Thursday, April 7, 2011

How I Eliminated Pet Stains from My Carpet, Never to Return Again

I have a dog door leading to my backyard so my dogs and cats have always been good about going outside to do their business, with one exception. My dog, Sunny, was afraid of storms and wouldn't go outside in the rain without a lot of encouragement. If it were raining at night and if I were asleep, she would go to a particular spot on my living room carpet. I would find the mess in the morning and show it to her but she'd look at me with those sad, sad eyes. How could I stay mad at this pitiful little dog.

I tried to get rid of the smell with all the "eliminates pet odors" products and repellents I could find. Sometimes I could get rid of the stain but she continued using the same spot even after I replaced the carpet and pad. The smell was still in the floor boards.

Dogs have a very strong sense of smell. That's why they are so useful as rescue and tracking dogs.Once the odor is there, it's an invitation for them to go over and over again in the same spot. I had carpet cleaner that would get rid of the smell for human noses, but Sunny still knew. It seemed I had the choice of a clean carpet or Sunny. I chose, of course, Sunny so kept thinking about it.

I remembered what my mom said about using white vinegar and water. Being the rebellious one, I immediately dismissed the thought but I was getting desperate so I decided to rethink Mom's method and I modified it.

Mom would mix white vinegar and water, then gently blot the stain with a clean cloth leaving behind a clean and odor free carpet. Well, she must have had a magic touch because when I tried it I would end up with a spotty carpet that smelled like a mix of dog pee and vinegar.

I had read a lot about the wonders of vinegar and baking soda, so I gave it a try.

I made a wet paste of vinegar1 and baking soda. I scrubbed2 it into that entire area of the carpet, let it dry over night and vacuumed it up the next day. Doing this and a little positive behavior modification3 (for her and me,) she hasn't used the spot since.

Please, please, please... read these important notes:

1Always use plain white vinegar. Other vinegars may leave it's own stain.

Ref: associatedcontent.com

Products I Like To Clean My Carpets:Febreze Carpet care

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