The Most Effective Way to Get Rid of Any Pet Stains from Your Carpet
If you’re a pet parent with wall-to-wall carpeting, you’re living on the edge. As a dog parent of a loveable 75-pound lab mix named Jake, I’ll admit even I’m playing with fire, having mostly hardwood floors covered by a few area rugs. Although Jake’s puppy days and house training accidents are long over, I still have a go-to cleaner in the closet for the occasional drool stains he might leave on the carpet or couch.
However, I’m always up for learning new tricks, especially since my husband is trying to convince me to adopt another dog in the near future. I reached out to cleaning expert Taylor Riley, founder of Boom. Facility Service Advisors, for his advice on how to remove pet stains from a carpet.
How to Remove Pet Stains from a Carpet
Riley says it’s important to use an enzyme-based cleaner, such as Nature’s Miracle Urine Destroyer, when dealing with pet urine. “Enzyme cleaners break down the proteins in urine that cause odor and leave behind stains,” he says. Enzymatic cleaners work to eliminate not only urine, but also any organic matter, including vomit, blood, and feces.
What You’ll Need:
An enzyme-based cleaner, like Nature’s Miracle Urine Destroyer
Cloths or paper towels
Steps to Follow:
Always do a spot test. Nature’s Miracle suggests spraying it in a small area and waiting five minutes to ensure that there’s no discoloration. Note: This product is not meant to be used on porous surfaces, untreated wood, and delicate fabrics like leather.
Clean up as much as you can first. Blot the area with a cloth to remove as much of the stain as possible. You can use a paper towel in a pinch, but I prefer a white or light-colored microfiber cloth to avoid residue or discoloration.
Use enough product. Spray to cover the area. The directions on Nature’s Miracle actually tell you to soak the area, so you’ll have to clear the area to give it time to dry.
Wait for it to work. Nature’s Miracle says to wait for 15 minutes while the product soaks into the carpet and works its magic. Note: Always check your time frame on any cleaning product so you don’t cause more harm than good by letting it rest too long or too short on the surface.
Blot again. Use a clean cloth to remove the remaining stain.
For tough stains, go ahead and scrub the area with your cloth. For tough odors, you can respray the area and let it air-dry. But don’t layer Nature’s Miracle with another chemical-based cleaner — this might set the stain rather than remove it.
Rely on This Test for Stain Removal Success
For ordinary stain removal in a household without pets, you’d likely declare success if you can’t see or smell it. But it’s not so easy when you’ve got furry friends around. In fact, they’ll be the final say on whether your cleaning product was worthy of the task at hand.
“Animals, especially dogs and cats, are drawn back to familiar scents to mark their territory or because it signals a safe, known spot,” Riley says. “Because of this, you have to remove the smell completely, or you’re bound to have mishaps.”
Looking back on Jake’s puppy mishap days, I can say with confidence that he never returned to the scene of a crime. I credit that not only to the proper use of whatever product I was using at the time, but also to my speedy response. When it comes to stains, it pays to react as quickly as you can to stave off stains and lingering odors. But when that’s not possible, having an enzymatic stain remover is the next best thing.
Further Reading
We Tested (and Rated!) All the Sofas at Pottery Barn — Here Are the Best for Every Type of Need
See How a Stager Used Paint to Transform a 1950s Living Room
We Asked 8 Pro Travelers What They Never Pack in Their Carry-On, and Here’s What They Said
