Being a pet owner is one of the greatest things in the world. They give love, companionship and can even watch over your house while you’re gone.
Unfortunately, sometimes our furry friends can have accidents. This is almost an unavoidable part of being a pet owner, but luckily there are some measures that you can take to minimize the damage to your flooring. In this article, I’m going to go over some measures you can take to keep the carpet and rug destruction from your pets to a minimum.
Urine Damage
I’m sure every pet owner knows this all familiar feeling… Walking in the door and seeing the dog sulk away with a guilty look on their face. You walk into the living room to see a huge yellow stain on your carpet or rug. Pet urine is very bad for your carpet for many reasons that I will elaborate on.
PH Change
When the pet first urinates on the carpet or rug, it has a PH level of 5-6. This basically means that it’s more on the acid side in the PH rating. While it is fresh and in this chemical state, it is also a lot easier to remove. As a homeowner, this means you will want to act FAST to reduce the damage to your carpet.
When the urine sits on the carpet for a while the PH level changes. Once dry, it goes up to around 10-12 on the scale. When it reaches this state, it is also a lot harder to remove, as many pet owners will confirm after tirelessly scrubbing away for ages.
Bacteria Growth
It doesn’t end with removal difficulty though. The warm temperature of pet urine makes for a great breeding ground for bacteria which can grow and multiply VERY fast.
Permanent Staining
Another side effect of pet urine on your carpet is the damage that it does to the color of the fabric. When the urine is fresh, it starts to oxidize and react with the carpet which causes it to change color. This color change will become permanent if the accident is not blotted up quick enough. If the urine is left for days or longer, it can possibly change the dye structure of some fabrics and cause permanent stains.
Unpleasant Smells
It’s no secret that urine smells! There are two reasons for this. The first reason, is that the bacteria that grow very well in the warm environment of the urine have a never-ending food supply. The bacteria growth and breakdown will create a bunch of waste materials and gas that cause a very bad smell.
The second reason for this bad smell, is from a more “chemical” based odor. This odor will still linger around even after all the bacteria is dead. The reason for this is that the Hydrophilic salt and crystals in the urine draw water. Then when the moisture evaporates, it produces lots of ammonia gas that smells terrible.
This fact is the reason why so many people complain about still having odor, even after cleaning up the mess. The truth is that to truly get rid of the smell you need to eliminate the urine salts that are under and in the carpet. This is easier said than done but not all hope is lost, it’s possible to get rid of the odor.
Hiring a Carpet Cleaning Company to Get Out Pet Stains
As you can probably see, removing pet stains from carpet and rugs is no easy task! It’s always good to contact a professional like Lake Norman Carpet & Tile Care, as we have all the tools and expertise to get the job done fast and hassle free every time. If you do decide that you want to try handling it yourself, I will go over one method below.
Removing Stains Yourself
If you want to try and remove pet stains yourself then the best thing that you can use for the job is a wet vac. They type that you pick up at the hardware store can work, if it is made for liquids.
If you catch the accident early enough before it has soaked in then just suck it right out of the carpet, making sure not to damage the fibers with scrubbing or harsh rubbing, as that will break down the carpet and allow it to get stained easier in the future.
If you can’t catch the stain within 24 hours, then you can try to rinse it with the following solution. First mix two parts of water with one part distilled white vinegar. Then apply it to the spot and rinse it with warm water, before using the wet vac to suck it up. It’s important to note NOT to use the vinegar solution on fresh stains because the acid from the vinegar is unable to counteract the acid from the fresh urine. After 24 hours though the urine is alkaline and the vinegar can do its trick.
Another point regarding cleaning products, is to avoid products with a high PH level like ammonia. Sure, it may seem like bleach and ammonia are the perfect solution for a job like this, but they most definitely aren’t. The high PH state that the carpet is left in after using these will attract dirt like crazy. Instead you will want to use an enzyme cleaning agent after rinsing the carpet, because the enzymes are able to destroy the bacteria.
Conclusion
I hope that you enjoyed this article about pet stains and how to react to them to prolong the life of your carpet. If you need a reputable carpet, tile and upholstery cleaner then be sure to give Lake Norman Carpet and Tile Care a call! Visit our site here http://www.lkncarpet.com.
This story was brought to you by Chase Griffith of Lake Norman Carpet and Tile
