The Best Ways to Deal With Pet Stains and Odors in Your Home

67% of American households own a pet. That equals 85 million families. Pet owners everywhere can agree on one thing: pet stains and pet odors are the worst part of pet ownership.

Here’s what you need to know about eradicating pet stains and stubborn pet odors once and for all.

Act Quickly

Having a pet automatically means that you’ll have to deal with indoor accidents a few times. sometimes it’s more than a few times like when you get a new pet or your furry friend has a medical condition.

The best way to have a clean home without pet stains is to act quickly. This may mean keeping a close eye on your pet.

Once you clean up the accident, apply your preferred pet stain remover to tackle that stain before it has time to set.

Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s directions on how to use the pet stain remover. You can also try using various home products you likely already have on hand.

Use Shaving Cream on Pet Stains

You might be surprised to learn that foamy shaving cream is a miracle pet stain remover.

It even works great on dog vomit and cat urine. Note that only the white foam shaving cream works. Don’t use the gel stuff.

All you do is cover the stain with the shaving cream. Let it sit for a couple of minutes (no longer) and wipe away with a warm wet cloth.

Try White Vinegar and Baking Soda

You’ve probably already heard that you can clean just about anything with vinegar and baking soda. Well, these two pantry staples also work great on pet stains.

First, vacuum up the pet stain. This may lift the first layer. Then use a paper towel to blot a fresh stain dry.

Make sure to blot and not rub. Rubbing will only spread the stain. Pat the stain until the area is mostly dry.

Next, make a solution of half water and half white vinegar. Soak the stain with this solution. This trick works because vinegar neutralizes the ammonia in urine. Now use a kitchen cloth to scrub the stain vigorously.

While the spot is still wet, pour some baking soda and a little of the vinegar solution and mix it into the stain. You will see it fizzing. You can use a brush to rub the solution deep into the carpet fibers.

Leave the baking soda on the carpet until it’s completely dry. This could take a day or more. Once it’s completely dry, vacuum the baking soda up. Your carpet is as good as new.

Clean Pet Stains on Wood

Pet urine can discolor wood floors, furniture, and baseboards. Especially if you didn’t find the accident right away.

If this happens, you can rub the stain with a piece of #000 steel wool and floor wax. This works really well for surface stains.

If your stain is still there, you can use the same steel wool doused in odorless mineral spirits. Pet stores often carry a pet stain remover for hard floors you could try.

Invest in Carpet Cleaning

If you are dealing with multiple, severe pet stains, your best hope of a clean home might be to pay for professional carpet cleaning.

Yes, this costs more than a product from the pet store, but it may be the only way to save your carpets.

How to Tackle Pet Odors

Stains aren’t the only consideration when doing home cleaning with a resident pet. Pet odors can permeate your home even if your pet hasn’t had an accident inside.

Remember that it is not only urine and feces that cause a smell. Here are some tips to get your home rid of the pet smell including the wet dog odor.

Clean Toys, Leashes, and Food Area

It’s easy to forget about the pet gear in our home when we clean. But food bowls, collars, leashes, and toys can hold on to odor-causing bacteria.

It’s important to regularly wash these items to keep your home from smelling like a kennel.

Air Out Your Home

One of the easiest ways to banish bad pet smells in your home is doesn’t cost a dime.

Simply open your windows and screen doors and let your home air out. Even on chilly days, ten minutes of fresh air circulating through the house will make a big difference.

Get a Hepa Filter

Your home’s HVAC system has a filter that does it’s best at catching tiny particles that travel through the vents.

Yet to truly get rid of pet dander and odors, a HEPA filter is crucial. A HEPA filter has an ultra-fine mesh net that traps particles so they don’t circulate through your home.

You can also get fans or vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters.

Clean Overlooked Surfaces

Cleaning your carpets is not enough to remove all the pet smells from your space. Once you’ve vacuumed all your floors. move on to other surfaces.

Furniture, area rugs, and curtains can collect pet particles that leave a smell. Be sure to mop hard surfaces with disposable mopping cloths. This prevents you from just pushing the smell and hair around later on.