Pet Accident? What should you do?
Act promptly! New stains are easier to remove than old stains.
Do It Yourself Pet Stain Removal In 3 Easy Steps
Step 1 – Using a thick layer of plain white paper towels, blot up as much of the liquid as possible by applying pressure over the stain until no moisture will transfer to the towels.
Step 2 – Apply a small amount of high quality enzyme carpet cleaning solution to the stain area and gently work the solution into the fibers.
Step 3 – Using a measuring cup, pour out a small amount of fresh warm water onto the stained area and then blot it until dry using the same procedure as the first step.
Tip: A great tool for every pet owner to have is a small wet vac or small carpet spot removal machine. Then you can simply extract the urine right out of the carpet, apply some carpet cleaning solution, let it sit a few minutes, then pour some warm water on the spot and extract it out to rinse the carpet. Then blot until dry with plain white paper towels.
Note: Always test cleaning solutions first in an inconspicuous area.
What should you not do?
- Never rub or scrub no matter how tempting.
- Never use laundry detergents or any harsh chemicals not intended for use on carpets.
Need some help? Emergency Stain Removal Service. Call Us 604-565-7494.
Some Fun Facts About Pet Stains and Their Odours…
When our furry loved ones deposit urine on a carpet, it doesn’t stay on the surface. It soaks into the carpet fibers, then gravity draws the urine deep into the backing of the carpet eventually contaminating the pad and even the floor underneath. Usually, and often without our knowledge, pets will go to the same area over and over again, creating a significant build up urine residues with each repeated deposit.
When urine dries, and all the moisture has evaporated, what is left behind is a residue of urine crystals which is kind of like concentrated urine and if left untreated, the odour will become quite pungent. Cleaning the carpet surface alone will not remove this odour as normal cleaning efforts will not have an effect on the backing materials or the pad. In fact, these urine crystals are very absorbent and will be re-activated by any added moisture. Perhaps you have noticed that urine odours become more noticeable as humidity increases? Similarly, the moisture from any cleaning process may also cause urine odours to become temporarily more predominate.
Urine can also cause permanent stains on your carpet, by chemically altering the dye molecules that were used to colour the carpet fibers. Again, cleaning alone may not correct this problem depending on how much time the urine has been in contact with the fibers.
When urine is “fresh”, it is an acid based solution and if cleaned up thoroughly and promptly there will be less chance of permanent damage. However, over time as the urine deposit dries, it changes to an alkaline substance (thus the distinct scent of ammonia with old urine deposits) and this chemical change that takes place can adversely affect the chemical structure of the dyes in the carpet.
The treatment process starts with a urine contamination evaluation. Using special equipment, black lights and moisture probes, we can locate all the deposits and their spread patterns and map out the extent of the contamination area. The carpet will need to be lifted in those areas to access underneath, then the contaminated pad will need to be removed and replaced, and the sub floor material may need to be cleaned and treated with a disinfectant as well. Once the back of the carpet has been cleaned and treated, new pad will be installed and finally the carpet is re-installed.
Whew. Big job? Yes it can be, but the only way to ensure complete odour removal is to remove all the sources of the odour. For minor contamination, often injecting the deodorizer/sanitizer treatment into the back of the carpet will provide a satisfactory solution.
We would be happy to stop by your home in person and provide a free initial consultation and review the various odour removal options with you. Though the initial consultation is a free service, a comprehensive urine contamination evaluation is fairly time consuming and labour intensive and starts at $175.
Once a urine contamination evaluation has been completed, we will be able to provide an exact price quote for the odour removal project. Should you decide to proceed with the work, the cost of the evaluation will be applied to your final invoice.
Of course there is no obligation and, as always, we promise never to use any high pressure sales tactics.
Call us at 604-565-7494 or click to book an appointment on-line.