Pet Stain Removal

Unfortunately, an indoor pet can leave stains on your carpets while you're gone. Sometimes these stains dry, becoming invisible, so the only way you can tell they are there is from the odor. Here's how to clean up the mess and get rid of the odor.

Remove any mess that can be removed with a paper towel or a plastic bag. Then blot the stain with fresh paper towels or a clean cloth or rag. In a bowl or bucket, mix a few drops of dish detergent with about a cup of water. Dip the paper towel into the detergent solution and scrub gently at the stain. In a spray bottle, mix equal parts vinegar, water, and rubbing alcohol and spray the stain until it is saturated with the mixture. Place clean towels over the mark, and press down firmly. Weigh down the towels with heavy books or boxes, and wait for half a day. Remove the towels and brush the carpet until the fibers pop back up. Leave the windows and doors open if possible to allow for the ventilation of any odor.

You can also use baking soda to absorb any remaining odor. Dust the stained area with a thick layer of baking soda, or lay a paste of baking soda mixed with a little bit of water onto the stained area. Let it sit for a day, and then vacuum away the baking soda.

A sprinkle of baking soda in the litter box also helps cut down on any odor coming from the litter box. (If you don't have baking soda, borax also works).

You could also try using club soda for urine stains. Spray the area with club soda (or just drip the club soda over the area if you don't have a spray bottle), blot it with paper towel, spray again, then lay clean paper towels or towels down over the stained area, weigh the towels down with books or boxes, and leave them to sit for half a day.

As with wine stains, a layer of table salt spread over the stain will also work. Spread the salt thickly over the stain, and then let it sit for a few hours, or until it clumps. Vacuum up the salt.

If you have pet stains in clothes—pets occasionally spray people—hand wash the clothes in the sink. Fill the sink with cool water mixed with ¼ cup of vinegar and soak the clothes, rubbing occasionally at the stain with laundry detergent. Wash the clothes normally in your washing machine.

Warning: Do not use bleach on urine stains. Urine contains ammonia, which reacts with bleach to produce poisonous gases.