When your pooch is left unattended, it might create havoc in your house, which often looks like pee or poop on your carpet.
Being a pet parent comes with a lot of responsibilities, and cleaning is one of them; & this is where DIY carpet cleaners for pets come in!
Using harsh chemicals on carpets and other surfaces in your home is a big no-no for pet owners.
Since they are more exposed to the ground, cleaning agents made from chemicals can be highly unsafe for them.
So to find out how to deal with the mess left behind by your pet using natural ingredients and pet-friendly methods, keep reading!
Why Do You Need a DIY Carpet Cleaner For Pets?
Commercial carpet cleaners contain an array of chemicals that contain pesticides, acids, formaldehyde, disinfectants, fragrances, and lye.
All of these harmful chemicals get released into the air and water and can affect the health of your dog.
Additionally, these toxic chemicals can bond with the synthetic fibers of carpets and can generate fumes.
Since your furry friend sleeps, plays, and walks around your carpet, they can easily come in contact with these fumes.
Why Switch to Homemade Carpet Cleaners Instead?
Organic or homemade cleaners are safe for the environment and for your home.
This is because, unlike chemical cleaners, they do not leave any toxic residue behind, which allows you and your pets to stay immune from respiratory conditions, congestion, fatigue, and other diseases.
How Can I Tell If a Carpet Cleaner Is Safe For Pets?
All cleaners are made with different ingredients and chemical intensities. Some carpet cleaners may offer excellent results, but they may contain harmful chemicals.
Although there is a lot of distance between you and your floor, for your pets, however, that’s not the case.
For the most part of the day, pets are in direct contact with carpets and floors. Their bare paws are always in contact, and so is their fur when they are sitting or sleeping.
To make sure your beloved pet does not silently suffer from any issue, you must look for ingredients in your carpet cleaner that might be dangerous for your pet.
Ingredients found in household cleaning products that are harmful to your pet include:
- Alcohol
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Bleach or chlorine
- Chemicals that contain “phenol” in the name
- Phthalates, AKA “fragrance.”
- Ammonia (or ammonium hydroxide)
- Glycol ethers
- Benzalkonium chloride (typically found in disinfectants)
- Formaldehyde
DIY Carpet Cleaners For Pet
To ensure your pet remains safe and, at the same time, you are able to clean your carpets effectively, we have curated a list of effective DIY carpet cleaners for pets for you:
Pet-Friendly DIY Vinegar Spray Cleaner
You can also use this DIY spray cleaner to remove wax from the carpet.
Things required:
- 1-part distilled white vinegar
- Optional: 1-part lemon juice
- 4-parts water
- Spray bottle
Vinegar is one of the best ingredients with natural cleaning properties. It also works as a homemade carpet shampoo for removing your dog’s urine stain.
To make a vinegar carpet cleaner for the pet, you simply need to:
1. Fill a spray bottle with 4 parts of water and 1 part of distilled white vinegar.
2. You can also squeeze half a lemon into the bottle to add anti-bacterial properties to your DIY cleaner and for a nice fragrance.
Some carpets may have a bleaching effect with lemon, so test out this cleaner on a small corner of your carpet first.
3. Shake the bottle so that all the ingredients combine properly, and voila, you have a completely safe natural carpet cleaner for pets.
How to Use?
In case your pet has peed on the carpet, blot the area using a paper towel until all the excess is removed.
- In case your pet has peed on the carpet, blot the area using a paper towel until all the excess is removed. Remove the residue from the carpet in case of a pooping accident.
- Now spray the affected area with the vinegar-water solution that you have created for a few minutes.
- Blot and clean the area using a clean towel or fabric.
Vinegar & Baking Soda Spray Cleaner
Things Required:
- 2 cups distilled white vinegar
- 4 tablespoons of baking soda
- 2 cups lukewarm water
- Spray bottle
Vinegar and baking soda is a great combination that can effectively help in removing the stain and bacteria from your carpet and is completely safe for your pet. To make this pet-safe cleaner, you need to:
1. Add 2 cups of distilled white vinegar and 2 cups of lukewarm water in a spray bottle.
2. Shake the mixture to mix the two ingredients properly.
How to Use?
- In case your pet has peed on the carpet, blot the area using a paper towel until all the excess is removed. Remove the residue from the carpet in case of a pooping accident.
- Now take the vinegar and warm water mixture and spray it onto the stain generously.
- Now add a generous, thick layer of baking soda onto the sprayed area and let it sit for an hour or longer.
- After the baking soda dries out, vacuum the area, and your carpet will be cleaned.
Pet Safe Baking Soda & Salt Carpet Cleaner
Things required:
- 1-part baking soda
- Optional: 1-part warm water
- 1-part salt
Baking soda is well-known for eliminating odor, but because it is mild alkali in nature, it reacts with dirt and water in a way that makes them super easy to remove.
To make this pet-safe baking soda & salt carpet cleaner, you simply need to:
1. Combine equal parts of salt and baking soda and store this mixture in an air-tight container.
2. Use this mixture anytime you want to get rid of pet stains from the carpet or if you want to get rid of the pet pee smell from the carpet.
How to use this?
There are two ways in which you can use this baking soda and salt carpet cleaner:
- You can either directly sprinkle this mixture onto the soiled area and let it sit for a few minutes to absorb the smell and the liquid.
- After the mixture has been sitting in the area for 10-15 minutes, follow it up by vacuuming the area.
- Another way in which you can use this mixture is by combining it with a little water and creating a paste.
- Once you have created the paste, apply a thick layer of it on the affected area and let it sit for 10-15 minutes.
- Now using a dry cloth or wet/dry vacuum, clean up the area.
DIY Pet Friendly Cleaners For Different Surfaces
If you want to keep your furry friend safe from chemicals used in cleaning agents, just focusing on DIY carpet cleaner for pets won’t cut it.
Your pet can get exposed to toxins from different cleaning agents as well. So here is a list of DIY pet-friendly cleaners for cleaning different surfaces in your home:
For Cleaning Floors: Water & Vinegar
If your flooring is made of linoleum, ceramic tiles, hardwood floors, or vinyl flooring, then a water and vinegar solution could be ideal for disinfecting and cleaning your floors.
For this, you simply need to combine one cup of distilled white vinegar & one liter of water and use the mixture to mop your floors.
Additionally, if you also want to add shine to your floor, you can mop it up with club soda again.
This inexpensive solution can cut through dirt and grim sitting on hard surfaces. It can also be used to clean your dog’s toys, grooming tools, etc.
For Pet Odors: Baking soda
If your carpet has pet urine or poor pet odor, you can simply sprinkle baking soda on the carpet, let it sit for 15-30 minutes, and then vacuum it up.
Baking soda is a simple and inexpensive solution that will help in absorbing odor from the carpet. You can even use baking soda and lemon to clean your pet’s utensils in a natural way.
For Laundry: Lemon Essential Oils
If your dog has a favorite pillow, top, blanket, sheet, sweater, etc., cleaning it using a green laundry detergent is a great idea.
Additionally, you can add a few drops of lemon essential oil for a pleasant fragrance.
Window & Glass Surface: Water & Lemon Juice
What your pet licks is not in your control, and if they can access your window and glass surfaces, they might lick it for reasons that we possibly can’t comprehend.
To ensure your pet is not exposed to any harmful chemicals, you can create a glass cleaner using 2 liters of water and 5 tablespoons of lemon juice.
This solution will kill the bacteria, remove the dirt, and will add shine to your glass surfaces while ensuring your pet remains safe.
Bathroom & Kitchen Grease: Baking Soda, Liquid Soap, Lemon Juice, and Tea Tree Oil
For general cleaning, you can simply sprinkle baking soda and wipe the surface with a clean cloth or a sponge. For grease, add baking soda as well.
To disinfect a surface, you can use 3 tablespoons of liquid soap with 2 cups of water and 25 drops of tea tree oil.
This will not only help in getting rid of grease but will also disinfect and add a nice fragrance to your bathroom or kitchen.
DIY Safe Pet Urine Cleaner
Pets often pee on carpets and other surfaces in your house, and to clean the area, you can make a pet-friendly pet urine cleaner in the following way.
Things required:
- White Vinegar
- Warm water
- Spray bottle
- Dishwashing liquid
- Paper towel
- Soft-bristled brush
- In a spray bottle, add vinegar and warm water in equal quantities, along with one tablespoon of Dishwashing liquid.
- Apply this solution on the pee or poop stain and let it sit for 15-20 minutes.
- Now scrub the affected area gently with a soft-bristled brush to remove any tough stains, and then spray with plain water.
- Now blot the area with a fresh paper towel till the stain and smell disappear.
DIY Pet Vomit Cleaner
In case your pet has vomited on your carpet, upholstery, or on any other surface in your home, then you can get rid of the pet vomit stain and smell from the carpet in the following way:
Things required:
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Container
- Paper towel
- Soft-bristled brush
- Dishwashing liquid
- Baking Soda
In a container, add half a cup of hydrogen peroxide along with one teaspoon of dishwashing liquid. Also, keep a baking soda shaker nearby.
- Remove soil residue from the carpet first using water and a sponge.
- Now sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on the affected area.
- Over the thick layer of baking soda, pour the liquid solution and start scrubbing the area gently.
- Leave this solution on the stain for 10-15 minutes, then follow it up by dabbing the area with a clean cloth or towel.
- Apply baking soda again, leave it for 10-15 minutes, and vacuum it away for a clean carpet.
Things to Consider When Using DIY Carpet Cleaner For Pets
Here’s a list of things that you need to take care of while using DIY carpet cleaner for pets:
- Pet stains might be hard to get rid of since they contain uric acid and are protein-based. So homemade carpet cleaner for pets might not always work out.
- No matter which of the above-mentioned method you are using, always test a small area of your carpet to see if it is not reacting with it.
- Always act fast and treat stains and other problems immediately. Otherwise, the stain may be hard to come off.
- Always keep cleaning supplies handy and stored to deal with such unexpected accidents at anytime.
Wrap Up
Your four-legged friend does not need just love and attention but also extra care.
Using harsh chemicals on your carpet can be an easy thing to do, but it might pose adverse health effect on your pet, including skin and eye irritation, nausea, infections, etc.
The best way to clean your carpets in a manner that is safe for your pet is to use DIY carpet cleaner for pets.
Sure, it will require more effort and work from your side, but you knew what you were signing up for when you decided to become a pet parent. Didn’t you?
FAQs
Is using baking soda and vinegar safe for pets?
Baking soda and vinegar are ingredients that does not contain harmful chemicals and is safe for cleaning your pets when used for cleaning carpets. Baking soda and vinegar can only pose problems if consumed in large amounts.
Can I use vinegar to clean pet urine?
No, avoid using vinegar to get rid of pet urine. Strong odors can encourage your pet to mark territory, and they might start peeing on the area frequently is you clean it with vinegar directly. Using baking soda instead can be a good option.
How can I make my house not smell like a dog?
If your house smells like a dog, then here are some tips for you:
- Wash your dog’s bed, toys, and other articles frequently.
- Vacuum and mop your floors daily.
- Add essential oil or lemon juice to water while mopping your floors.
- Open windows and doors to let fresh air in.
- Change your air filters on time.
- Wash your clothes properly.
- Keep your dog clean and tidy.
Daleyza knows a lot about carpets! She has worked with carpets for over 7 years and can help with things like putting them in, keeping them clean, and replacing them. She really likes carpets and spends most of her time learning about new ways to work with them. When she’s not learning about carpets, she enjoys reading books. She’s really good at helping people choose the right carpet for their homes and making sure they’re happy with it. If you want to know more about carpets, Daleyza is the person to talk to!