Pets can be a wonderful addition to your family but can also leave strong odors on your rugs and carpet. Accidents happen, and sometimes you forget to, or lack time to, bathe your dog or pet. Odors can make your home environment more unpleasant, and by ignoring the stench, you risk it taking over your home, leading to potential problems with your and your family’s health. Fortunately, there are plenty of methods that can eliminate the distracting odor.

The following provides a few strategies to remove pet odors from carpets and rugs for good.

Paper Towels

Your dog may accidentally urinate on your carpet, which will need to be cleaned up quickly. Your first step should be to place paper towels in the area. You’ll want to soak up as much urine from the area as you can. It’s best to wear gloves while you do this to avoid directly touching the urine. You can use UV light or a flashlight on the carpet to determine how large the stain is.

Vacuum Thoroughly

When you determine whether your rug or carpet has a pet odor, vacuum it as soon as possible. Should there be any pet hair or other debris in the area, it’s good to have it removed before you begin using chemicals to eliminate the odor. Pets can carry all sorts of debris in their fur, including food and dirt. By vacuuming efficiently, you can remove all the solid debris from the carpet, allowing cleaning chemicals to be more effective. The strength of your vacuum is also crucial, as one with high suction can more efficiently pick up any solid debris that you may not even know is there.

Bring Rugs Outside

While it may seem unusual initially, many homeowners bring their rugs outside when the sun is shining bright. Sometimes, cleaning the rugs just by vacuuming or using chemicals isn’t enough, or homeowners may not have the time or ability to do either. In this case, bringing the rugs to sit outside in the sun may be an alternate idea. By doing this, rugs get fresh air, and the foul odor can be disintegrated with the sun’s ultraviolet rays. However, leaving the rugs outside for too long can cause the rugs to deteriorate, so be mindful of how long they’re sitting outside.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is known for its ability to neutralize all sorts of odors, and this is one of the most efficient tools you can use when removing these from carpets. You need to spread a decent amount on the area containing the odor, then let it sit for several hours. Once this is done, vacuum up the baking soda, and the odor may be removed. When doing this, be sure to keep your kids and pets out of the area. Baking soda can be harmful to pets, so keep them away from this area as you remove the odor.

Vinegar

Vinegar is another solution for removing pet odors from carpets and rugs. With the right force, vinegar can wash away whatever is causing the foul stench. However, you’ll have to scrub the vinegar into the affected area to see the results. Also, scrubbing too much can damage the fibers in the carpet. The potential damage is one reason vinegar isn’t as common as baking soda as a solution, but this can still do the trick.

Professional Carpet Cleaners

You still have an available option if you’re not able to do any of the methods mentioned above or if they prove ineffective. Professional carpet cleaners can provide higher-quality methods of carpet cleaning than you can use on your own. They can locate the source of the odor and resolve it swiftly and completely. This is also a great solution if you have a large carpet that needs significant attention. Carpet cleaners can use machinery to eliminate the odor quickly and reliably and can also provide additional advice on how to prevent the odor in the future.

Contact a Trustworthy Cleaning Service

Pets can add a lot to one’s life, but there are times when accidents happen. Sometimes, your pets are dirty and are unaware of it, causing them to leave an odor on your carpets. However, you have plenty of options available if this happens. If you need professional carpet cleaning services, our team at Trustworthy Cleaning Services can help. We’ve helped several clients in the Austin area for nearly two decades and are prepared to help you as well. Contact us today to learn more.