Most pet owners know what it can be like when their animals have little accidents on the rug. Unless you own a bowl of fish, any pet that's allowed to run around on your carpets can have an occasional problem. When that happens, it smells bad and can look even worse on a light-colored rug, so you want a way to remove the urine stains without hurting the carpet. In addition, you want something that's going to neutralize the odor in the carpet, pad, and subflooring so that your pet won't be tempted to designate that area as an appropriate bathroom. Using a urine stain remover immediately when a stain happens will prove to be the best way to deal with a stain, if possible.
If you see the accident happen, your best bet is to deal with the stain right then and there. Fresh stains are much easier to locate and remove than those that have been allowed to dry into the carpet. If you own a commercial urine stain remover, be sure to test it in an obscure area first to make sure that it won't cause discoloration of your carpet. If you learn that it's safe to use, proceed as per the instructions on the bottle. Many people, however, don't have a professional cleaner on hand and will need a way to make due until they can get one. White vinegar and hydrogen peroxide are common household items that have proven to be effective on urine stains.
Stains that have been allowed to dry may be more difficult to find. Years ago we purchased our first home and were unhappy to discover that two bedrooms smelled of cat urine, and we weren't sure where the stains were located. We tried cleaning the entire carpets, but that didn't remove the smells. Eventually we replaced the carpet in both rooms. We didn't know back then that using a blacklight in the room will make the stains show up so that you can mark around them with a piece of chalk in order to find them and treat them.
Pets aren't the only ones who have occasional urination problems. If you are potty-training a child or caring for an elderly person, they may have accidents, too. So even if you don't have pets, you may find it worthwhile someday to know what to do if a stain happens and proper methods of urine stain removal.
If you see the accident happen, your best bet is to deal with the stain right then and there. Fresh stains are much easier to locate and remove than those that have been allowed to dry into the carpet. If you own a commercial urine stain remover, be sure to test it in an obscure area first to make sure that it won't cause discoloration of your carpet. If you learn that it's safe to use, proceed as per the instructions on the bottle. Many people, however, don't have a professional cleaner on hand and will need a way to make due until they can get one. White vinegar and hydrogen peroxide are common household items that have proven to be effective on urine stains.
Stains that have been allowed to dry may be more difficult to find. Years ago we purchased our first home and were unhappy to discover that two bedrooms smelled of cat urine, and we weren't sure where the stains were located. We tried cleaning the entire carpets, but that didn't remove the smells. Eventually we replaced the carpet in both rooms. We didn't know back then that using a blacklight in the room will make the stains show up so that you can mark around them with a piece of chalk in order to find them and treat them.
Pets aren't the only ones who have occasional urination problems. If you are potty-training a child or caring for an elderly person, they may have accidents, too. So even if you don't have pets, you may find it worthwhile someday to know what to do if a stain happens and proper methods of urine stain removal.