How to Clean the Carpet After Parvo

Disinfect your carpet to keep your pets safe.

The Indiana State Board of Animal Health estimates that parvovirus can survive in carpet for approximately 30 days. Carpet is much harder to disinfectant than non-porous surfaces such as concrete because the fibers in the carpet absorb the virus. It is safest not to allow pets in a carpeted room contaminated with parvo for one month, but since this is not always feasible, disinfection of the carpet is an alternative option.

Things You'll Need

• Steam cleaner
• Carpet shampoo
• Pressure sprayer
• Disinfectant approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to kill parvovirus

Instructions

1. Steam clean the carpet thoroughly, using hot water and regular carpet shampoo to remove feces. Feces from a parvo-infected animal contains high numbers of the parvovirus.

2. Fill a pressure sprayer with a pet-safe disinfectant labeled as approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to kill parvovirus. Follow the disinfectant manufacturer's instructions to determine the proper amount of disinfectant to use; some disinfectants require dilution with water. Spray the wet carpet thoroughly with the disinfectant, making sure to thoroughly saturate the carpet through to the padding. Leave the disinfectant on the carpet for a minimum of 10 minutes or longer if specified by the manufacturer.

3. Add the parvo disinfectant to the steam cleaner machine, either undiluted or diluted, depending on the disinfectant manufacturer's directions. Steam clean the carpet.

4. Read the disinfectant manufacturer's directions to determine if the disinfectant requires rinsing after application. If the manufacturer recommends rinsing the surface, steam clean the carpet again, using only hot water.

5. Let the carpet air dry. Open windows and place fans in the room to speed the drying time.

Tips & Warnings

• The Environmental Protection Agency lists parvovirus disinfectants as pesticides. The Pesticide Action Network (PAN) database lists product information, including EPA registration information, on pesticides (including parvovirus disinfectants) sold in North America.

• Vaccinate your pets against parvovirus.

• Disinfectant products may discolor carpet.

• Because carpet is porous, there is no guarantee that disinfecting will completely kill parvovirus.

References

• Indiana State Board of Animal Health: Canine Parvovirus

Resources

• ASPCA: About Parvovirus
• Pesticide Action Network: Pesticide Database
• HTProducts: Kennel Kare Parvovirus Disinfectant
• Beneclene: Sporicidin Parvovirus Disinfectant