Get the Spot Out: Dealing with Pet Stains in Cats

You walk into the living room and notice that your cat has soiled your carpet. There's only one thing to do – clean it up. But you've got to make sure you clean it right or you'll have more trouble.

The first issue is preventing a permanent stain. Here, time is of the essence. The faster you start working on a stain, the better. Leaving it may give it time to set, or worse, discolor the rug.

The second issue is deodorizing. It is important to eradicate not just the odors that you can smell but those that your pet can smell as well. If a pet can pick up the scent, he may return to the same spot. So be wary of deodorizing products that simply mask smells instead of eliminating them chemically.

Finally, your clean up must be thorough and take hidden problems into account. When a liquid saturates an area, it can seep down into the carpet padding and flooring where it will generate odors out of sight.

The challenge you face depends on the kind of carpet you have. Different fabrics such as wool, synthetic and cotton, react differently to various stains, water temperatures and cleaners. For instance, according to D.A. Burns and Sons Inc., of Seattle, Wash., a nylon carpet, although very resilient, will stain easily if it is not treated with a stain blocker. Almost all household stains can be removed from Olefin, which is a synthetic fiber. Berber carpets are particularly hard to clean since their fibers are tightly woven.

Products and Equipment

Get the Job Done Right

How to Make Your Own Cleaning Solution

The Association of Specialists in Cleaning and Restoration International suggests the following for cleaning and deodorizing a pet stain using common household products:

For problems with odors caused by urine, see Reducing Cat Urine Odor.