When it comes to maintaining your carpet, it is very important to deal with stains and messes promptly. The longer they sit, the greater the chance they will become permanent or cause deep carpet damage. Use paper towels or absorbent cloths to soak up liquid spills or pet accidents and pick up any non-liquid messes without pushing them into the carpeting.
If you’re dealing with a pet stain, especially urine, you will need to neutralize it as well. This is necessary for two reasons; first you have to neutralize the odor so you don’t smell it in your house. Second, if the smell lingers, your pets may be drawn back to the area and use it again.
When it comes to neutralizing pet odor it’s best to use a cleaner with enzymes that specifically target urine. Regular carpet cleaners may mask the smell to humans but not to your pets.
When using an enzyme cleaner, start by blotting up as much of the urine as possible, then saturate the area with the cleaner (be sure to soak it all the way down to the carpet pad). Some cleaners will direct you to let the product air dry and others will suggest covering the area with plastic for 24 hours first. Follow the directions the first time you use the product; if you don’t get the results you would like, try the other method. You may have to use the enzyme cleaner more than once to completely neutralize the smell.
For small stains – spills, footprints, and such – using a small portable carpet cleaner can work well. You can use a large upright cleaner but a handheld is more convenient. These usually work the same way the large machines do, just on a smaller scale. At Royal Interior Cleaning, we recommend the portable unit because it often means stains get cleaned up right away.
Taking care of small stains quickly means getting a lot more life out of your carpet. With proper care your carpeting can easily last twenty years before needing replacement.
If you have a lot of stains or just stains you can’t get out yourself, give us a call. We are located in Ontario and service the entire Greater Toronto Area. You can contact us online and take advantage of our 20% off Internet special.
