Cleaning Up After Your Dog
There are some key principles that should be followed for the accidents caused by your dog inside your home. The most important is that you should always try to clean up the mess immediately after it occurs as it makes the job easier. Immediate action will prevent the stains from getting set. Remember that your dog’s sense of smell is much better than yours. That is why after cleaning you must deodorize the spot even if you don’t sense any odor. Dogs have the habit of marking a spot where they can smell the odor of an earlier mess. It is always advisable to use safe and nontoxic products as strong chemicals and their fumes can cause harm to the pets and crawling babies. Inexpensive cleaning household items like white vinegar, club soda, lemon juice and baking soda have been found to be quite effective and safe to use.
Let us now consider some of the specific types of mess caused by dogs and how to safely and effectively remove and clean them without causing damage to the spot.
Dog urine
Dogs instinctively pee over the area where they can smell urine odor or some other strong odors. Therefore you must eliminate all odor even if you cannot smell any. Here are some tips for cleaning wet or dry urine spots from carpets, rugs, upholstery , etc. You must immediately blot out as much of the urine as possible by using a paper towels or a white cloth towel. If you are short of paper towels you can add newspapers. Newspapers can stain, so use them over a layer of paper towels. Make sure not to rub the spot. Start cleaning in a circular area bigger than the spot and gradually move to the middle. First dilute the urine left after blotting by rinsing with water. Repeat the blotting process. Repeat the dilution and blotting until you feel that all the urine is removed.
Rinsing the spot finally with club soda has been found very effective. Use the same blotting process here. Finally place some paper towels on the damp spot and place heavy items like books on them. This will help to dry up the spot or you can use a vacuum cleaner. Moist spots left as such for long can encourage the growth of mildew. After the spot is completely dry apply a neutralizer meant for pet messes. Use those containing safe bacteria or natural enzymes that will digest any residues. As an alternative you can sprinkle baking soda over the spot, allow it to stand for 2-3 hours and finally vacuum it. If any stain remains you can use a suitable commercial stain remover but do not use them before applying the enzymatic products. Avoid using ammonia as it may smell like urine to your dog.
Dog poop
Before attempting to clean you must scoop up as much of the material as possible. A very effective way is to wear a small polythene or plastic bag over your hand like a glove and scoop up as much of the material as possible. Then turn the bag inside out and carry it away conveniently. Vacuum up any loose bits left out. After most of the solid material is removed blot out the moisture with paper towels. Finally use the same procedure as for cleaning urine spots
Dog vomit
Vomit contains acid that can stain fast, so immediate action is necessary. Remove as much of the material as possible by using a small plastic bag like a glove as described for removing poop. Pour a little water on the spot to loosen any particles that have stuck. Sprinkle the spot with baking soda or salt and let it dry for some time. This will neutralize the acid. Vacuum the spot and again repeat the baking soda and vacuuming cycle. The next step is to put some club soda on the spot and blot it out with paper towels. If still some stain remains from the vomit then use a non toxic stain remover meant for removing pet stains. As an alternative you can spray Lysol disinfectant on the spot to successfully remove yellow vomit spot from your rug. Rub off the remainder with a clean cloth. If you dog vomits repeatedly consult your vet.
Dog hair
Dogs usually have their favorite spots for lying down and a good way to avoid hair is to place soft towel on that spot which will absorb most of the body odor and trap the hairs. For removing fur from upholstery effectively mix a small quantity of fabric softener and three times water and spray this mixture on your carpets and furniture. Let it remain for 2-3 hours and then vacuum up the hairs. Another way is to spray the upholstery with a static guard and then vacuum up the hairs. You can also use a fabric softener sheet to lift off the hairs from the surface of clothing and furniture. Another effective way is to roll some packing tape around your hand and move it over your pillows, furniture and beds and other surfaces. By brushing your dog daily you can prevent a lot of hair from getting inside. You can even vacuum your dog every week to remove loose hair. Some dogs even love the feeling!
Dog fleas
Your carpets may sometimes get fleas from your dog. These can breed and reinfest your dog again and again. An effective way to kill the fleas and their eggs and remove them from carpets and upholstery is to spray diatomaceous earth, borax or boric acid on your infested rug or carpet, let it stand for 24 hours and vacuum the next day. Also at winter end before the advent flea season sprinkle the rugs and carpets with salt, let it stand for 15 minutes and vacuum it up. This will keep fleas at bay. You can use dried and powdered peppermint in place of salt if you like. Of course during the flea season you should use a suitable flea repellent on your dog.
Blood stains
If your dog gets injured accidentally you may have to deal with blood stains. To remove fresh blood stains soak the spot with cold water as warm or hot water will set the blood stain. An effective way is to rub an ice cube on the stained spot after the blood has been blotted out and then rinse the spot with cold water and dry by blotting. An effective way to remove blood stains is to use hydrogen peroxide. Soak the area with a little hydrogen peroxide and let it bubble for some time. This should be repeated until all the blood stain is completely removed. Another effective way is to pour a little milk over the blood stained spot. When the stain is loosened blot it out. Corn starch can also be effectively used to remove blood stains. Make a paste of corn starch with water and apply over the spot. Rinse the spot with cold water and blot it out and dry. After drying vacuum the spot to remove the remaining corn starch.
