Cleaning dog stains and odors

Having a companion animal is a lifetime commitment--and sometimes that commitment involves spots and odors from urine, feces, or vomit. Naturally, you will want to remove all traces of spots and odors. Not only for a clean, fresh-smeilling home, it will also help to discourage repeat offenses.

Trouble with house-trained dogs?
Even housetrained dogs can sometimes have accidents, and the first step in finding an effective solution is determining why your dog is going in the house. The accidents may be the result of a medical condition or loss of bladder control due to old age. See your veterinarian quickly as the problem could be an easily treated condition.

Completely remove spots and odors from carpet
If you do find an accident, the faster you start cleaning, the easier it will be and the less likely stains will set. If you smell urine odor but can not find the spot, use a black light to locate the source. Hold the black light one to two feet above your carpet in a dark room, and urine stains will show a greenish/yellow color.

Pick up solid matter and then soak up any liquid with paper towels. For spots on carpeted areas, use a blotting motion, as rubbing can damage carpet fibers. A small, hand-held carpet spotting machine or wet vacuum can also be used to extract any liquid. Rinse with water and blot or vacuum again.

Apply a cleaner/neutralizer formulated for pet messes. Some products contain enzymes that actually digest the source of odors and stains. Follow the instructions on the product label as most enzymatic cleaners need some time to digest the spots.