Do you have a new puppy? If so, you might find yourself facing some accidents in the carpets. Even the best of puppies sometimes have accidents while they are potty training. This leaves you with a huge mess and, even worse, a terrible odor. Luckily, you don’t have to live with dog urine in your carpets. Here are the best ways to remove pet urine from your carpets and keep it from happening again.
1. Try to Stop it in the Moment
This isn’t always possible, but if you happen to catch the accident in progress, then you are actually lucky. Not only does this mean that you can clean the mess up sooner, leaving it less likely to stain, but it also gives you the opportunity to teach your dog.
Don’t yell at or punish your dog. This will only scare and confuse him. Instead, gently correct the behavior. Say “Whoops, outside,” and quickly take your dog outside to where he is supposed to relieve himself. This will reinforce the correct behavior.
2. Treat the Mess Immediately
No one likes to deal with pet urine, especially if it happens in the middle of the night or when you’re busy. However, the sooner you take care of it, the easier it will be to clean and the more likely you are to remove the mess completely before a stain sets in. Don’t put cleaning up off!
3. Remove Moisture
First, you will want to remove as much of the excess moisture as you can by gently blotting the area with paper towels (be sure to dispose of these in the outside garbage immediately so you don’t stink up your home). It might be tempting to try to dry the spot by either laying a towel down and applying pressure or by using a hairdryer. However, the pressure will push the stain further into your carpets and heat will make it worse.
4. Treat the Spot
There are a variety of cleaning solutions that you can use to clean the mess. There are many store-bought pet urine removers on the market. Just be sure to spot test these in a small area before you apply them to the entire stain, as they may damage your carpet.
For a more natural option, liberally sprinkle baking soda on the spot. Let it sit for a while (overnight if you can) and then vacuum it up.
5. Handle Deeper Damage
Once you have finished treating the stain, you might notice the smell hasn’t gone away. This is usually the result of urine that has sunk deeper into your carpets, where it is harder to remove. If your cleaning didn’t remove all of the urine, it might be time to call in the cleaning professionals who can do it right Make sure that you choose cleaners who specialize in pet urine removal, like San Juan County Chem-Dry. A regular carpet steam cleaning will only make matters worse (remember how we said heat will set the stain?). The right cleaner will treat the pet urine spot specifically and break the urine crystals down so they can be removed for good.
6. Prevent Future Accidents
Once you have taken care of the spot, you will want to take precautions to avoid future accidents. Make sure that you are taking your dog outside enough. The younger your puppy is, the more often you will need to take him out to relieve himself. Make sure to stick to a pretty consistent schedule too. If you must change the schedule, make sure to do it gradually so your dog can adjust.
You will also make sure that you stay on top of training. Inconsistent training will only confuse your dog.
If your dog has repeat accidents, especially if he was previously house-broken, it might mean that something is wrong. Take your dog to the vet to rule out any medical issues that might be causing issues. They will also have advice on how to stop the issue.
We hope that these tips will help you when your dog has an accident. Pet urine isn’t ever fun to deal with, but it is a problem that you can address and take care of properly.
