Odors Be Gone

To remove stains from the carpet, there are several solutions which will work.  For simple stains like spots, a little vinegar on a damp cloth will get it out.  For a deeper stain from soda or juice, a carpet cleaning product such as Resolve or Nylac will likely be necessary.  If you don’t happen to catch a stain right away, it becomes much harder to remove.  In addition, some stains will have a lingering odor even if you remove them, such as pet stains.  Normal stain removers will not get the odor out, and you will need a stain remover designed to target the odor as well (typically available at pet stores).

Some stains from substances like coffee which have been in the carpet for a long time can’t be removed except by a professional steam cleaner.  This is the most expensive option, and should be a last resort.

There are a few techniques for removing stains from any kind of absorbent surface. However, carpet tends to be the most difficult surface from which to remove stains. Carpet stains tend to result in a permanent reminder of the Thanksgiving wine or your child’s infancy. But here are a few tips for getting stains out.

• Blot the carpet with a wet rag or paper towel, rubbing it only works the stain in deeper, the goal is to absorb all the liquid.
• If something stains the carpet, get it out immediately, don’t even wait a minute, the longer you wait the harder it is to get out, some existing stains just can’t be removed.
• Have some kind solution on hand for removing carpet stains, paired with the above two guidelines, there is virtually nothing you can’t remove.

A college dormitory or campus lounge can be a messy place.  Pizza is eaten, Mountain Dew is spilled, people sometimes drink things they shouldn’t, and the carpet can suffer.  Students that have been up all night cramming for a midterm spill things because they’re tired.

Doodoo Voodoo isn’t just for removing stains pets leave behind.  It has proven extremely effective for odor removal of milk, human urine and other bodily fluids.   Adding a bottle to a care package for your favorite college student isn’t a bad idea!

Urine marking is one way dogs communicate with other dogs.  A dog can determine the sex, reproductive status, and identity of the dog that left the urine mark by the dog urine odor.  Males are more likely than female dogs to marking behavior, and unaltered male dogs mark most frequently of all.  Intact females may mark to announce they are going into heat.  Though marking generally consists of a very small amount of urine, it is unpredictable where, or how often, any given dog will mark.  Sometimes a dog marks when he smells something new on his people’s shoes or because pets in the home are feuding.  Some dogs never mark inside their homes, only leaving their scent in another home or while they are out for a walk.  Generally, urine marking is considered to be a canine response to a perceived threat, whether that consists of unfamiliar people or dogs, a new piece of furniture, or even a bag of groceries.

Your first preventative measure against urine marking is to spay and neuter your dogs.  It has been shown that about 50% of urine marking problems in the home are eliminated by the neutering of an intact male dog.  You can restrict your dog’s access to other dogs and to items that are likely to be marked.  Place treats under and around frequently marked objects that are not practical to hide, such as purses and shoes.  The dog will learn to see those objects as a food source rather than a trigger for further marking.  You can get a male dog wrap from a pet supply company, allowing him to mark, but not soil your belongings.   Do not scold your dog for urine marking, and do not prevent him from marking during walks, as these actions will further frustrate him and may increase the likelihood of further incidents of marking inside the home.

The companies who market stain removers promise a myriad of results when it comes to the versatility and effectiveness of their merchandise.  Some stain removers promote the green philosophy and say they are all natural and non-toxic.   Other stain removers say they can take care of human biohazards such as vomit and urine in addition to pet stains. 

It is up to each individual consumer to decide which stain remover will meet their needs.  If you have a stubborn stain that has not responded to any stain removers you’ve found on the market up to this time, there is bound to be a method or product you have not yet tried that will work.

Once you’ve used a carpet stain remover, you may notice that there is still a light stain or an outline, perhaps, on your floor.  Don’t fret, as your carpet can still be salvaged.  Simply get a carpet steamer and run it over the stain.  A good stain remover will eliminate a majority of the blemish, but getting a steamer should fully remove it. 

Of course, you should do this immediately after cleaning the stain.  The longer a stain is present, the longer it has to set into the carpet.

Stain removal is imperative if you are living in an apartment or rented house.  Stains can result in not getting your deposit refunded or, even worse, getting stuck with a cleaning bill upon a future move.

You can avoid this unpleasantness by finding a good stain remover.  There is a school of thought that suggests once urine has soaked into your carpet, all is lost.  That isn’t the case, however, as a really great cleaner can remove both smell and stain from your carpet.  The internet has plenty of resources worth checking out; now it’s up to you to spend a few minutes by doing so.

 About The Founders – Eric and Julie Smith – Now living in Indianapolis, IN

We’ve been heavily involved in animal charity work for more than two decades and are the founders of two federally licensed animal charities.  We founded, funded and operated a nonprofit, feline-only, low-cost spay/neuter clinic in the neediest section of our city.  We’ve lectured on feral cat management and early-age spay/neuter at a conference at a respected veterinary school.  We’ve worked closely with city government officials to change animal-related laws in our city [Indianapolis].  We’ve coordinated and conducted puppy-mill raids and rescue operations with law enforcement and the media.  We’ve rescued and adopted into lifelong homes many hundreds of animals over the last quarter century.  As you can imagine, as far as animal smells go, we’ve had more exposure to them than most people ever will.  We have extensive experience with professional carpet cleaning equipment and methodology, and have helped people save their “trashed” homes and carpet.  Our #1 goal with DooDoo Voodoo:  save animals’ lives. Read the rest of this entry »

Many users simply apply their DooDoo Voodoo by pouring, wiping or spraying, then they let it air dry and they’re finished. Some of us, though, have urine problems that are more widespread and that may benefit from a little extra work with a carpet cleaning machine.One option is to put DooDoo Voodoo Concentrate and water in your machine in lieu of your regular cleaning solution (see notes below). If you desire to use our product in this way, we suggest that you add 1/2 ounce or 1 ounce of DooDoo Voodoo per gallon of water, though your needs may vary based on your machine and your level of contamination. (Be sure to figure out the capacity of your machine’s solution tank, or simply mix your DooDoo Voodoo solution up in another container and pour it into your solution tank.)

Read the rest of this entry »

Salvaging Pee-Soaked SubfloorMost customers can solve their pet odor problems by simply pouring or spraying DooDoo Voodoo on their stinky areas, then letting the product air dry naturally. This can even be the case where repeated urination has occurred, despite what you might think. DooDoo Voodoo is that effective.There are times, though, when more invasive measures might be necessary. This document addresses how to go about salvaging your subfloor if repeated urination has trashed it. Note that while we were dealing with wooden subfloor, these guidelines also generally apply to concrete subfloors (slabs), too.

We recently undertook as a project, DooDoo Voodoo alone solved virtually all the odor problems throughout the dwelling, even in spots where the blacklight showed us that cats had repeatedly sprayed. There were three spots in the condo, though, where years of repeated urination had trashed the subfloor to such an extent that additional work was required.

Here’s a picture of one of the areas with trashed subfloor, Read the rest of this entry »