How to Remove Pet Stains in a Carpet

Accident cleanup is par for the course if you are a pet owner.

Whether you are a pet owner or have moved into a home where pets once lived, pet stains in your carpet can result in unpleasant odors if the stains are not fully removed. It's always easier to remove pet stains at the time they happen, but even older pet stains can be successfully removed. Commercial pet stain and odor removal products are sold at many stores, but you can remove pet stains from your carpet with home remedies and save yourself the added expense.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic spoon
• Plastic bag
• Baking soda
• Vacuum
• Paper towels
• Spray bottle
• Club soda
• White vinegar

Instructions

1. Remove any substance of the pet stain on your carpet with a plastic spoon. Dispose of the substance in a plastic bag and when you've removed as much as possible, toss out the plastic spoon, too.

2. Apply baking soda to the site of the pet stain on your carpet. Use a layer thick enough to cover the stain so the baking soda can absorb any liquid from the stain. As the baking soda absorbs the liquid, vacuum it up and apply more baking soda until it wicks up no furthermore liquid.

3. 

   Club soda, often used in making drinks, is an effective stain removal ingredient.

   Saturate the pet-stained area on your carpet with club soda. Be sure to soak down to the carpet padding, if the stain was large enough to do so, as well.

4. Blot up the club soda with paper towels. Toss out wet, soiled paper towels and use new ones to remove as much club soda as possible.

5. Create a solution of half white vinegar and half water in a spray bottle and apply the solution to your carpeting if you've just removed an old, set-in pet stain. Allow the diluted vinegar to dry in your carpet, then vacuum. The vinegar kills odor-causing bacteria and will remove any pet stain smells lurking in your carpet.

Tips & Warnings

• Place paper towels soiled from removing the pet stain in your pet's approved bathroom area. The smell on the towels will signal to your pet that he should relieve himself in that area.

• Ammonia has a urine-like smell to cats and dogs. Avoid using ammonia to clean pet stains.

References

• PAWS-Rescue: Dog Tip: Cleaning Stains
• Who What Where When Why?: How To Clean Cat Urine Stains