How to Have Pets and Carpets Too
by Norman Grinkler

Description: Tips for keeping your carpet clean and odor free when you have pets.

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Anyone who's ever had a pet knows that there are always messes where pets are involved. Training a new puppy or kitten will be the first of your experiences with cleanup problems inherent with a pet. Even after that, pets still have accidents. You may just have to deal with the general dirt, fur and dander that come with owning a pet, but sometimes your pet may have a vomiting episode. You may want some hints on how to deal with this problem, if your carpet is suffering because of your animal.

Odor is the first problem you will notice with pets. Even if you don't notice it, because you have become immune to it, your guests will. Bathing and brushing your pets on a regular basis is one way to avoid pet odors.This eliminates fur and dander on the carpet and upholstery. Whenever your pet comes in contact with your furniture, use a lint brush or damp sponge on your furniture to further reduce buildup.

If you've been using a regular vacuum on your carpet, you don't have equipment that's sufficient for picking up the loose fur that can coat the floor's surface. Always use a vacuum that has a beater brush or brush roll in order to grab the fur and lift it; this will assist the suction process. Otherwise, you might get some of it, but the majority will stick to the carpet and get ground in by carpet traffic.

Using a pet rake to get a lot of the fur off of the carpet is recommended by many people. These gadgets will also help speed up your vacuuming process. Use a tool with nylon bristles, and use smooth, even strokes across the surface of the carpet. They are a good idea, but if you do not have one, a velour brush or tape roller will do a good job. You can also try to wrap tape around the middle of your hand, sticky side out, and rub it on carpets or furniture. In corner areas where vacuums don't pick up the fur well, these tricks work especially well. They are also very useful in picking up fur off the trimwork.

When you have the common but annoying problem of your pet urinating on the carpet, make the job easier by doing some preparation on the stain by going over the area with a damp sponge. After that, mix a quart of water with a teaspoon of white vinegar and scrub the stain out. The benefit of this method is that is not only removes the stain, but it also eliminates the odor from such an accident. Make sure you get rid of all the odor, because even if you can no longer smell it, your pet will still be able to, and will want to return to that spot and remark it. The best way to completely eliminate the odor is to use a pet bacteria /enzyme digester. This can be found in most pet stores. The carpet is saturated with the digester. The idea behind this is that both the carpeting and the padding underneath are soaked. This needs to be left on for the full amount of time the product suggests. They won't guarantee that it will work if you don't do this, so be patient.

If your pet should vomit on the carpet, you're going to need to use professional carpet cleaner, since stomach fluids tend to be thicker in nature. After treating with professional (or industrial strength) detergent, rinse with clean hot water and soak up the liquid from the carpet until the stain is removed.

Carpet maintenance may be inconvenient, but if you perform general upkeep on a routine basis and keep the necessary tools on hand in case of an accident, you'll save your carpet and enjoy a fur-free and odor-free house without having to banish your pets to the great outdoors.

Norman Grinkler runs the website and is the writer for Fl Carpet, which is a one-stop information center for all the latest resources and articles carpet related. Please visit http://www.flcarpet.com for any questions or comments about this article.

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