How to Remove Pet Odors from Your Home Forever!
Cleaning to remove pet odors and stains from your home can seem like a never-ending task, especially if you have a naughty pooch or kitty intent on soiling the curtains, carpets, or furniture in your home. For some pets this is just a bad habit but it can also be a symptom of a deeper problem in your pet. Before tackling the cleaning issue, make sure your pet isn’t stressed, depressed or otherwise unhappy for some reason.
If you are reasonably sure that your companion’s are generally happy then they need to be dissuaded from answering the call of nature inside. If you want to remove pet odors from your living environment you also need to take steps to prevent them from happening again. Cleaning to remove pet odors should perform two functions. It should rid your home of odors and act as a deterrent fot future accidents.
The noses of dogs, cats or ferrets are many times more sensitive than ours and animals tend to scent mark in the same places on a daily basis. This means that as long as your pet can smell his previous markings he or she will return to the same spot for more maddening fun. So what can you do? Here are some steps to help you remove pet odors and stains from your home and stop you pets from returning.
* To remove pet odors do a search of your home and find ALL the stained or soiled areas that need cleaning. To do this, use your nose and eyes. A black light bulb is useful for detecting old urine stains. Put the lights off and use the bulb to find the stains, draw lines around them using chalk.
* Next clean the soiled areas to remove pet odors and stains on carpets, floors and walls and furniture.
* To remove pet odors from carpets and upholstery soak up any wet patches with newspaper and paper towels. Pad the area with a thick wad of newspaper and stand on it for a few minutes. Repeat until it’s just damp. Rinse the area with clear water and then remove the water by blotting or using a wet-vac. Make sure the area is free from any old cleaning products. – now you are ready to use an enzymatic cleaner to clean the stain.
* Once the area is stain-free use a pet odor neutralizer to remove pet odors (buy it at the pet store). Test for staining first, and read and follow the instructions. If there is still some staining try an ordinary stain remover to remove the residue.
* To remove pet odors from floors and walls machine wash them adding a one pound box of baking soda to your regular detergent. Air dry the items. If you can still smell an odor or see staining – wash them a second time adding an enzymatic cleaner.
* To remove pet odors from floors and walls where the varnish has been damaged you will need to remove and replace the varnish or paint. Where possible wash wallpaper or washable enamel with an enzymatic cleaner but read the directions first!
* These steps to remove pet odors are only the tip of the iceberg. While your pet can’t smell his scent markings he may still be in the habit of making a mess indoors. Using positive reinforcement and house or litter box training methods you will eventually be able to discourage your pet from his bad toilet habits. Remember to wash any areas in the way we described if an accident does occur. Both solutions need to be used at the same time in a consistent way to get your home (and your pet!) into tip-top shape.
Tip: When you remove pet odors never use a steam cleaner. This will set the satin permanently and you will never get it out! Never use chemicals like ammonia or vinegar as the smell is still detectable by your pet and may make the urge to urinate even stronger.