Self Help

Pet odor caused from urine or feces is one of the toughest deodorizing problems you will face. Unless you completely deodorize the area where the pet accident occurred, the animal, especially cats, will return to the spot and resoil it.

Pet odor is a protein-based problem and cannot be eliminated by normal spotting procedures. In order to remove odor, you must use an enzyme product to digest the protein, particularly in urine. If you do not use the correct cleaning procedure, the cat or dog will locate the smell and re-use the area, since animals operate primarily on a sense of smell.

Enzyme products may be purchased at pet supply stores, veterinary clinics and janitorial supply stores. There are many enzyme products available. Do not be fooled into believing that you can spray on a deodorizer and the odor will magically disappear. It won’t happen, and you will have wasted time and money on a product that doesn’t work.

Now let’s get to the basics of pet odor removal:

Remove and Blot. You must remove any solid waste from the area and blot up any liquid residue using a heavy pad, paper towels or old, disposable rags. Lay this pad on the carpet and stand on it to absorb as much liquid as possible.

Treat. Now you are ready to treat the accident with the enzyme product of your choice. Read the directions on the product carefully, following them exactly. Do not be afraid to really saturate the carpet. Generally, pet accidents soak through the carpet back and into the pad, so the enzyme treatment needs to soak in just as deeply. Water will not hurt your carpet; it is dipped in water numerous times during the dyeing process.

Not putting the enzyme in deeply enough will not eliminate the odor. This is the most important step, so be sure to saturate the entire area, covering the circumference of the stain thoroughly, too. Remember, the urine goes into the carpet deeply and spreads.

Cover the treated area with a plastic garbage bag or a dry cleaner’s bag. If there is any lettering on the bag do not let it touch the carpet or it will transfer to the carpet. Weight the plastic down with something heavy - the idea is to keep the enzyme from drying out until it can do its job, which is digesting the protein in the urine or feces. Leave the plastic in place at least 24 hours, preferably 48 hours - resist temptation, don’t peek!

Uncover the area and allow it to dry thoroughly. This may require as much as a week to 10 days, depending on how deeply you treated the spot. To speed drying, let a fan blow across the area. Once the area is completely dry (and only then), check for odor. If there is still odor, re-treat as directed above. If the odor is gone, clean the area with a good-quality carpet spotter that specializes in pet stains. If you have pets, keep some enzyme cleaner and carpet spotter on hand for pet accident emergencies.