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We love our furry friends but don’t always love their messes. Accidents happen, but stains and smells tend to hang around the longer they sit. Making sure you have some background knowledge of how to attack even the worst of your pets’ messes can make all the difference the next time an accident occurs.
Here at Rockin’ Green, we’ve rounded up some general guidelines on the best way to remove pet stains and smells by material.
Synthetic Fabrics (Acrylic, Olefin, Polyester, Nylon, Modacrylic)
You don’t want to make your job any more difficult than it already is by rubbing the mess further into the fabric. Use a dull tool to lift any solid material rather than slide it. Be careful that you don’t force what’s behind your tool into the carpet when you scoop up.
With a sponge, lightly stroke from the center (or worst part) of the stain. Use a mixture of warm water and our Active Wear detergent. Then, brush with light strokes out from the center with the rough side of the sponge or a brush. At this point, the mess should be as bad as it will get, so don’t be afraid to put some force behind it. Blot occasionally with a paper towel.
Brushing tip: When using a brush, the cleaning action takes place at the tip. There’s no need to push down so the bristles bend. If they’re making contact with the material, you’ve pushed far enough.
Porous Surfaces (Asphalt, Cork, Vinyl Tile, Linoleum)
Quickly scrape away solid or liquid material as soon as possible. The longer it sits there, the harder it will be to get out. When it comes to porous surfaces, you’ll probably never get everything up, so get to it quickly. Dip a cloth in warm soapy water and get the area good and sudsy. Rinse thoroughly with warm water and then wipe with a dry, soft cloth.
Wood
Just like the other materials we’ve covered, start by removing any solids first. Simply wipe the area with a sudsy cloth, rinse with cool water and wipe dry. You can wax or polish this surface as you normally would, but give it a day to completely dry out first.
Stone Surfaces (Brick, Concrete, Bluestone, Flagstone, Masonry Tile, Limestone, Granite, Sandstone, Terrazzo, Slate)
Like wood, stone is harder to stain, so sanitizing the area is the most important cleaning step. Scrape away your solid materials, then wash with a cloth in detergent and water. Rinse well and let it air dry.
Carpet
Carpet is the hardest household material to clean, so it’s important to act quickly. Be careful not to push more of the stain into the carpet. Much like synthetic fabrics, use a mixture of warm water and our Active Wear detergent to sponge the area gently. Blot at the mess with an absorbent pad or paper towel to pull up as much as you can before you break out the brush.
If your carpet is of the industrial or inside/outside variety, you can work the stain with the rough side of your sponge or brush, but don’t go too crazy. If you start tearing up threads, you’ll get the stain out, but ruin your carpet in the process!
Alternate brushing with blotting to pick up the lifted material. When you think you’ve brushed enough, blot one more time, then place a paper towel on the stain beneath a weight (a book or laundry basket – anything is fine). Leave it for a few hours to get out any lasting tinge or tint the stain might leave behind.
Defeat Lasting Odors
Maybe you got rid of the stain, but not the smell. Or your pet had an accident that you didn’t discover for a while and now there’s a strong odor in your living room. If the affected area is an item like clothing or a blanket, run it through a wash cycle using Rockin’ Green Active Wear or Dirty Diaper detergent. Our Platinum Series detergents use enzymes that specialize in getting rid of biological residue and odors.
If you’re dealing with pee, try our Ammonia Funk Rock Bouncer to pre-treat the area or item to target the smell ammonia from animal urine can leave behind. If the area isn’t something you can easily run through the wash, try using a mixture of warm water and our Active Wear detergent to create a paste and leave it sitting on the spot for an hour to attack the lingering smell.
Looking for more tips on keeping your house clean with pets? We’ve got you covered.
