Cleaning Animal spots from rugs

Tips for cleaning rugs when fido makes a mess

Rug cleaning steps for wet or dried urine spots.

Article compliments of: paw-rescue.org

Soak up urine with a white towel or paper towels. Blot, don't rub. Rubbing can damage rug fibers. Clean starting with an area sufficiently outside of the stain ring, moving inward for cleaning rugs.

Rinse the area with water to dilute the urine.

Blot again using clean towels.

Optional but reportedly very effective: rinse the area with club soda, then blot up.
Absorb the remaining liquid with towels ? stand on the towels or place heavy books over them. Be patient; it may take 6 hours to dry. To hasten the process, extract moisture using a wet/dry vacuum.

If you let the rug or upholstery stay damp, trapped moisture can lead to mildew and eventual crumbling.

Apply a cleaner/neutralizer formulated for pet messes such as Simple Solution. See suggested products below. Some contain nontoxic enzymes or safe bacteria that digest the pet mess residue.

If stains remain, try another commercial stain remover formulated for pet stains. However, do not use such products before applying enzymatic cleaners. Proper sequence is important.

Do not use ammonia, since ammonia smells somewhat like urine to animals.
Alternate cleaning/deodorizing method: cover pet accidents with baking soda, let it stand for at least two hours, then vacuum. Proceed with other steps above as needed.

Keep in mind...

Liquid messes seep downward and outward so be sure to also clean the area surrounding the visible stain.
If you are able to pull up the rug, clean the rug pad beneath the affected area.
If spot cleaning results in the surrounding area looking dingy, use a steam vacuum to clean the rug.
If a stain reappears on the surface of the rug a few days later, dilute the stain with water and clean again. Steam-cleaning can be a last resort.
Commercial cleaners usually advise that you test a rug's color fastness before applying a product to clean a spot. Do this by applying a small amount on a hidden part of the rug, then wait 24 hours to see if the rug has changed color. Of course, you don't want to delay cleaning up urine, feces, vomit or other organic stain ? so test products right after you buy them, instead of waiting until you actually need to use them.