Millions of Americans own dogs and cats and consider them to be close members of their families. According to the American Veterinary Medical Assocation, 38.4% of households have dogs, and 25.4% own cats. While you might love your pet, dealing with the smells and messes that they leave behind can be frustrating. Fortunately, there are several things that you can do to remove lingering odors and pet hair from your carpets, upholstery, and mattresses.
Housekeeping Tips in Elk Grove Village IL: Pet Odors
Remove carpet smell and stains
The methods to remove carpet smell and stains left behind by your pet will depend on whether they are fresh or set in. Removing stains soon after your pet has an accident is much easier than if the pet stains have already been set and dried.
For wet stains, the Humane Society recommends the following steps:
- Get several paper towels and fold them over to make a thick layer. Place the paper towels over the wet pet stain with a newsprint on top. If the stain is on the carpet, stand on the paper towels and newsprint for several minutes to soak up as much urine as possible.
- Rinse the area with cool water and blot it dry.
- For upholstery, use the paper towels and press down with gloved hands for a few minutes until it is barely damp.
- Rinse with cool water and blot the spot dry.
After you have removed most of the stain by soaking it up and rinsing it with cool water, you should then use a branded pet stain remover to clean it. Make sure to rinse with cool water and blot it dry again.
Pet stains that have already set in and have dried require extra work. For this problem, the Humane Society recommends the following steps:
- Rent a carpet and upholstery cleaner and clean the carpet and upholstery.
- Once the area has been cleaned, use a pet odor neutralizer.
- Once it has dried, use a stain remover if the spot is still visible.
- Do not use a steam cleaner because it can seal in the odors into the fibers of the carpet or upholstery.
- Do not use ammonia because doing so could make your pet want to remark its territory.
- If the urine has soaked through to the carpet pad, you might have to replace the carpet and pad.
Pet odors and stains on mattresses
Hopefully, a pet stain on your mattresses will be discovered quickly. If your pet has had an accident on your mattress, use a solution of upholstery shampoo to clean the spot with a sponge. Rinse the area with cool water that contains several drops of disinfectant before patting it dry.
If the spot has set in and dried on your mattress, use an upholstery cleaner attachment on your carpet cleaner with cleaner. Rinse the area with cool water and blot to dry. Use a stain remover if you still see the stain after it dries.
Pet hair removal from upholstery and mattresses
Dogs and cats can leave a lot of unsightly hair behind. If your upholstered furniture and mattresses have pet hair, start by vacuuming them with the upholstery attachment of your vacuum cleaner. Once you have done that, use sticky tape or a lint roller to remove as much of the remaining hair as possible.
Pet hair removal from carpet
Getting pet hair out of your carpet can be difficult. Your pet’s hair can become embedded in the carpet, and many vacuums simply can’t properly remove all of it. To remove the pet hair from your carpet, thoroughly vacuum it. After that, use a rubber squeegee or broom to trap the hair and sweep it to a central area. Use short strokes with the squeegee or broom. The rubber helps to trap the hair and remove it from the carpet fibers. Once you have moved it to one location, use your vacuum to vacuum it up.
Hire Professional Cleaning Experts in Elk Grove Village IL
Dealing with pet odors and hair are two problems many pet owners face. If you want some help tackling this job in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, contact Helping Hands Cleaning Services today. Click here for a free quote.