How To Remove Pet Stains
Whether you have a cat or a dog, you are bound to run into some sort of pet stain. Whether it be muddy paws on the carpet, a bathroom break in the corner, or vomit on the couch. In addition to pet stains making your home unsightly, you might also have odor issues. Are you the one in the house that can smell it while others can't? It is very common for one person in the home to be more sensitive to pet odors than others.
There are many products on the market for pets stains, and a million DIY pet stain remover recipes. However these aren't always effective. In fact many of these DIY pet stain removal recipes can actually do more harm than good and make your problems worse.
Some of the issues you might be facing after using a DIY Pet Stain Remover Recipe may include any of the following issues:
- Pet still going to the bathroom on the carpet
- Smell returning after a few days
- Residue left behind in carpet
- Slimy or greasy texture to carpet
- Cleaned stains come back after a few days
If you are tried of pet stains, you have probably come across some DIY recipes to remove pet stains. The bulk of these recipes include various mixtures using vinegar, baking soda or laundry detergent. None of these should be applied to carpet.
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| DO NOT USE VINEGAR TO REMOVE PET STAINS |
- Vinegar to Remove Pet Stains - Vinegar is hands down, the WORST thing you can use to try to remove pet stains. Vinegar has an acidic base. Urine has an acidic base. Because of this, the two share similar properties and odors. Pets urinate based on instinct. When a dog goes to the bathroom outside, there is a lot of sniffing going on. Your dog is sniffing to find the spot where they have gone before. Typically, once your dog finds that scent, they will then go again in that spot. In the event they smell odor from another dog or animal, they will then mark that spot. If you are using vinegar in your carpet, your dog will either think that the acidic base is where they should be going to the bathroom, OR mark the area to show dominance. Even the Humane Society recognizes vinegar should not be used to clean pet stains. Here is an excerpt from the Humane Society website in regards to cleaning pet stains with Vinegar:
- Baking Soda To Remove Pet Stains - Baking Soda serves a lot of great purposes, but removing pet stains and odors in the carpet is not one of them. First of all, Baking Soda will NOT remove odors. It make mask them briefly and make your home smell like a freshly cleaned baby, but the pet urine smell will be back. Odor issues are cause when urine gets into the padding. Sprinkling Baking Soda on the top of your carpet does nothing to kill the odor causing bacteria. Secondly, baking Soda can damage your carpet cleaner or vacuum. The tiny particles can easily fill and clog your vacuum filter and ruin the machine. If you have tried to use Baking Soda, or any powder on your carpet for that matter, after you clean, take a look at the return canister. The tiny Baking Soda particles likely left a film on the interior casing of the canister. Next, take the filter out and give it a little shake. You'll see the plumes of Baking Soda that were not able to get out of the filter through suction. If you use a vacuum with a bag, give it a swat and watch a cloud of dust poof out. That's just the issues you can have with your vacuum cleaner, now imagine what's being left behind in your carpet. Tiny particles will be left behind in the fibers. If you are using the Baking Soda with a liquid, the mixture can clump up and clog your carpet pores. Queen Vacuum Small Appliance and Home Care Center makes note of issues with Baking Soda affecting not just the surface, but below the carpet as well.
- Laundry Detergents And Soaps To Remove Pet Stains - If you are using Laundry Detergents and Soaps to clean carpet stains, you are only going to damage your carpet, and quite possible make stains worse. The first issue is the residue left behind from soap. The residue from soap can leave your carpet fibers feeling greasy. This also clogs your carpet fibers, trapping any dirt or residue inside of them. The soap also travels downward and can eventually end up in the padding. As it clogs the padding, your carpet cleaning machine is not able to remove the residue. Once the carpet is dry, and as the humidity changes through the seasons, that trapped soap can eventually bring the stain to the surface. This is often the cause of reappearing stains in carpet. If you cleaned and the stain went away, but came back days later, you were likely using a soap based cleaner. As far as the residue left behind, after the carpet has dried completely, run your carpet cleaning machine with just water in it. As you go over the carpet, you will see foaming in your machine - even using just straight water. This is because soap leaves behind so much residue it can not be removed from the carpet no matter how powerful your carpet cleaning machine's suction is. Soap based cleaners work in a manner to attract dirt and residue. What may happen is as you are cleaning, the soap can attract any dirt or dust below the surface to pull towards that stain. In the process, as you try to remove the stain, you can spread the stain, making it even worse than when you started the cleaning project. Here is an example of what a soap based cleaner can do to your carpet:
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| Laundry Detergent used to clean pet stains. Rather than remove the stains, the Laundry Detergent pulled dirt and residue from below the carpet surface and spread the stains in the pattern they were cleaned with. |
So now you might be wondering, "What can I do to remove pet stains?" Removing pet stains and odors can be done quite simply by using the right cleaner. Genesis 950 is the best pet stain remover for carpet and upholstery because it is free of vinegar and soaps.
What is Genesis 950
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| Genesis 950 All Purpose Cleaner |
Genesis 950 is a surfactant based cleaner. A surfactant works a little different that traditional cleaners. While soap works in a manner to attract dirt, a surfactant actually works to break down the bonds of stains causing them to lose adherence to the surface they have attached too. Sold in concentrate form, a little bit of Genesis 950 goes a long way. For it to work properly, all you need to do is add water, making it the easiest DIY Recipe for pet stains you will find. When water is added to Genesis 950, the solution penetrates the stain, causing it to lose adherence and break free from the surface it has adhered to. But it doesn't just remove stains, it also kills bacteria that creates odor issues. It is the perfect all in one cleaner for pet stains and pet odors.
How To Use Genesis 950
Genesis 950 can be used as a spot cleaner or as a carpet cleaning solution in any carpet cleaning machine. If used as a spot cleaner, the most effective mixing ratio is 1/3 Genesis 950 to 2/3 water. Simply put the solution in a spray bottle and spray the stained area. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes. This gives the solution time to break down the stains. After a few minutes have elapsed, wipe up the stain. After the stain has been remove, clean the area with a damp cloth or sponge to remove any excess solution or excess residue from the stain.
In this example, pet vomit is removed from a wool rug using Genesis 950 as a spot cleaner
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| In this example, pet vomit is removed from a wool rug using Genesis 950 as a spot cleaner |
If your issue is pet odor or very large pet stains, then the most effective way to use Genesis 950 is in a carpet cleaning machine. If your machine has one compartment for solution and water to be mixed together, again use the ratio of 1/3 Genesis 950 to 2/3 water. This is the most effective ratio for tough stains. If your machine has 1 compartment for solution and 1 for water, simply fill the solution container up with Genesis 950 and the water tank with water.
When cleaning carpet with Genesis 950, simply go over the carpet nice and slow. This allows the solution to get into the fibers and the padding. When odor is an issue, it is because the urine has seeped into the padding. If you do not get the padding clean that odor will not be removed. If the odor is not removed, you pet is likely to continue going to the bathroom in that spot. This is not a training issue, it is an instinctual behavior. After you have thoroughly gone over the carpet, let the mixture sit for about 30 to 45 minutes. This gives the mixture time to saturate and break down the stains. After that time has elapsed, fill your carpet cleaning solution tank with ONLY water. Slowly go over the entire carpet. This will flush out all the residue that has been broken down within the carpet. If your return water comes back soap, it is a result of Genesis 950 breaking down any residue left behind from previously used soap based cleaner. If your water comes back black or dark brown in color, it means the Genesis 950 has broken down all the dust and dirt buried in your carpet, as well as the pet stains. If the water is very dark, continue to rinse until the return water appears clear. This may take several times in the event you have not used Genesis 950 before. Upon completion allow the carpet to dry. Once dry you will not only notice the stains and odors have been removed, but you will feel the texture of your carpet has been changed. By clearing dirt, dust and residue out of the pores, Genesis 950 will leave your carpet soft, plush and vibrant.
Here are some examples of pet stains cleaned with Genesis 950:
In addition to removing pet stains and odors, Genesis 950 is a green cleaner. it does not contain any harmful chemicals, making it safe for you, your family, your pets and the environment. If you are tired of pet stains and odor, Genesis 950 is the best pet stain remover you will use. Forget those DIY pet stain remover recipes that can damage your carpet.
