Does your carpet smell like your pet? Yikes! This may be due to any unnoticed accident or peeing of your companion. To eliminate such odor, you must have tried several cleaning procedures, but if the smell still lingers, then you might wish to find: “How To Get Pet Smell Out Of Carpet?” in a way that the musty smell does not return.
In this guide, we’ll provide you with a detailed analysis of the procedures to eliminate pet smell and methods to prevent such foul odors for a long. So let’s get started!
Why Does Carpet Smell Like Pet?
Carpets are bound to catch accidents, and if you have pets, then the whiz of this accident increases. This is because the pets are habitual to rub themselves or pee on the carpet. Sometimes, they also meet unusual accidents that drop blood marks on the rug.
So, if you do not clean your pet-friendly rug from time to time, then this smell will increase and last longer even after cleaning. Such a smell can bother your guests and loved ones and cause bacteria and several allergens.
Also, if your room’s wall-to-wall is older than 10 to 15 years, then the chances for it to catch your pet’s smell will be higher than usual. So, if you have such a stinky old rug, replace it immediately with a new one rather than trying to neutralize its odor.
Is Pet Smell On Carpet Harmful To You?
The unpleasant pet odor can suffocate you, but its threat to your health depends on the circumstances.
If your carpet is stinking due to the natural rubbing of your playful companion, then such smell will be absolutely harmless, but if it stinks due to pet pee, then it can irritate your lungs and lead to illness, such as pneumonia, asthma, etc.
This is especially because the pet urine has a significant amount of ammonia. If such harmful excretion gets onto the carpet, it releases bad fumes and traps under carpet spores.
How To Get Pet Smell Out Of Carpet?
Carpets are the best flooring choice for comfort and coziness, but unfortunately, it is the most high-profile layout for maintenance.
So, if you have these two notorious creatures, a pet, and a carpet, at the same time, then you have to learn a few best cleaning routines that can eliminate pet smell and freshen up your rug.
Use Baking Soda
Baking soda is the highly recommended all-purpose cleaner that provides extra scrubbing powder to exfoliate stains, grime, and stubborn foul odors. This cleaner is not too abrasive and is non-toxic. Hence, you do not have to worry about your rug while adding it on for cleaning. But before sprinkling the baking soda you must check whether the baking soda is safe for your pets or not.
To use it for your smelly carpet restoration,
- Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on your smelly carpet. Ensure that the cleaning powder covers every corner of the rug well.
- Leave the baking soda to sit for a few hours or overnight so it absorbs as much of the odor as possible.
- Vacuum your carpet thoroughly to remove the cleaning agent stuck to the soil and smell.
- If the smell is not eliminated or your room stinks like baking soda, then ventilate the home to let the fresh air flow inside and dry your carpet under the sun.
Points To Remember:
- After sprinkling baking soda, block off your pet and kinds from your carpeted room.
- If you have sprinkled the cleaning agent to cover a small area, then shield it under a bowl to avoid you and your loved one walking over it.
Use White Vinegar / Apple Cider Vinegar
Vinegar has 5% acetic acid that breaks down grime, grease, and dirt. It also eliminates foul odor and kills bacteria lurking deep into a fabric. So if your carpet holds a strong odor of your pet, then vinegar is the best treatment to go for.
However, due to the acetic properties of vinegar, you have to try it first in the inconspicuous part of the rug to check if it causes any discoloration or stiffness. For this reason, it’s better to dilute the vinegar and prepare a professional solution before trying it on for your pet odor cleaning.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Add 50% white or apple cider vinegar in 50% of the water and pour it into a spray bottle.
- Spray the solution on the carpet and leave it for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Blot the carpet with a clean microfiber towel and rinse it with cold water.
- Press the carpet fibers while rinsing to blast out all the solution and filth your carpet holds.
- Dry your carpet under the sun or ventilate your room to let the air flow inside.
If your carpet still holds your pet’s smell, repeat the spraying and sponging process and dry your carpet under the sun for 6 to 10 hours. Like this, the sun will evaporate all the filthy moisture and kill the bacteria from your wall-to-wall.
Prepare Detergent And Baking Soda Solution
As discussed above, baking soda is one of the best remedies to eliminate the foul odor of the carpet. But if you load it along with regular detergent, then other than smell correction, you can also eliminate the reason for that foul odor.
If your carpet stinks due to your pet pee, then a solution consisting of detergent and baking soda will deep clean the pee-stained region and neutralize the foul odor. To use it,
- Mix 1/2 cup of baking soda with 2 scoops of detergent and mix both the cleaners well.
- Pour some fresh water on the smelly part of the carpet, then sprinkle the mixture over it.
- Wait for a few minutes and blot the solution with a clean microfiber towel.
- Do not rub your carpet with extra pressure, as it can damage the fibers and lead to shedding.
- Rinse the carpet with cold water and air dry it by ventilating the room.
- If you have cleaned a large area of carpet, then rather than ventilating, hang your carpet under the sun to evaporate all the moisture and germs.
Use Enzyme Cleaner
If you think that a DIY cleaner is not enough to eliminate your pet’s smell, then you can grab a carpet cleaning enzyme specially designed to eliminate pet odor. The best part of such a cleaner is it does not cause any fading or bleaching and does not require excess water to rinse.
Also, an enzyme cleaner is a lot easier to apply as it does not include any pre-preparation and solution formation procedures.
However, such commercial cleaners are more expensive than DIY ones, and you have to use them repeatedly to get a pet stinking out of the carpet completely.
Points To Remember:
- If you use an enzyme cleaner, read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully before applying it to your wall-to-wall.
- While buying an enzyme cleaner, consult the retailer to see if the cleaner is safe for your rug material or not.
Can Professional Carpet Cleaners Remove Pet Smell From Carpet?
Yes, a professional carpet cleaners can effectively eliminate pet odor and remove peeing stain, dander, shedding hair, rubbing marks, etc. This is because the professional uses a special cleaning method and solution that absorbs the bad fumes and their source all at once.
However, hiring or renting a professional cleaner can be expensive!
So, if you have pets who are habitual of sitting or playing along the carpet, opt for a DIY cleaning solution to stain clean or deep clean your wall-to-wall.
Tips To Prevent Pet Odor On Carpet
To keep your carpet fresh and aromatic for a long, vacuum it regularly or twice a week in extra busy months. Also, deep clean it once every 12 to 18 months, depending on where your carpet is laid.
Remember that if your wall-to-wall is unrolled over a high foot-traffic zone, such as a hallway or living area, then it will need more cleaning than one in your bedroom.
If your pet pees on the carpet, then stain clean it immediately with any of the above-mentioned solutions because there is a high chance that your pet will return back to its urinated region and pee there again.
To give a permanent solution to such a situation, train your pet to pee in the toilet or litter and cover the carpet area where it usually claws, rubs its body, or pees. You can also use an odor-neutralizing spray that contains a pungent citric smell because pets hate such a smell and do not visit the place that releases such fumes.
Also, do not let your pet walk or sit on the carpet just after a bath because a rug is at a high risk of developing molds and mildew when it’s wet.
Wrapping Up
It’s normal for the carpet to stink! But if it smells due to your pet pee or any accidental stain, then such a smell can suffocate you and your loved ones and lead to some harmful diseases. So instead of praying for its removal, it’s better to ask “How To Get Pet Smell Out Of Carpet?”
Like this, you will find a few expert home remedies to eliminate some strong pet odors and freshen up your carpet without harming its fibers.
FAQs
What smell works best to remove pet odor?
If you want to remove your pet’s smell from the carpet or home, then you can choose a scent with lavender essence. This essence is safe for your pet, carpet, and house and has anti-bacterial properties that can eliminate the reason for bad fumes as well.
What is the best DIY odor eliminator for carpets?
For carpets, baking soda and white vinegar are the best odor eliminators. This is because they have anti-bacterial and smell-neutralizing properties that can fix the reason for stinking as well.
What is the best commercial odor eliminator?
There are several odor-neutralizing sprays and cleaners available in the market. But a few of them are mostly recommended by experts, such as:
- BUBBA’S Enzyme Cleaner Pet Odor Eliminator
- Rocco & Roxie Stain & Odor Eliminator
- Zero Odor Pet Odor Eliminator Spray
- Arm and Hammer Pet Fresh Carpet Odor Eliminator Plus Oxi Clean Dirt Fighters
- Odorcide KOE Kennel Odor Eliminator Concentrate