Even the best-behaved dog or cat can't take their shoes off at the door. And just like us, they get ill sometimes. In this article, we'll share the five most common types of pet stains and residues we find when we're carpet cleaning in Leeds and how we use our blacklight - our secret weapon for finding and treating them all.
How Do You Use a Blacklight?
When we're in the homes of customers who have pets, we always carry a blacklight. Some pet stains, like mud or vomit, are instantly apparent. Others lurk in your carpet, invisible to the naked eye. Enter the blacklight - essentially a high-powered UV torch. Biological stains and residues show up as glowing spots, streaks, or patches. If you'll pardon the pun, shining a light on the area needing treatment.
Along with pet-safe carpet cleaning, stain treatment, deodorizing, and carpet protection products, this simple tool ensures we treat the carpet's visible and invisible biological residues. And that's important when you're carpet cleaning to help prevent odors and marks re-surfacing.
The Top 5 Most Common Pet Stains and Residues
1. Mud
Unless you've managed to train your dog or cat to wipe their paws on the doormat, chances are they've tracked mud into your home. As well as the bacteria and nasties that come along with it. Because mud's wet, it gets deep into the carpet fibers. A good vacuum will lift the surface mud, but the residue will build up at the fibers' base over time, making your carpet look duller. This one doesn't show up under blacklight, but a good steam clean will draw the dirt and nasties out.
2. Sweat and Saliva
Did you know that pets sweat through their paws? They do. Dogs more than cats - cats have fewer sweat glands and tend to use other methods like licking themselves to cool down. So, if you have a dog or a cat, chances are you have drool and sweat dropping off or rubbing onto your carpet. If there are large patches in one area, this one can show up with our blacklight. Still, by using a pet-safe, enzyme-based cleaner on the whole area, we can make sure professional carpet cleaning removes the residue.
3. Urine
It can be hard to know if your pet is peeing indoors. Unlike other toilet-related accidents, the smell is sometimes the only hint. The blacklight is excellent for showing us where pee stains are on your carpet. Even if your pet hasn't had an accident, if they come back from a walk or a trip outside and rub themselves on the carpet in a favorite spot, there can be a transfer of urine residue that can build up over time. The area around a litter tray regularly glows under the blacklight (cat urine can come out, especially if the tray is on the small side or too full of litter).
Removing urine from carpets thoroughly using a pet-safe, enzyme-based cleaner and specialist spot treatment is essential. Unfortunately, wet stains like pee can sink through the carpet and embed into the backing. If this happens, there is a risk that the stain and odor will re-surface even with professional treatment as the carpet dries. So, if your carpet has a mysterious wet patch, blot (don't rub), use cold water, and never soak the area! If you use an off-the-shelf product, test it in a non-visible area of your carpet first, and always follow safety instructions like wearing gloves.
4. Vomit
It's usually apparent if your pet has been sick (visually and by the smell)! But, if any residue is left on the carpet, a blacklight will show us where it is. We see traces of vomit left in carpets after cleaning, as many pet owners will clean with household cleaning products, not realizing that you need to use an enzyme-based cleaner to break down the stain thoroughly.
5. Feces
Treating the area of an accident with the correct product - and not soaking the carpet - is essential for your carpets. Like pee, not all transfers of poo onto your carpet are the result of an accident. If your pet isn't 100% clean when they come back indoors, especially if they've had an upset tummy, traces of poo can transfer onto your carpet.
What Can Owners Do About Pet Stains on Carpets?
Owners can reduce some of the stains and residue their pets leave on their carpets by cleaning their paws, toweling them off before they come into the house, and, of course, with good housetraining. If it's been a while since you've cleaned your carpets professionally, consider hiring a carpet cleaning company.
If you're looking for carpet cleaning in Leeds, we offer:
Pet-safe cleaning products
Specialist pet stain treatments
Pet deodorize carpet treatment
Carpet protection (12-month treatment that stops spills and accidents sinking into your carpet fibers so you can clean them easily)
If you have more questions about pets plus carpets and pet-safe carpet cleaning, check out our website. Or, if you want to book us for your Leeds carpet cleaning, contact us.
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