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Can you Love Your Pets and Your Carpets?
by Norman Grinkler
http://www.flcarpet.com
Anyone who's ever had a pet knows that there are always
messes where pets are involved. Training a new puppy or
kitten will be the first of your experiences with cleanup
problems inherent with a pet. Even after that, pets still
have accidents. You may just have to deal with the general
dirt, fur and dander that come with owning a pet, but
sometimes your pet may have a vomiting episode. You may
want some hints on how to deal with this problem, if your
carpet is suffering because of your animal.
Odor is the first problem you will notice with pets. Even
if you don't notice it, because you have become immune to
it, your guests will. Bathing and brushing your pets on a
regular basis is one way to avoid pet odors.This eliminates
fur and dander on the carpet and upholstery. Whenever your
pet comes in contact with your furniture, use a lint brush
or damp sponge on your furniture to further reduce buildup.
Make sure you use a vacuum that has a beater brush or roll
when you vacuum your carpets. This grabs and lifts the fur
as it assists in the suction process. A regular vacuum
will not have the power to pick up the loose fur that will
coat the floor if you have a pet. Most of it will stick to
the carpet and be even further ground in by the regular
flow of traffic across the carpet by your family, because
you will only get some of it out.
Of course, using a pet rake will aid in getting much of the
fur off of the carpet, and will help to speed up the
vacuuming process. If you're using a tool with nylon
bristles, just remember to use smooth, even strokes across
the surface of the carpet, and if you don't have one of
these, then either a velour brush or tape roller will work.
For those of you who don't own any of these, wrapping tape
around the middle of your hand, sticky side out, will do
the trick, too. Since vacuums often have trouble getting
fur from corner areas, these offer great assistance in
doing the "trim" work.
If your pet should urinate on the carpet, you can do some
prep to your stain removal by going over the area with a
damp sponge. Then, mix a quart of water with a teaspoon of
white vinegar to scrub the stain out. This will not only
remove the stain, but will also eliminate the resulting
odor that accompanies such an accident. It's best to
remember, though, that even though you might no longer be
able to detect the odor, your pet will still be able to
smell it, and will continue to return to that spot to leave
similar "gifts". In order to avoid that, you'll need to
invest in a pet bacteria/enzyme digester, which can be
found in most pet stores. The carpet should be saturated
with the digester, so that both the carpeting and the
padding underneath are soaked, and this should be left on
for the full amount of time that the bottle suggests. If
not, it won't be effective, so you'll need to be patient
since these tend to work rather slowly.
If your pet should vomit on the carpet, you're going to
need to use professional carpet cleaner, since stomach
fluids tend to be thicker in nature. After treating with
professional (or industrial strength) detergent, rinse with
clean hot water and soak up the liquid from the carpet
until the stain is removed.
Keeping your carpet clean with a pet is a nuisance, but
performing these types of cleanups on a regular basis will
make it easier in the long run to keep your carpet clean
and nice smelling. And you won't have to send your
precious pet outside.
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