Tackling Tough Pet Stains And Odors

Being prepared is the key when it comes to eliminating the toughest stains and odors caused by pet accidents. For starters, make sure you have a pet carpet spot and stain remover on hand so you can tackle messes as soon as they occur. We recommend having our Rug Doctor® by BISSELL® Urine Eliminator Spot & Pre-Treat spray because it’s important to have a formula specifically for pet odors and stains.

Use The Right Pet Stain Carpet Cleaner

The right pet stain formula, with enzyme cleaning action, can help clean up a range of common pet “uh-ohs” such as:

• Urine
• Blood
• Vomit

Enzyme-Action Pet Stain Remover To The Rescue

Enzyme-action cleaning works because of the probiotics found in the formula. Once released onto a stain, they “eat” the microscopic particles that make it up.

Keep in mind that these enzyme-based solutions work especially well when a moist towel is placed over the stained area after it has been sprayed with the cleaning formula. For the typical fresh stain or urine accident, let the cleaner stand for 3-5 hours so it has time to work properly. For particularly tough stains, even those dried ones you’ve found long after they’ve happened, give the formula plenty of time to work–for 24 hours or longer.

Once the area has been pre-treated, you can deep clean the area as you normally would—with even better results. Want even more tips, keep reading!

Tips For How To Remove Urine Stains

• Clean up the mess as soon as you see it. Urine stains that have dried and set are harder to clean than fresh urine stains.
• If there is still moisture, gently blot with a white towel or paper towel, without pressing on the stain.
• Spray the urine stain and surrounding area with a spray cleaner. Enzyme action cleaners, like our Urine Eliminator, work best for organic stains like urine.  Enzyme cleaners should be sprayed onto the stain and the surrounding area, enough to saturate the carpet. If the stain is fresh, wait 5 minutes then blot with a color-safe cloth before letting it air dry. If the stain is older or dry, cover the sprayed mess with a damp cloth so that the area stays moist for 24 hours or longer. This keeps the enzymes active and fighting the stain.
• To get a deep carpet clean, you should rent a Rug Doctor® by BISSELL® carpet cleaner. Using a carpet cleaning machine rental will help fully remove urine stains from your carpet.

Tips For How To Clean Pet Vomit From Carpet

• Pick up and clean your pet’s vomit mess from carpet as soon as you see it. Stains that dry and set are harder to clean than fresh stains.
• Scoop and clean up any solid waste using a paper plate or something similar so you can “lift” up the mess without pushing any of it further into the carpet.
• Gently blot up any remains with a white towel or paper towel, without pressing on the stain.
• Spray the mess and surrounding area with a spray cleaner. For this step, it’s important to select the right cleaner. Oxygen action cleaners, like our Oxy Spot + Pretreat, will work better for colored stains like vomit or blood. Saturate the carpet when you spray the stain. If it is still visible after a few minutes, re-apply.
• To get a deep carpet clean, you should rent a Rug Doctor® by BISSELL® carpet cleaner. Using a carpet cleaning machine rental will help fully remove those pet stains from your carpet.

Where To Find A Carpet Cleaner Rental Near Me

Next time you think that your carpet needs to be cleaned, look for a store near you that offers Rug Doctor ® by BISSELL® rental machines. Just go to our Location Search Tool and type in your zip code (or postal code if you are in Canada).

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Why does my cat puke on carpet?

The occasional hairball can be annoying to deal with, but do you know why cats choose to puke on the carpet? We promise it’s not for you to practice getting stains out of carpet. It’s because vomiting isn’t fun for cats and they want to be in a place that is cozy, or maybe has more traction than a hard floor. It may even be an instinctual behavior that goes back to wanting to bury or cover the vomit – carpet just looks like a better place to do that than the hard floor does.

What is the best carpet cleaning solution for cat hairball stains?

Our recommendation for the best carpet cleaner for pet stains, such as hairballs, is the Professional Oxy Spot + Pretreat cleaner. The cleaner removes tough pet stains by quickly penetrating deep into the carpet fibers. It permanently removes stains in just 30 seconds.

How to remove hairball stains from carpet

So, how do you get hairball stains out of carpet? It’s best to clean up the cat puke when it’s fresh or as soon as you see it. To effectively remove cat hairballs from carpet, follow these steps:

1. Pick up solid hairball and waste
2. Blot excess liquid without pushing the liquid further into the carpet and carpet pad
3. Apply Professional Oxy Spot + Pretreat to the stained and surrounding area. Spray in a circular pattern, completely covering the cat puke stain and the surrounding area. Allow the cleaner to work for 5-10 minutes. The oxygen-active system will attack the color bodies, which stain fibers and penetrate deep below carpet fibers.

How to remove old vomit stains from carpet

If you don’t catch the hairball when it’s fresh, don’t worry about it. It happens. Follow the same steps as above to clean your carpet, but add one more step at the end:

1. Using a color-safe cloth, gently work the formula into the hairball-stained area using light strokes from the edges of the stain working your way towards the center. When you reach the center, lightly pinch the area in an upward motion to lift the stain out. Don’t scrub down into the carpet.
2. Depending on how bad the stain is, and the length of time it has been left, you may have to repeat the steps.

Cleaning Cat Vomit from Couches and Furniture

We hate to say this, but cats can vomit on couches and furniture, too. The cleaning process remains the same. Just make sure that you leave plenty of time for the upholstery to dry. Before using any spot removal solutions or formulas, always test a small, hidden area for colorfastness and examine it when dry. If color is affected, do not use. For upholstery, look for the manufacturer’s cleanability code tag. Use on fabric coded “WS” or “W”. If coded “X” or “S”, do not use. Not recommended for use on velvet, silk, vinyl, or leather upholstery.

Rent a Carpet Cleaner

To make sure the cat vomit, hairballs, and stains are gone, rent a Rug Doctor® by BISSELL® carpet cleaner. You’ll get professional-grade cleaning results for a fraction of the price. You can find our carpet cleaner rentals at a local store near you. Not sure how to use a rental carpet deep cleaner? We have step-by-step instructions right here.

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1. Pick up solids
   Pick up solids with a spoon, spatula or create a scraper by cutting a paper plate in half and use the two straight edges to scoop underneath the mess. Grabbing the mess with a paper towel can push the stain and solids further into the carpeting.
2. Blot up excess liquids
   Blot liquids with an absorbent cloth or paper towels. White materials are recommended because certain dyes may bleed and worsen the stain. Remember not to press down hard on the area when blotting up a mess, as it can push the liquid deeper into the carpeting and pad.
3. Apply cleaning solution to treat the stain
   After the mess is removed, apply Professional Oxy Spot + Pretreat spray to the stained and surrounding area. Spray in a circular pattern, completely covering the stain and the surrounding area. Allow cleaner to work for 5-10 minutes. The oxygen-active system will attack the color bodies which stain fibers and penetrate deep below carpet fibers, removing even old stains.
4. Remove carpet vomit stain
   Using a cloth or towel, gently work the formula into the area using light strokes from the edges of the stain to the center; when your cloth reaches the center of the stain, lightly pinch the area in an upward motion to lift the stain out. Do not scrub the stain.
5. Deep clean and prevent future stains
   To get a deep carpet clean you can feel good about, it’s best to rent a Rug Doctor® by BISSELL® carpet cleaner at your local store. Not sure how to use a carpet cleaner? It’s easy. We have step-by-step instructions right here.

Five Things to Remember when Cleaning Dog Vomit:

• Before using any spot removal solutions or formulas, always test a small, hidden area for colorfastness and examine it when dry. If color is affected, do not use. For upholstery, look for the manufacturer’s cleanability code tag. Use on fabric coded “WS” or “W”. If coded “X” or “S”, do not use. Not recommended for use on velvet, silk, vinyl, or leather upholstery.
• To remove vomit stains and related odors, it is important to address these issues as quickly as possible. Do not use warm or hot water to try to clean the mess as it may set the stain.
• What your pet eats and drinks, the length of time the area has been soiled, the carpet construction and type, and other factors greatly affect how well the soil or stains can be removed.
• You should always use cleaners according to the labeled product instructions.
• Keep children and pets off until dry and vacuumed.

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The Best Formula to Remove Urine Stains

Need to learn how to remove urine stains? The best way is with an enzyme-action formula like our Professional Urine Eliminator. Why an enzyme-action formula? When used properly, the enzymes in these solutions work to break down and digest stains and tackle odors on the surface, as well as those that have seeped down into your carpet padding. Once the spray is released from the bottle, the enzymes are activated and begin working. If kept moist, they will continue to multiply and remove the material until it’s gone. That’s why keeping a damp towel on the stain and giving it plenty of time to work will help ensure that the stain is thoroughly removed.

How to Remove Urine Stains from Carpet:

1. Saturate the Stain
   Saturate the stain and surrounding area with an enzymatic cleaning solution, like our Professional Urine Eliminator.
2. Work the Cleaning Solution into the Stain
   Using a cloth or towel, gently work the solution into the area using light strokes from the edges of the stain to the center; when your cloth reaches the center of the stain, lightly pinch the area in an upward motion. Do not rub the stain.
3. Cover Stain with a Damp Towel
   Cover the area with a damp towel so the area remains moistened for 24-48 hours. The enzyme action will break down organic material until it is gone. Uncover the area and allow it to dry.
4. Vacuum Stain Area
   Vacuum the entire area after it is dry.

How to Take Care of Stubborn Stains

If the stubborn stain remains after spot cleaning, rent a Rug Doctor® by BISSELL® carpet deep cleaner. That is the best way for how to clean carpet stains. Not sure how to rent and use a carpet cleaner? Here are the steps:

• Find your closest store using our location finder and go rent the carpet cleaner.
• Vacuum the area before carpet deep cleaning.
• Prepare the machine before plugging it in and turning it on by filling the clean water tank with hot tap water and our Professional machine formula.
• Turn on the machine and press down the trigger. Slowly make two wet passes across the carpet.  Let go of the trigger and do two more dry passes to suction up the dirty water. Continue these passes until the area you want cleaned is covered.
• Clean the carpet deep cleaner by rinsing the tanks, removing pet hair from the wheels and brush roll, and wiping down the bottom of the machine.
• Return the carpet cleaner to the rental location. 

Tips Before Using A Pet Stain Remover:

• Before using any spot removal solutions or formulas test a small, hidden area for colorfastness and examine when dry. If color is affected, do not use. For upholstery, look for manufacturer’s cleanability code tag. Our water-based cleaners are safe to use on fabric coded “WS” or “W”. If coded “X” or “S”, do not use. Not recommended for use on velvet, silk, vinyl or leather upholstery.
• If you leave urine untreated, you may wind up with a difficult to remove yellow stain, or worse, loss of color pigment in carpet. Over time, urine salts become highly alkaline, and can bleach out your primary carpet dyes, starting with the weaker red and blue colors. You could be left with a yellowish or off-white discoloration. At this point, your only options to remove the settled stain are to dye or patch the carpet.
• Always use cleaners according to labeled product instructions.
• Keep children and pets off the carpet until it is dry and vacuumed.

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Dogs urinate inside the house for many reasons. Cleaning up dog urine in your home doesn’t make you love your furry best friend any less, but it can certainly be baffling when your good boy starts developing bad behaviors. Luckily, with a little bit of know-how, you can help your dog correct his behavior before it becomes a habit and get back to nuzzling noses in no time.

Why do dogs pee in the house?

If your dog urinates in the house, learning why he’s doing it is the first step to putting a stop to it for good. To humans, urine is urine. To our dogs, however, it’s more complicated. A dog who is house soiling will urinate in the house for different reasons than a dog who is marking his territory.

If your dog is emptying her bladder inside the house, she is house soiling. There are quite a few reasons she may do this:

Is she sick?

If your family dog starts urinating indoors, you should visit the vet to have them diagnose or rule out illness or infection.

Is she anxious or scared?

If your dog is frightened or experiencing separation anxiety, she may lose control of her bladder. With your vet’s assistance, you can identify stressors in your dog’s daily life and help ease her anxiety and fear.

Is she housetrained?

While we typically associate housetraining accidents with puppies, they are not the only culprits. Senior dogs may forget their housetraining, and a previously housetrained adult dog may need retraining when a new family adopts her.

Why do dogs mark territory by urinating in the house?

A dog who is marking his territory isn’t doing so out of a need to urinate. To stop this behavior, you will need to figure out why it started. Some possible causes are:

Is your dog spayed or neutered?

If your dog is marking to find a mate, spaying or neutering may put an end to this behavior.

Are there new pets or people in your house?

If you’ve introduced a new pack member, whether a roommate, a baby, or another pet, your dog may start marking his territory to re-establish his place in the pack.

Have you moved to a new home or brought new textiles into your old house?

A new home, a new carpet, or even a fresh coat of paint brings strange smells to your dog’s nose which might cause him to add his scent back into the environment and re-establish it as his.

How can I get my dog to stop peeing in the house?

You’ve seen your dog sniff out a single speck of cereal beneath a sofa cushion, and he always seems to know when you open a jar of peanut butter, even when you don’t make a sound. That seemingly sixth sense he has that catches you in the act of fixing a midnight snack isn’t supernatural: dogs can smell nearly 100,000 better than humans.

Once your dog has urinated indoors, there’s a risk that he’ll return to the same spot to go again, and he may develop a location or surface preference for this area if it continues. To stop his one-time indiscretion from becoming an ongoing issue, you need the right cleaning solution to remove the stain and eliminate any traces of odor that his super scent-detector might pick up.

Help stop your dog from re-marking

If your dog’s soiling or marking has become a habit, you’ll need to break the old pattern and establish a new one to stop the behavior.

If stains consistently appear in the same spot, you should thoroughly clean the area and then move his crate, bed, or food and water dishes on top of it. A dog will rarely urinate where he sleeps or eats, so changing his relationship with the location can help break the habit. After two weeks without incident, you can move the bed or food back to its original place if you wish. Storing your dog’s toys and playing with him each day in that spot can also be a practical solution in spaces too small for his bed or feeding station.

How to Remove Urine Stains for Good

When your dog is urine marking, removing urine stains and odors is a critical part of curtailing the behavior. Unfortunately, urine marking does not always leave a telltale puddle, making it difficult to detect and destroy every mark your dog has made. You don’t need to catch your dog in the act to find his favorite spots, however, you can do your own detective work with a urine-detecting blacklight.

Locate Hidden Stains

Use the blacklight to locate hidden carpet stains and saturate each one with an enzyme-action cleaning solution. If the stain is fresh, gently blot up as much moisture as possible with a dry, white cloth before treating the stain. Note that even after the mess is cleaned, it will likely still be visible by blacklight, but the tone will have changed. 

Apply Solutions to the Stain

Spray the stain thoroughly to get down deep to the base of the stain. Make sure you clean the area around the stain too. Once urine, or any stain, gets down into the carpet backing, it can spread farther than the stain you see on the top of the carpet.

Allow Formula to Penetrate the Stain

Allow the formula to penetrate the stain for 5-10 minutes for fresh stains or cover the area with a moist towel and allow the enzymes to work for up to 48 hours on old stains.

Blot the Stain

Blot the area again with a clean cloth to absorb as much of the liquid as you can.

Before using any pet stain cleaning solution for the first time, test an inconspicuous area and allow it to dry to check for colorfastness.

If the stains aren’t confined to one area or are occurring in a new home, a carpet deep clean may be your best bet to remove all the urine stains and odors at once. A Rug Doctor® by BISSELL® rental carpet cleaning machine is your secret weapon in the fight against house soiling and urine marking, with quick-drying, professional results that you can achieve in just a few hours. Add the upholstery tool to your rental if you need to get into hard-to-reach spaces; it helps you tackle the toughest stains no matter where they are, so you can finish up fast and get back to spending time with the people (and dogs) you love. Not sure how to use a professional rental carpet cleaner?  See how easy it can be How to Use a Carpet Cleaner here.

Find a rental carpet deep cleaner at pet specialty, grocery, and home improvement stores. Click here to find one near you.

Have a cat? Click here to learn HOW TO KEEP YOUR CAT FROM URINATING OUTSIDE THE LITTER BOX.

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At some point in their lives, 10% of cats will urinate outside of the litter box. It’s concerning when a member of your furry family starts acting differently, and it’s even more frustrating when that new behavior leaves behind both a mess and an odor. Thankfully, cleaning up doesn’t have to be an uphill battle. Armed with information about the science behind the stains and some insight into your furry friend’s behavior, you can bounce back from life’s little messes and focus on what matters.

Why Do Cats Urinate Outside of the Litter Box?

To get to the bottom of Kitty’s new behavior, you’ll need to take a closer look at her actions. Urinating outside of the litter box is not the same as urine marking; while the difference may seem subtle, knowing what each deed looks like can help to identify the cause as well as the solution.

Cat urinating outside litter box

If your cat is urinating outside of the litter box, you will notice that he is not using the litter box at all or is using it infrequently. Instead, he will empty his bladder outside of the box and may defecate outside of the litter box, as well. If you have multiple cats, you may need to keep them separated or observe them for a time to determine which cat is having a problem.

Marking outside litter box

When a cat is marking an area with her urine, she will typically continue to use the litter box. Additionally, however, she will mark surfaces with a smaller volume of urine. Marks generally are, but not always, on vertical surfaces and, if you catch your cat in the act, you will notice her raise her tail and back up before spraying. Urine marking isn’t about urination but, rather, about communication.

How To Remove Urine Stains

Once your cat has urinated outside of his litter box, no matter the reason, he may make it a habit long after the cause is uncovered and resolved. You don’t need to wait to figure out why the behavior began to start preventing its return, however. In fact, the best way to avoid re-soiling is to remove the urine stain and scent as soon as possible.

What kind of cleaner should you use for pet stains?

Your cat’s sense of smell is more than ten times stronger than yours, and if she can smell the scent of urine, she’s more likely to urinate in that same spot again. Passing your fastidious feline’s sniff test is a breeze, however, when you have the right cleaner for the job.
 
An enzyme-action solution is the best way to help eliminate both stains and odors that all-purpose cleaners can leave behind. The enzymes work hard, so you don’t have to, breaking down or digesting not just the stain itself but the odor-causing molecules, as well.

How to Remove Fresh Urine Stains

Blot Liquids

Gently blot liquids with paper towels or a clean, absorbent cloth. A light touch is essential to extracting as much of the urine as possible without pushing it further into the fibers and padding.
 

Saturate Area with Cleaner

Saturate the area to be cleaned with an enzymatic cleaner. We recommend Urine Eliminator Pre-Treat & Spot Cleaner which is designed to tackle even the toughest cat urine stains and odors.

Let the product sit

Allow the product to sit for 5-10 minutes while it penetrates the stain and the enzymes work to break down stains and odors. For best results, cover the area with a damp a moist towel and allow the enzymes to work for up to 24 hours.

Blot stain with cloth

Using a clean, color-safe cloth, blot the area again to extract the stain and as much liquid as possible.

Stay off the stain until dried

You and other two- and four-legged members of your family should stay off the treated area until it has dried and been vacuumed. If you’re using a pet stain remover for the first time, test a small spot for colorfastness, observing it after its dry to determine if the color is affected.

 
It’s always best to clean up pet accidents as soon after they occur as possible. Once a urine stain has set, it may cause a loss of pigment or yellowing of the fabric.

Prevent Future Marking and Litter Box Mishaps

To prevent future urination outside of the litter box, you’ll need to identify and treat the cause in addition to erasing the stains and odors left by past accidents.

How to stop your cat from urinating outside of the litter box

Cats may do their business outside of the litter box due to medical or social reasons. Your veterinarian should examine your cat to identify or rule out medical causes, such as urinary tract infections, kidney problems, stress, or other issues. If a medical problem doesn’t explain the behavior, it may be a social or environmental issue. Here are a few to consider:

• Do you have enough litter boxes? Multiple cats require multiple litter boxes, at least one per cat.
• Is your litter box clean and accessible? Felines are known for being fastidiously clean, and this extends to their litter boxes. If a litter box isn’t cleaned to your cat’s standards, she may refuse to use it. Similarly, if it is in a difficult to reach place or she can’t comfortably use it due to its size or other features, she may refuse to use it.  
• Have you switched litter? Cats are particular animals, and their preferences may include their litter. While a switch to 1-ply might not seem like cause for a bathroom boycott to you, your cat may feel otherwise and continue the strike until her preferred conditions are restored.

Understanding your cat’s marking behavior

If your cat is engaging in urine marking behaviors, he’s trying to send a message. In nature, adult cats are solitary animals with an indirect communication style. Unlike pack animals, the feline communication system is more akin to leaving notes around their territory for others to find.
 
A cat who is marking in the house has something to say. As with urinating outside of the litter box, you should consult your veterinarian to rule out a medical cause. While marking itself is not a medical condition, if your cat is sick or uncomfortable, he may develop anxiety which can lead to marking. He may also be responding to animals he sees through windows and doors, or other pets in the home that he views as a threat or competition. Blocking his view or adding litter boxes and perching areas can help him to claim his own space without spraying.  

Eliminate old cat urine stains and odors 

While finding and eliminating the cause of your cat’s behavior may take some trial and error, removing the stains and odors should start immediately. Once your cat no longer has a reason to urinate outside of her litter box, she may still develop a preference for the new location if the scent has not been eradicated.
 
Cleaning your carpet with the wrong tools or solutions often leads to phantom smells that come back to haunt you and could cause the hallmark of old pet urine stains: bleaching. Once your carpet or fabric is bleached by urine, a thorough cleaning can remove the remaining traces of odor but won’t be able to correct the color. If you’re dealing with a set in stain, you may need to saturate it with an enzyme cleaner and allow it to sit for 24-48 hours for the enzymes to fully reach the source of the stain.

What to do if the stain is lingering

If your nose tells you that a stain is lingering, but your eyes can’t find it, a blacklight can help you see what you could only smell before and get your home back to feeling its freshest. Note that even after the mess is cleaned, it will likely still be visible by blacklight, but the tone will have changed. 

Find a Rental Location Near You Today to Clean Your Carpet Stains

Cleaning carpet stains, including those that have resisted other cleaners in the past, is best done by a professional grade carpet cleaner rental machine. Our rental carpet deep cleaner can help you get professional, fast-drying results that erase everyday messes and pet accidents alike. If you’re facing down particularly tough stains or difficult to reach spots, the upholstery handheld tool can be added to your rental so you can get every cozy corner cleaned up in a cinch. Not sure how to use a carpet cleaner? It’s easy! We have a step-by-step guide to walk you through the process.

Find a Rug Doctor® by BISSELL® carpet deep cleaner at pet specialty, grocery and home improvement stores. Click here to find one near you.

Have a dog? Click here to learn HOW TO GET RID OF DOG URINE STAINS AND PUT A STOP TO RE-MARKING.

The post The Science of Stains: How to Keep Your Cat from Urinating Outside the Litterbox appeared first on Rug Doctor by BISSELL.

Tips For Pet Families

How Often Should You Clean Your Carpets With Pets In The Home?

Pet owners should clean carpets by vacuuming one to two times a week to keep up on loose pet hair, pet dander, and tracked dirt. Pet owners seeking a deeper carpet clean should shampoo carpet three to four times per year. Cleaning when the seasons change is an easy way to remember when it’s time to deep clean your carpets! Of course, depending on how many pets you have and how long their hair is can change how often you should clean your carpet.

Why Should Pet Owners Clean Their Carpets?

There are several benefits of carpet cleaning for pet owners. Renting a Rug Doctor® by BISSELL carpet cleaning machine can help pet owners clean their carpets to remove stains, embedded dirt, pet dander, pet hair, and other debris. Deep cleaning carpet also refreshes your carpet fibers by helping them stay looking nicer and feeling softer for longer.

How To Clean Carpet With Pets In The Home

Now that you know how often your carpets should be cleaned, here is a step-by-step guide to keeping your carpet in tip-top shape by vacuuming and deep carpet cleaning.
 

Vacuuming Carpet With Pets

First: Prepare Your Carpet To Be Vacuumed

Before getting out your vacuum, pick up objects that are on the floor that may get in the way. Toys, pillows, pet beds, etc., all need to be picked up. Make sure blankets or sheets aren’t dragging down on the floor because they could get sucked into the vacuum brush roll. Move cords or curtains that may be in your vacuuming path.

Vacuum In Horizontal And Vertical Motions

Because carpet is walked on and gets pushed down from all directions, it makes sense to vacuum from different directions too. To get the most dirt and debris out of your carpet, go over the carpet one way with your vacuum and then go back over it again in the opposite direction. You may not need to do this every single time you vacuum, but it’s a good tip for high traffic areas in your home, like hallways or the area right in front of your sofa where your dog likes to sleep.
 

How To Shampoo Carpet With a Rug Doctor® by BISSELL® Carpet Cleaner Rental

Prepare Your Carpet For A Deep Carpet Cleaning

First, we recommend vacuuming your carpet right before deep cleaning to remove any loose pet hair or debris.  In addition to getting day-to-day objects out of the way, you may want to move furniture as well. It’s easiest to deep clean carpets when there is no furniture in the room, but even removing small tables and chairs that are hard to maneuver around will make an easier cleaning experience.

Pre-Treat Carpet Stains

Now is also the time to pre-treat any old, set-in carpet stains. Grab one of our pre-treat sprays (Oxy Spot + Pretreat for oxidizable stains like cola, red wine, chocolate, or coffee; Urine Eliminator for pet stains) and spray the stained areas in your carpet. The pre-treat spray will work on the stain while you are preparing your rental machine.

Deep Clean Your Carpet

Now it’s time to deep carpet clean! Plug in the rental machine and turn it on. Press the trigger on the handle to dispense cleaning solution and make one slow cleaning pass. Then repeat, without the trigger pulled, to rinse the area. Repeat until the solution being pulled up looks clean. We recommend at least two cleaning and two drying passes.  Continue this process until the whole room has been cleaned. Pro tip: Start in a far corner so that when you are done, you are near the doorway and not trapped across the room!

Use Upholstery & Stair Cleaning Tool Attachments

Even though our upright carpet cleaners are easy to use, there are places that they can’t get to easily, but there’s no need for a special rental upholstery cleaner. That’s why we have an Upholstery & Stair Cleaning tool attachment available to add on to your rental for just $5.99. Our Upholstery & Stair Cleaning add-ons all have a long hose and a tool with a brush.

For more information on how to use an upright carpet cleaner, check out our How to Use page. Looking to rent a carpet cleaner near you today? Find a carpet cleaner rental location near you.

Keeping Your Carpet Clean With Pets

Clean And Dry Paws When Pets Come Inside

To help keep your carpets from getting as dirty, clean your pet’s paws when they come in from outside. Keep an old towel by all the doors to your home, and make sure all family members know they need to wipe paws before pets come back into the house.

In the north, consider covering pets’ paws with paw wax or booties before they go outside in winter. It will help with muddy paw prints on carpet, but more than that, it will protect paws from the salt that is so often spread to melt ice on sidewalks and streets. Deicing salt can irritate paws, and pets can ingest it when they lick their paws after a walk. Then either take off the booties or wipe off the wax when you get home!

Use area rugs or runners to protect high-traffic areas of carpet.

Another tip to keep your carpet protected is to use area rugs or runners, especially in hallways and other high-traffic areas. Area rugs can reduce wear and tear on those spots in your carpet that get the most use – like the hallway between the kitchen and bathroom, or the carpet in front of the stairs or couch. Another good thing about area rugs is that they are easy to move and vacuum around, and easy to clean more often.

Keep Pet Cleaning Supplies Handy For Those Unexpected Accidents

It’s also a good thing to keep pet cleaning products in the house in case your pet has an accident. Our Urine Eliminator Pre-Treat and Spot Cleaner spray can also be used to clean up pet messes in between carpet cleaning to help keep your carpet stain and odor-free.
 
Now that you know how often you need to clean your carpet with pets and have some tips and tricks to keep it clean, go enjoy life with your furry friend.  We think having pets as part of your family is one of the best things in life. They are absolutely worth cleaning up those dust bunnies of pet hair that float around your home and picking up the occasional hairball. After all, those are just gifts they are giving you, right?

*NOTE: Before using the machine on carpet, always test the cleaning solution and spot cleaner in an inconspicuous spot or hidden area and allow it to dry before proceeding. If color is affected, do not use the spot cleaner.

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Tips for a Successful Pet Adoption

Choose the right pet for your family

When your family is ready to adopt a pet, there are several things to consider when choosing to save a pet. Are you more interested in rescue dogs? Or would you rather adopt a cat? Or, honestly, one of the many other pets that make their way into the animal shelters. Regardless, we have a few tips to help you make the best fit with your new furry friend:

Visit the Animal Shelter often

Visit your local animal shelter often! This will help you really learn different pets’ personalities. Take time to chat with the staff and volunteers at the animal rescue shelters. They are with the pets more than you’ll be able to before adoption and can help you match up with pets if they get to know you.

Adopt a Pet that Fits your Lifestyle

Know the best fit for your lifestyle. If you really want a puppy but are away from home all day, that might not be the right fit for you. If you have a small apartment, a big dog might not be your best choice. Be open to other pet options. Some pet preferences like size or age matter to your lifestyle, but others, like gender or color, aren’t important to giving a good pet a loving home.

A Pet is a Friend for Life

Remember that you are choosing a friend for life. Don’t decide to adopt a pet without thinking about the financial and time commitments, as well as how they will affect your living situation. We want you and your pet to enjoy a long, happy life together and to start with the best paw forward!

5 Tips to Prepare Your Home for Your Newly Adopted Pet

1. Purchase Pet Supplies Beforehand
   Before you adopt a pet, get ready to bring them home. Be sure that you have:
   • Food, plus food & water bowls
   • Collar with ID tag
   • Bedding
   • Toys
   • Brushes/grooming equipment
   • For dogs: Leash, poop bags
   • For cats: Litter box, scoop, kitty litter, scratching post
   • Cleaning supplies! Paper towels and cleaning sprays for accidents are a must. You can check out pet spot and stain removers on our cleaning solutions page.
     
2. Pet-Proof Your Home
   • Before you bring your new pet home, make sure it is safe for curious pets.
   • Cover trash cans
   • Take breakables off coffee tables and countertops
   • Add child-proof latches to cabinets where chemicals are kept
   • Put away toys and craft supplies
   • Block small spaces where cats or small dogs may get trapped
   • Check electronics for hanging cords (lamps, TV, chargers) and tuck them out of reach
   • Make sure heating and air vents have covers
   • Do you have houseplants? Check to see if they are poisonous to pets and, if so, move out of reach
   • Check everyone’s bedroom for food or old wrappers (no judgment if there are some under the kids’ beds, it happens!)
     
3. Prepare Your Pet’s Personal Space
   All pets need a place where they can retreat when they are ready to be by themselves. Moving to a new home after being at the pet shelter can be overwhelming. Having a crate for a dog or a covered bed or cardboard box for a cat is a great way to give them space that can be theirs away from the busy life of the house. If it’s not possible to do that, maybe gating off an area of the kitchen for a dog or ‘giving’ a cat the small bathroom could be a good compromise.
   
4. Deep Clean Your Home from Top to Bottom
   Has your home ever had a pet before? Even if you haven’t had a pet, your home may have. You need to do a deep clean to make sure that any previous smells are out of the home for good. This will make it a lot less likely for your new pet to mark in places that previous pets may have marked or had accidents. Rug Doctor® by BISSELL® rental carpet cleaners are an easy way to get pet messes out of your carpet. Find a carpet cleaner rental at one of our thousands of locations nationwide!
   
5. Set Family Rules for the First Day
   Bringing your new pet home from an adoption event or animal shelter is an exciting event for the whole family. But it can be a little scary for the pet. Think about letting the new pet meet family members one at a time once they get home, instead of bringing the whole family to the pet shelter. Ease the transition by introducing your pet to one room at a time. Gradually introduce them to other pets through baby gates or crates. If either pet seems to be too nervous or gets aggressive, separate them and try again in a few hours or after things have calmed down.

We hope these tips are helpful as you prepare to adopt a pet into your home!

The post How to Prepare your Home and Tips for Welcoming a New Pet! appeared first on Rug Doctor by BISSELL.