How Do I Remove Pet Odors from My Carpet and Furniture

If you have pets in your house, then pet odor is something you will have to deal with from time to time. With pets, anything they dribble or secrete will somehow find its way into your carpets and furniture.  Unless you know how to clean effectively or prevent it from happening, you won't be happy being surrounded by these smells.  But the good news is that there are a myriad of ways of dealing with dog urine smell, cat poop or any other smell that may be present in your carpet and furniture, courtesy of your pets.

The source of pet odors in carpets and furniture

The first step towards dealing with pet odors in carpets and furniture is to have a good understanding of how the odors come about. You should understand that pets, just as other animals, usually secrete natural odors as a way of marking their territories. This is a natural defense mechanism in the animal kingdom and there is nothing you can do about it, other than regular cleaning to ensure that such odors don’t stick.

Other than odors secreted naturally by pets, the pets may also have odors from foreign substances and materials that stick to their bodies when they going about their businesses outdoors. When the pets come back into the house, some of these substances may find their way into the carpets and furniture, and when accumulation is allowed, odors are bound to ensue.

These odors are known to make carpets stink and they may also be a health risk. Here is a look at some of the various approaches you can use to deal with pet odors from the carpet and furniture-:

Bathe your pets regularly

It is sad that the majority of homeowners who complain about pet odors never take the initiative of bathing their pets on a regular basis. If you have a pet that ventures outdoors, like most of them do, you should know that they will come back with a multitude of things caught in their fur and if these are not washed off their bodies, the destination will always be on the carpets and the furniture.

It is, therefore, imperative to maintain a regular schedule of bathing pets.  For instance, while bathing your pets, you should ensure that the areas behind the ears and between the legs are well bathed since these are the places that carry the most dirt into the house.

Deep clean all soft material surfaces

It is very easy for pet odors to sink deep into soft material surfaces of upholstered furniture, curtains, and carpets. Such surfaces are very good at harboring the smell of dog urine, dander, dirt, grim and oil left by playful pets. One of the best ways to get rid of these smells from soft material surfaces is to steam-clean.

For example, you should take out all the drapes, carpets, pillow cases and couch cushioning and steam clean them individually. This may be a painful process, but when done occasionally, you will not have to worry about the bothersome smell of pet odor in your house.

Use the right cleaning solution

It is possible to clean your carpet and upholstery but the odor may still persist simply because you chose the wrong cleaning solutions. Pet odors are naturally tough odors and not every cleaning solution will be effective in removing them. This is why you should use the right furniture cleaning solution every time you are dealing with repugnant odors such as the smell of dog urine. Though there are cleaning solutions already on the market for such applications, you can always make your own pet cleaning solutions at home.

To create a cleaning solution, you will need baking soda, two cups of lukewarm water, and two cups of distilled white vinegar. Mix the solution in a large bowl and use it for your cleaning. It is a perfect solution for not just removing stains and odors, but is also environmentally friendly.

Use a dedicated air purifier

After you have bathed your pets and cleaned all the carpets and furniture upholstery in your living rooms, it is advisable to add a purifier as a means of doing away with any potent smell that might still be lingering in the area. A purifier works by stripping the air of any odor or smells emitted not just from pets but by other sources that might find their way into the living spaces. The purifier is also effective in removing particles that may cause allergies and other health complications to your family members. If you are not sure of which purifier to use, feel free to contact any reputable carpet cleaning South Tampa service provider for recommendations.

Learn how to prevent pet odors in the house

Perhaps the best way to deal with pet odor removal is to stop it from happening in the first place. A preventive measure is to regularly bathe pets to avoid the accumulation of pet odor in the carpets and furniture. In addition to this, you may need to do some pet training and restrict the pets from accessing certain parts of the home.  For example, you can designate pet sleeping areas so that they don’t spend a lot of time on the couch. You can also train your dogs and cats not to urinate on the carpets or furniture. This is how you avoid the smell of cat and dog urine on your carpets and furniture.