The Best Ways to Clean up Dog Accidents From Floors
One small accident may cause your dog to start urinating and defecating on your hardwood, tile and carpet repeatedly. When your dog does his business, those foul odors penetrate floors and keep attracting your pets back to those same spots to eliminate. Your dog's vomiting accidents will also cause stain and odor problems, especially on porous floors and carpets. A thorough cleaning will help to prevent these problems from reoccurring by eliminating all traces of odors. Does this Spark an idea?
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Urine
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Urine accidents leave unattractive yellow stains on carpets and penetrate into subflooring, resulting in moisture damage, bacteria growth and persistent odors. These odors invite your dog to reuse those spots for future urination. Prevent all these problems by cleaning urine messes up immediately by blotting with a towel. Clean slick and carpeted floors with nontoxic and ammonia-free cleaners and deodorizers to remove all odor traces and to break down remaining stains. Rub a mixture of scented oil and baking soda into any remaining odor spots, and vacuum after the mixture sits for 3 to 5 hours.
Feces
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Feces should be the easiest dog accident to clean. Scoop feces up with a disposable bag, tie the bag shut and toss it in a trashcan. Clean up any remaining brown stains or diarrhea by blotting with a towel as much as possible. Apply a nontoxic and ammonia-free cleaner to the rest of the stain, and allow it to sit for an hour or two. Enzymes in the cleaner will digest and break up the stain, making it relatively easy to scrub the remaining mess away with a towel or scrub brush. Reapply as necessary, and dust on baking soda to help absorb remaining odors.
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Vomit
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Vomit is another common dog accident you will face with dogs living inside your home. Vomit often takes more time and frustration to remove from carpeting than other accidents, especially if it has a chance to dry. Even when you have the chance to clean it up before it dries, careful cleaning is required to keep from pressing the vomit deeper into carpet fibers, resulting in a nasty stain. Scoop up the thicker portions of the vomit with a disposable spoon or knife, and dispose of it in a trash can, toilet or down a sink drain followed by a bit of bleach to kill any bacteria. Dab the rest of the mess off the carpet or slick floor surface, and apply club soda and a drip of dish detergent. Rub the cleaning solution into the mess with a hand towel, covering the entire stained or affected area. Rinse the spot clean with a dilution of 1/2 cup of vinegar and 1 qt. of water. Dry the spot with a fan or hairdryer set to cool. To eliminate any remaining odors, sprinkle on some baking soda and vacuum it up three to five hours later.
Considerations
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Prevent doggy accidents by observing your pet and taking it outdoors before accidents occur inside your home. Dogs may begin to frantically sniff and look for a place inside the home to eliminate; take the dog outdoors right then, or try to catch the dog before it squats or hikes its leg. Dogs with upset stomachs may start to heave or hack, indicating the need to vomit. If your dog shows signs of vomiting, grab the dog and move it outdoors or to a bathtub so you can easily wash away any messes.
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References
Resources
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