Pet Pee Accident? You’d Better Act Fast to Clean Up Cat Pee or Dog Pee
Do you have a new puppy or kitten? Or is your aging pet beginning to mistake your kitchen floor for the flower bed outside?
That means you’re likely dealing with a pet owner’s least favorite side-effect of “parenting” a fur baby: cleaning up pet pee from the carpet, mattress, sofa, linens or just about anyplace else it’s not welcome.
Yes, the ammonia-rich odor of pet pee is gross and can seem to linger forever (not a good thing if you’re about to sell your home, by the way). But pet urine can have some real trickle-down effects, too. It can be damaging to your health, as it can be loaded with bacteria that can be harmful to human eyes, skin and lungs. And the longer stains linger, the harder it can be to mitigate the smell, as well as the damaging effects of the stains on your flooring or personal property.
Before the next accident occurs, prepare yourself to spring into action – especially if the accident has occurred on carpeting or upholstered furniture. Because the longer you wait, the harder it will be to remove the remnants of your pet’s little “gift” from your home.
Top Tips for How to Clean Pet Pee
- Soak it up. When the troublesome accidents occur on carpets or upholstered items, try to soak up as much of the urine as you can, before it dries or seeps deeper into the pile of the rug or the fabric. The Humane Society of the United States recommends covering the wet spot with thick layers of paper towels supplemented by any newspaper you may have. Stand on it until the paper towels are saturated, and keep repeating this step until the area is dry. Obviously, this is the most important step to ensure the cat pee or dog pee problem will soon be just a memory. The faster you treat the accident, the more time you can focus on the things you like to do – which is just about anything other than cleaning up dog or cat pee. Scott Paper Towels are just right for the job, as they feature unique ridges that quickly and effectively soak up messes. Click here to order Scott paper towels online.
- Rinse and repeat. Lightly rinse the area with water, and then use a vacuum – ideally, a wet/dry vacuum – to suck it up. If you’ve acted pretty quickly, you may only need to spray cool, clean water on the area, and then blot it up further with a sponge.
- Use a stain remover. If you’re unsure if all of the pee has been removed, use an enzyme cleaner, a pet stain remover spray and/or a pet odor-neutralizing spray to finish the job. Follow the product instructions for specific details on how it is to be used on carpet, hardwood floors, mattresses or upholstered furniture. Once you’ve applied the cleaner, wait 10 minutes to let it do its work and then blot it up with a paper towel or soft rag.
- Go professional. Depending on the size of the stain, and how quickly you were able to treat it, a lingering odor or ugly spot may remain. Then, it’s time to call in the pros – such as renting a carpet cleaning machine from your grocery or hardware store. These devices generally work better than a steam cleaner, which – in some cases – can actually cause more damage.
What Causes Your Pet Pee Accidents?
Why did Mittens the cat stray from her litter box? Why did Jasper the dog not wait until he made his way to the backyard?
Cats and dogs don’t urinate for spite. There’s usually something else at play and the accident could be evidence of a bigger problem or issue.
- Medical issues. Your pet may be unable to hold his or her urine due to a medical condition, such as a urinary tract infection. Or they may simply just be getting older and beginning to suffer from arthritis, dementia or another problem. If the behavior recurs frequently, have your cat or dog checked out by a veterinarian.
- Behavioral problems. Just like people, dogs and cats can suffer from anxiety, fear or loneliness, and these factors can result in dog pee stains or cat pee stains. Have you recently moved? Has another family pet just passed away? If you can uncover the source of your pet’s angst, and be more attentive to his or her needs, the pee problem may quickly go away.
Tips for Preventing Dog Pee Stains and Cat Pee Stains
Now that you’ve cleaned up the mess, take some preventive steps to ensure that dog pee stains or cat pee stains don’t crop up again.
- Move their stuff. Cats are creatures of habit, and once they’ve strayed from the litter box to do their business, they may do so again. So, rearrange their furnishings – like their water and food bowl – to another area of the house where any damage from cat pee stains may be less troublesome.
- Get it right the first time. You may think you’ve cleaned up all the cat pee. But maybe you haven’t. if you are dealing with cleaning up cat pee accidents, be sure that you look closely at walls or the edges of carpets, which is where kitty likes to leave her mark. These are areas that could otherwise be missed.
- Doggie diapers. Sadly, as some dogs age, they just don’t have the ability to hold their urine as they did when they were younger. If they have trouble with mobility, you can try doggie diapers or lining their bed or favorite cushion with absorbent pads.
Do you have some tips on how to clean up pet accidents? Share your best methods or success stories and be sure to include #KeepLifeRolling.
