Carpet Cleanse
Club soda works wonders when cleaning up urine stains on carpet, says Gary Downing, owner of Happy Cleaning. Just drizzle onto the area and then blot with paper towels again and again, being careful not to rub it into the carpet. "You will see the paper towel become yellow. Use a fresh one until the spot is gone," he says.
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Fruity and Fresh
To freshen up a pee-stained area, Downing recommends keeping this natural concoction on-hand. Soak fruit peel scraps, such as lemons or oranges, in a dark-walled container of water for three weeks, and then store in a spray bottle. After you've used club soda to clean up the stain, treat with the fruit fragrance, and it will overpower the urine smell, he says.
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Enzyme Essentials
Enzyme cleaner is typically the first thing cleaning pros recommend when it comes to eliminating pet messes. And even though this recipe from Claire Goodall of Everyday Roots takes a few months to infuse, it promises effective results. Add seven tablespoons of brown sugar and 1½ cups of lemon and orange peel scraps to a container. Pour in one liter of water and shake well. Allow about three months to sit, so that it reaches its full potency.
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3-Ingredient Stain Eraser
Another concoction of Goodall's is to generously sprinkle baking soda over the stain. Once liquid is no longer being absorbed, mix together ½ cup of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide and 1 teaspoon of liquid dish soap. Pour the solution over the baking soda, and gently scrub with a brush or cloth. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes, and then vacuum the area until the baking soda, and stain, are gone.
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Invaluable Vinegar
Vinegar is a powerhouse ingredient when fighting tough, smelly stains. Make this stain-cleansing spray (another one of Goodall's recipes) by combining two cups of white distilled vinegar with two cups of lukewarm water in a large bowl. Add in four tablespoons of baking soda (beware: it will bubble and fizz), and then pour it into a spray bottle. After spraying the area, let sit for five minutes and then blot with a cloth.
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Odor Free
After applying your enzyme cleaner to the mess, Debra Johnson, national home cleaning expert at Merry Maids, recommends placing plastic wrap over it to ensure the solution doesn't dry out before it fully penetrates the carpet. If it's a popular accident site, you'll also need to neutralize any odors with vinegar (since pets tend to be repeat offenders in the same areas). Johnson suggests combining one cup of vinegar and a gallon of warm water and applying the mixture to all of your pets' previous potty zones.
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Mud Matters
For those oh-so-lovely muddy paw prints that your four-legged friends just paraded around the house, this recipe — compliments of Wellness Mama — is a must. First, let the mud dry and then brush off as much as you can. Treat with a borax/water paste and then wash immediately.
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Grass Be Gone
Grass stains are often another unexpected arrival when pets are strolling in from the outdoors. Wellness Mama suggests scrubbing the stain with dish soap and then treating it with a half hydrogen peroxide, half water mixture.
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DIY Cleaning Wipes
Paw treatment is often your best bet when preventing dirt and germs from being tracked indoors. These wipes by DIY Natural are easy to make while keeping future pet-stain cleanings to a minimum. Just mix together one cup of water, a couple of tablespoons of liquid castile soap and two to three drops of an antibacterial essential oil (that's pet safe), such as lavender or eucalyptus. Pour the mixture over cut-up rags and shake to ensure they're fully coated. (Note: Don't use essential oils with puppies under 10 weeks old).
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