the items in a home that are affected by the stains our dogs and cats leave behind, carpets are most definitely the most “endangered” ones. Carpet cleaning can be tricky even without pets – especially since you have to know what types of carpet cleaners to use. However, with our following tips, you will be able to enjoy the company of your pup or kitty and have sparkly clean carpets as well. How to do this? Here are some tips to keep in mind:


1)    Urine. Cleaning urine stains differs according to the type of pet you have (dog or cat) and according to the type of carpet you have too.


•    If you have a synthetic fiber carpet, use a formula bought from the supermarket to clean your puppy’s or kitty’s mess.


•    If you have an Oriental rug, use a supermarket solution if you have a dog and a solution made out of white vinegar+ water+ hydrogen peroxide+ mild dish soap+ baking powder to clean everything off.


•    If you have a wool rug, use a solution made out of neutral detergent+ white vinegar+ water regardless of whether you have a dog or a cat.


•    If the urine stain is new, make sure to place a paper towel or cloth on top of the stained area to absorb the excess moisture. If the stain is old, you might need black light to make sure you locate the exact spot.


•    For supermarket-bought solutions, follow the instructions on the label. For the homemade wool rug solution, moisten the stained area with the mixture. As for the homemade Oriental rug solution, simply spray the area and leave it to soak for about 5 minutes.


•    Once you have soaked the carpet cleaners into the stain, blot the stain in a circular direction using a clean cloth. Remember that you should use rubber gloves because these solutions can be harmful for the skin!


•    Spray clean water, blot again and then press the stain with another piece of clean cloth so that all the water is absorbed into it. Leave some old books (or anything heavy) on top of the cloth overnight and remove it in the morning. Allow everything to air dry.



•    Once everything is dried off, vacuum the area because this will restore the carpet’s fibre texture and it will remove any of the excess residue as well.


2)    Pet faeces. Remove the solids and use a plastic sponge to remove anything that may have gotten caught in the carpet’s texture. Using a clean cloth, blot a solution made out of laundry soap and water (if your rug cleaning or carpet cleaning manufacturer instructions allow it) or any other carpet cleaner that works for your particular type of carpet. For supermarket carpet cleaners, check out with the manufacturer’s instructions to see how to proceed.


3)    Hair. If you want to clean your pet’s hair off the carpets and rugs, you can simply vacuum the area and then spray a kitchen sponge mop with water. Gently run the mop on top of the carpets to remove the extra hairs the vacuum may not have pulled. Also, you can sprinkle baking soda on top of the carpet, leave it there for a few minutes and then vacuum everything – and this will also remove all the odours in the room too.




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