How To Remove Pet Odors From Carpeting
Carpeting can help improve the overall warmth of the rooms that it is installed in, and provides a much more comfortable surface to walk on when compared to hardwood and tile flooring. However, due to the softer nature of carpeting, it can hold onto dirt, fur, and a variety of other materials that your pet produces. Over time, this can create an unpleasant odor that permeates the room. Fortunately, there are a few things that you can do to reduce the strength of pet odors in your carpet.
Clean Your Pet
The best way to prevent your carpet from smelling bad is to ensure that your pet does not smell bad in the first place. Regularly bathing and cleaning your pet, especially after they spend an extended period of time outside, can help reduce the smells that they produce, and will proactively prevent contaminants from settling into your carpet. If your pet has a bed that is on your carpet, you may want to run it through the washing machine every few weeks to reduce the amount of built-up dander and fur that may transfer onto the carpet as well.
Cleaning Stains
While mostly a concern for pets that are not yet housebroken, accidents can happen. Pet urine and feces can stain your carpet and leave a lingering odor that can be hard to remove if they are not treated immediately. Use a paper towel to remove as much of the offending matter as possible, and then use a specialized pet odor cleaner to spray the stained area. These cleaners tend to make use of enzymes, which break down the organic matter in the stain, preventing it from setting in and producing an odor. You should also make an effort to steam clean the area after the pet cleaning solution has had some time to work to remove any offending material that may remain.
Regular Cleaning
Beyond cleaning stains caused by accidents as they happen, you should also make regular carpet cleaning a part of your household schedule. The amount and frequency of cleaning will depend on how many pets you have and how dirty they get, but in general, cleaning your carpets at least once every two weeks should be enough to prevent a permanent smell from moving in. Vacuuming can remove dander and fur, as well as dirt and grime that they may track onto the carpet, but steam cleaning or professional carpet cleaning will give you the best results since both methods allow for deeper penetration into carpet fabrics.
