Living Better with Multiple Pets in Your Home
So what to use? There are a variety of items that can be bought. As a kennel owner and dog lover, I have tried numerous commercial products, usually with limited success. After exhaustive searches on the INTERNET on pet odor and stain removal, I have come up with several formulas that not only are safe, but easy to use.
The first thing with any accident is to get up immediately any solid material. This is vital, as the longer the matter sits on your carpet, the worse the potential stain can become. Blot up any liquid with clean dry towels, or paper towels. Blot until you are not getting any moisture up. This is very important, as you want to get as much out of the carpet padding as possible. More on how to protect that investment later.
Now, what I have found to be the very best and most effective in removing the odor and stains, without causing damage to the carpet’s color or fabric, is a type of home made ‘oxygen cleaner’ This formula is safe, will actually bring out and kill the bacteria that causes odor and remove the organic stain that can result.
First, mix 1 large-32oz.- bottle of regular peroxide, with 1 tablespoon of regular baking soda, and add 2 drops ( only 2 drops, no more!) of Dawn dishwashing liquid in a large spray bottle. It helps to put the baking soda in first, then add the peroxide, cap and shake the mix, then add the dishwashing drops. This way you don’t have a bunch of suds in the bottle first and your other ingredients are well mixed.
Now, spray this over your area to saturation. you have to get as deep as the stain went, so that means that if the stain was matter only and stayed on the surface, just use enough to wet the top of the carpet. If it was a liquid accident, you have to get it wet enough to go to the areas the urine reached.
Take a towel and lightly rub the cleaner in. Let it sit on the stain for 5 minutes. If the stain has not vanished, spray a second time and again, lightly rub in and wait 5 minutes.
After this time has elapsed, blot the area with a clean towel. leave it damp dry- with just enough cleaning solution to still work on killing the bacteria. Allow the rest to dry naturally.
There, now your mess is really cleaned. And because peroxide naturally will disinfect as it cleans, you aren’t left with a host of nasty odor causing bacteria in your carpet.
This same formula works wonders on most stains, and because it is gentle, it is great for cleaning vinyl floors as well. Because it is peroxide based, I don’t recommend it for wood or laminate floors, unless it is sprayed lightly and immediately wiped off with a towel. Do Not leave any liquid on wood or laminate floors, as it will cause damage to them.
The really nice thing about this recipe, is that it can be tripled and used in a carpet cleaner. I have a Bissell that I use this in,adding right into the water holding tank. Just mix it up well to dissolve the baking soda, or you could clog the water lines. I usually just add plain water to the solution dispenser on the side- it won’t affect the cleaning process.
And now a little about keeping your carpet pad in better shape. First, thing is, if you have old padding, unless you choose to get new carpet, you are limited in what you can do. Using the above cleaner in a large carpet cleaner does help. Just be sure to allow plenty of ventilation to dry the carpet thoroughly.
If you are ready to get new carpet, there is more of an option. The first is using the padding that already has plastic attached on one side. This is a little pricey, but well worth it to keep the pad and underlayment from being soiled. The other DIY option is to actually put plastic down with spray adhesive and duct tape over the padding before the carpet is put down. This is handy if you are putting down your own carpet, but might require a little finagling with your installer if you are having it done.
The other issue that troubles so many pet owners is fleas. Fleas come in, get a quick blood meal and then take up residence in your carpets. And, since fleas can lay thousands of eggs in a short time- eggs that are impervious to sprays, chemicals, heat and cold, -they can stay in your carpet and hatch at will for months! Yes, you can go through the vet for all of the nasty pesticides and sprays for the house, but there are other ways that are a lot safer, that will work pretty darn well- I use these and I have 3-4 dogs and 3 cats that all come in and out daily on a 5 acre farm. I don’t have fleas in my house. Here is what I do:
I vacuum frequently. This not only keeps the dog hair in check, but it helps to keep the flea eggs, should there be any, from having a chance to work into my carpet.
Second, I purchase “20 Mule Team Borax” from the grocery store. It is usually located in the laundry aisle by the dry bleach additives. Borax is not a man made chemical though, it is a mined mineral. Additionally, when it it mined, it leave very tiny -almost microscopic- jagged edges on the pieces of borax.
Pour 2-3 cups of the borax in a bowl. put on a latex or rubber glove and make sure there are no lumps in the mineral. At this point, you could, if you so desired, add a few drops of fragrance oil to the borax to give it a fresh scent ( normally there is no smell).
Now sprinkle this liberally on your carpet.(like a carpet freshener powder) Pay particular attention to under the furniture, fleas love it there. Then, leave it on until your next vacuum. The borax will actually cut into the exoskeleton of any jumping fleas and draw the moisture out of the flea, thus, killing it. Borax is also safe for you and your pets to walk on- the worst case is dry feet, so watch the paw pads on your friend!
If you start this in the early spring and keep it up, at least once a week, you will stay in control of the entire flea issue in your home. The other issue is the actual pets as well as the yard. For your yard, you can treat with diatamatious earth- a natural mineral found at your local garden center. It is a fine powder that is spread with a spreader. The only down side is that is is only effective until it rains, then it must be re-applied. Be sure to follow all safety precautions with any chemical.
The pet and fleas- well, I would strongly advise a trip to the vet first thing. A vet can not only recommend a safe and effective way to deal with fleas on the animal, but to also address any parasite issues that can result from fleas. As well as chronic itching and digging on their skin from flea allergies. A good monthly treatment, started early and kept up can eliminate a lot of cost and hassle later in the summer and fall!
So there you have it.
A few ways to deal with everyday pet issues that crop up for every pet parent. In another article, I will address simple supplements that can be safely given to improve your pet’s coat and quality of life and how to get pet urine out of mattresses and cushions using borax!
In the mean time, keep on barking!
