How To Clean Pet Accidents: Remove Them For Good

Pets bring so much joy to our lives, but having a tried and true method to clean pet accidents is a necessary evil for fast stain and odor management. Stepping in a fresh pile of who-knows-what at 3 am is NOT the best wake-up; we can tell you that much.

We can help with that. We know how to clean pet accidents permanently.

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Methods 

For all types of accidents, you will need an enzyme cleaner (USA) (Canada) to neutralize and break down the offending stain and odor particles. 

Follow up with a disinfectant to kill the bacteria. Disinfectant types (sprays (USA) (Canada), wipes (USA) (Canada) or liquid (USA) (Canada)) will depend on the surface or material you are cleaning. 

Tip: Vinegar, baking soda, steam, or heat are NOT enzyme cleaners. They will only temporarily neutralize odors. Exposure to humidity or heat will reactivate the uric acid crystals, and the smell will return. Pets will still smell it, and repeat accidents are more likely.

Carpet/Upholstery

Why do pets prefer the hardest areas to clean to leave their mark? Carpet and upholstery absorb and hang on to stains and smells. But we can help eliminate them. 

1. Scoop/blot up as much of the accident as you can (gloves, paper towel, and a garbage bag are your friend).
2. Use an enzyme cleaner to saturate the stain. Remember to read your labels and test in an inconspicuous spot before going to town with the spray. .
   1. For small spots, use a spray. Use enough to penetrate the padding and subflooring/cushion, and let the enzymes work their magic for 15-20 minutes. Blot any excess cleaner and leave to dry naturally to allow the gasses to evaporate. In some cases, this process must be repeated a couple of times to eliminate odors. 
   2. For larger spots, a portable carpet cleaner like the Bissell® Green Machine (USA) (Canada) works wonders. Use the manufacturer’s recommended enzyme solution for your machine (USA) (Canada). 
   3. Repeat if needed. 
3. If a stain remains after neutralizing the odor, you must treat it separately. Read our protein-stain tips here.  
4. Follow up with a disinfecting spray over the area to kill bacteria. 

Tip: For multiple or extensive pet messes (of any kind), the carpet and padding may need to be replaced. Subflooring (like cement or wood) will easily absorb accidents and create a permanent problem. Treating the subflooring is a must before installing new padding and carpet. 

Hard Flooring

Engineered or solid wood flooring will absorb urine, runny stools and vomit if left to sit long enough. Tile is the perfect flooring for pets, but unsealed grout can be a problem as it stains and absorbs odors. Sealing your grout when you have pets is a must! 

1. Scoop/wipe up as much of the accident as you can.
2. Use an enzyme cleaner to saturate the stain.
   1. Use caution with the amount of enzyme cleaner you let sit (for 20 minutes) on hardwood, as boards will warp or swell with excess moisture. Remember to always read your label and test in a small, inconspicuous spot first. Seams or gaps between adjoining boards sometimes need creative attention (like a cloth wet with enzyme cleaner wrapped around a knife). 
   2. Pay special attention to the grout, giving it a scrub with the enzyme cleaner and a scrub brush.

Follow up by mopping your floors with water, bleach and Tide®.

Laundry

Machine washing is the best option when accidents happen on bedding, towels or clothing!

1. Rinse away as much of the accident as you can.
2. Machine wash the items.
   1. Pre-treat the spots with your enzyme cleaner (read your label and ensure it’s laundry-safe), then wash them in the machine. 
   2. Add a fabric-safe enzyme cleaner (USA) (Canada) to the dispenser cup and wash with cold water. Powdered Tide® will always be our preferred detergent because it has built-in enzymes. Add the Tide® directly to the tub.
   3. A second wash cycle for disinfecting is recommended, especially for bedding or towels. Use the sanitizing cycle (hot water), adding bleach or a laundry disinfectant (USA) (Canada) to kill any bacteria.
      Tip: Check your garment labels to be sure high heat and bleach are allowed.
   4. If stains have lifted, dry items as usual. If still visible, spray the area with Tide® Rescue Stain remover (or your preferred brand) and wash again. If you dry an item in the dryer before the stain has fully lifted, the heat from the dryer will set the stain.

Extra Tips:

Urine  

This is a very common question in our inboxes and DMs, especially from cat lovers. Cat urine is a maddeningly distinct, hard-to-treat smell. Behavioral marking is a stinky problem. Dog urine will also produce a strong odor. 

Finding the urine can be challenging. A black-light (USA) (Canada) is a great tool to find exactly where to treat. Urine will crystallize and be easier to spot on hard surfaces. If you find a wet spot, dab up as much pee as possible with paper towel before treating it. 

If you use absorbent training pads, be aware that the urine will not always stay on the pad. It can run off or trickle to the underside. Adding washable pee pads (USA) (Canada) underneath can add an extra layer of protection.

Once you find your problem, use the cleaning steps above to treat the spots. 

Feces

Nobody wants to deal with a poo-nami in the house. But sh** happens. 

Use gloves or toilet paper to pick up the feces and flush it. Don’t intentionally leave solid waste to dry out; it will not be any easier to deal with. For loose stools, wipe up as much as you can with paper towels (wearing gloves) and toss. Then proceed with cleaning as mentioned above.

Vomit

Nothing will wake you up faster than the sound of a pet about to wretch. Cat owners are familiar with the dramatics of hairballs, and they are heard a mile away. 

Clean up the vomit with paper towels (wearing gloves) and toss it. Then, proceed with the treatment above. 

Keep a close eye on young, newly adopted, or elderly fur babies to avoid permanent stains and odors throughout your home. Check out this article on how to clean pet accessories, and this article on how to clean the rest of your house with pets. 

Katie @GoCleanCo