Having a four-legged companion is a lifetime commitment, and sometimes that commitment means you’ll find yourself cleaning dog stains and odors from your floors or rugs.
Even housetrained dogs can sometimes have accidents. These accidents may be due to a medical condition or the loss of bladder control due to old age. If your dog repeatedly soils your house make an appointment with your veterinarian as soon as possible as the problem could be a condition that is easily treated. The first step in finding a solution to the problem will be determining why your dog is going in the house.
If your dog does have a mishap indoors, the sooner you start cleaning it up, the easier it will be and the less likely that any stains will set in. If you smell urine odor but can’t find where it’s coming from, you can use a black light to locate the source. Granted, a black light may seem to be a leftover from the 60’s but many people surprisingly still have one stored away. If not, you can find one quite cheaply by doing a Google search for “black light”.
When you have your black light, hold it one to two feet above your rug or carpet in a darkened room, and if there are any urine stains they will show up as a greenish/yellow color.
If your dog has defecated inside, pick up the solid matter and then soak up any liquid with paper towels. If the accident happened on a rug or carpet, use a blotting motion: rubbing can damage the carpet fibers. A small, hand-held carpet spotting machine or wet vacuum can also be used to remove any liquid. Rinse well with water and blot or vacuum again.
You can purchase a cleaner/neutralizer formulated for pet messes at Petco or Petsmart. Some products contain enzymes that actually digest the source of odors and stains. Carefully read and follow the instructions on the label because most enzymatic cleaners need time to absorb the spots.
Sometimes cleaning dog stains and odors entails nothing more than cleaning up mud or dirt tracked into your home and onto your carpet. If you live in an area subject to a lot of rain, this can be a problem every time your dog is allowed outside. An easy way to keep muddy tracks off your rugs and carpet is to use Paw Wipe.
Just hang this soft, absorbent Microfiber Mitt on or near the door and make cleaning dirty paws easy. The amazing Microfiber Mitt holds up to 7 times its weight in dirt, grime and liquid. This means no more muddy tracks on your carpet or floors after your dog returns from outside.
Cleaning dog stains and odors is not a fun job but if you use any of the products mentioned above, your job will become much easier.
