Odors Be Gone

Let’s face it, there are some kinds of stains that are a lot more difficult to remove than others.  When it comes to stains, it’s always best to work on removing the stain right away, but sometimes this isn’t possible.  Stains from grape juice, wine, cola, and pet urine are some of the most notorious stains when it comes to stain removal.  Most carpet cleaners are able to remove stains from dark colored drinks, but it might take a few applications.  It’s also important to remember to blot the stain rather than smear it, as this will cause the stain to move deeper into the carpet.  While grape juice, wine, and cola are cosmetic stains, pet urine has a terrible smell that tends to linger.  For removing pet urine,  pet urine removers are required.  These special products target the particles of the pet urine that cause the unpleasant odor and neutralize it.

Most of the time stains can be removed with a standard rag and a bit of elbow grease, but for stains that have been in the carpet for a long time, it might be necessary to shampoo the carpet first and then apply the proper stain remover. 

Whether it’s an apartment, condo, or house, there’s nothing worse than lingering pet odors left behind by the previous owners.  Most people become accustomed to the odors of their own pets, but odors from foreign pets can be nerve wracking and ruin the appeal of a new home.  But for the most part, odor removal isn’t a complicated process.  The first step is to vacuum and shampoo the carpets.  If there is no carpet, most of the odor will dissipate within a few mops of the floor.  The reason most odors tend to linger is because the pet urine or excrement becomes trapped beneath the carpet.  Once the carpets have been vacuumed and shampooed, attempt to locate specific locations where the odor is potent or there are stains, and use an odor removal tool.  There are numerous pet odor removal cleaners, and finding the right one is more a process of trial and error than choosing a specific brand. 

With just a few applications of a pet odor remover, most smells will dissipate and the home will smell like new!  It’s also a good idea to get a few green plants in the home to provide fresh air. 

Removing not just the stain but the odor of pet urine from carpet can be a real hassle.  The worst part is, normal carpet cleaners won’t work to remove the whole stain or the odor most of the time.  In addition, shampooing the carpet can be quite expensive and time consuming.  Under these circumstances, pet urine removal is best done with a product designed to target pet stains and odor.  Regular cleaners won’t do the trick because they’re not formulated to target the stain or odor of pet urine. 

You can purchase a pet urine removal product at most places that sell pet supplies or also find it online.  These products are essential for owners who have a puppy or are considering a puppy.  Puppies need to urinate all the time, and chances are you’ll have more than a few spots to clean up while they’re enduring potty training!

Let’s face it, in the current housing market, selling a home can be more than challenging.  Home owners need to take all the steps necessary to market their homes as perfect to potential buyers.  For pet owners, this includes removing all trace of pets, including odors.  Litter boxes or pet odors from other sources can be hindrances to selling a home, and it’s important for owners to remove all odors before introducing potential buyers.  There are some great cleaning products available that target the source of pet odors, instead of just cover it up.  To be most effective in removing pet odors, make sure to use a product which targets the odor source and not just a generic carpet cleaner or cleaning product.

 You also want to remove all traces of pets, including litter boxes, pet beds, scratching posts, toys; all of it.  It’s simple for a pet owner to imagine themselves in a home with no pet odors, but difficult for a non-pet owner to imagine them in a home that does have existing pet odors.  Either way, having no presence of pets or pet odors works out best for the seller. 

You know how sometimes you walk into someone’s house and it just smells dirty? I hate that experience. I have a close friend who is really gross. She lets her animals urinate and defecate all over the house and rarely cleans it up. I swear I have dreams sometimes about her house and the dog urine odor smell there and I wake up sickened.

The only think that would help my friend is a house with a yard. I have committed my self to helping her find a haven for herself and her animals. Sometimes people just need a little help to get on the right track.

My family just got a new puppy and he’s a hand full. He runs around the house like a wild little animal. His favorite activities include chewing on stuffed animals and fetching sticks.

But just like any puppy, he has trouble holding his urine. That means he sometimes has accidents on the carpet. Removing pet odor from the carpet is no easy task. It takes hours of scrubbing just to get the carpet back to normal. Having a puppy is totally worth it though.

So your pet had an accident in the house; it happens to all owners at one time or another.  But whether you didn’t clean the mess up right away or couldn’t clean it right away, it can start to smell after some time.  The reason for this isn’t because you didn’t clean the stain on top of the carpet thoroughly, it’s because the stain sat for too long and some of the mess seeped into the area beneath the carpet.  Because it’s not the top of the carpet that is stained, you need to clean the bottom to get rid of the smell.

Thankfully, you don’t have to rip up the carpet to do this.  It can be done with stain removal products designed to eliminate odor.  While these products can’t clean up the mess, they can eliminate the bacteria that cause the smell, and disinfect the area underneath the carpet.  Pet stain removers are great for when you have pet stains that have been on the carpet for some time.  Remember, the best time to remove a stain is as soon as it happens!

Over the holidays I had a near missed holiday disaster.  My dog, Max, had an accident on the carpet only moments before guests started to arrive!  I wasn’t mad at him, because it was the first time something like this had happened in years, but the timing was terrible!  I couldn’t imagine my guests coming over to my house and seeing carpet stains and noticing that terrible smell.  I rushed down to the store and bought some pet stain remover, and then rushed back home.

When I arrived I received a call from my mom and she said she was going to be there in about five minutes!  I ran through the door and grabbed a rag and dampened it, then applied the pet stain remover to the carpet stains.  Because I had gotten to them quick, they came right off the carpet.  I sprayed some air freshener, and then the doorbell rang.  My mom and dad came in, but thankfully, I had finished.  Nobody noticed the stain or the smell, and thank goodness because I would have felt terrible! 

Though we do our best to avoid accidents with products like Dramamine and even sedation pills, pets will have occasional accidents in the car.  When your pet does have an accident in the car, it’s important to address it right away.  If you let a pet mess linger in your car, or don’t clean it fully right away, it can become soiled in the fabric and is then much harder to remove.  To avoid this hazardous situation, it’s pertinent to carry a pet stain remover in your car when you’re transporting pets.  With this, if an accident does occur, you’ll be able to stop and clean it instead of waiting who knows how long before you’re back home. 

If an odor lingers even after you’ve cleaned up the mess, ensure that you’re using a product to neutralize odor.  Some stain removal products will just mask an odor and it will dissipate for a short time and then return.  With an odor neutralizer, the unpleasant odor will be gone for good. 

Whether you’re moving out of your home, or just moving your cat’s litterbox, it’s important to remove the stains as well as the smell.  Your cat has no doubt had a few accidents near the litter box, and cat urine odor can make a home smell unpleasant, significantly reducing its value.  Knowing how to remove pet urine isn’t always easy, but you should start with a cleaning product that removes the stain and also addresses the smell.  Unfortunately, standard cleaners don’t do this most of the time, so it’s important to purchase a product designed to remove pet stains and odor. 

Once you’ve chosen a product, first remove the litter box from the location, then begin a significant cleansing of the affected area.   You’ll want to clean at least twice to ensure that the smell dissipates.  Also remember that while you might not be able to smell an odor, someone else can, so be sure to ask a neighbor or a friend who isn’t in your home if they can smell an odor before you dismiss it as gone.