Last Updated on June 7, 2023 by ellen
Having a pet can be messy and if you’ve had one for a while, your carpet probably leaves a few telltale signs behind. If you have given up on finding pet safe carpet cleaners that really work, don’t. They do exist and you’ll want to keep a few on hand for the next time your pet makes a mess on the carpet. While there are a lot of carpet cleaners out there, most of them are not safe for your pet.
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Pet Safe Carpet Cleaners
When you think about it, your pet spends pretty much all of their time very close to the ground. They walk on your carpet. They lay on your carpet. That means that they are exposed to the household chemicals you use to clean your floors and carpets regularly.
Pets generally leave behind two types of messes on the carpet: hair and protein. Hair is simple enough to vacuum away with a good quality pet vacuum. Protein stains can include things like urine, feces, hairballs, and vomit. In most cases, a carpet cleaner that’s designed for pet stains will also work just as well on food stains, kid stains or general dirt and soil. Plus, it has the added benefit of being safe for your animals.
Look at the label
The next time you’re at the store, take a look at the label on the household cleaners you’re purchasing. Make sure that you also look for the warnings which may include the fact that they are not pet or child safe. If the label says that you should keep your pet away from the area you cleaned, there is a good chance that it’s not pet safe. If your store doesn’t have a carpet cleaner that is marked safe for pets, try looking at a pet store like Petco or on Amazon.
Start with water
In many cases, water and a little gentle scrubbing are all that you need to remove stains if you’ve gotten them quickly enough. Be sure that you use cool water rather than warm water to avoid setting the stain into the carpet. For a real deep cleaning, you can use a wet vac. If you notice stains regularly, you can purchase your own. Otherwise, you can rent them from most major grocery stores.
Natural choices
One of the best pet safe carpet cleaners is simply baking soda. For regular cleaning and stain removal, apply a thin layer of baking soda to your carpet and let it sit for an hour. Then, vacuum it up. If you have a specific stain that you want to remove, you can make a paste of table salt and lemon juice (or white vinegar) and apply that to the stain. Just scrub and then follow with baking soda and vacuuming.
What to avoid
Ingredients like bleach and ammonia are not pet-friendly and should be avoided. The fumes aren’t good for people or pets to breathe. And, since your pet is so much closer to the ground than you are, the ingredients will affect them much more than you or me. Commercially scented household products can also be a problem for your pet. The fragrances and chemicals that are used to make your carpet smell like flowers and perfume aren’t things your pet should be inhaling.
What works
If you’re looking for pet safe carpet cleaners, try a natural enzyme cleaner. This carpet cleaner works fast on urine and is also pet safe.
Of course, you will want to use pet safe cleaners throughout your home, not just on your carpet. Your pet will be on your furniture, your blankets and even your tabletop depending on what type of animal you have. Read this article with natural cleaning tips for more information.
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- Pet safe air freshener
- Homemade carpet deodorizer
- Homemade dog repellent
Ellen runs a small pet sitting business in southern Vermont. She has experience with a variety of small animals, dogs and cats. She has also cared for ducks, chickens and rabbits. Combined, she has over 20 years of experience in pet care and pet sitting.