Thank you Rainbow International for sponsoring this post featuring 15 of the best pet cleaning tips every pet owner should know. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The day I brought my puppy Charley home was definitely a highlight of my year last year, but I’d be lying if I said it was easy! Real talk, it was tough!
One of my biggest struggles with getting a new puppy was keeping my home fresh and clean. It was a rough few months before Charley became bell/house trained and I spent many, many hours cleaning our floors. Was it worth it? Yes! But am I glad those days are behind me? Heck yes!
The truth is, no matter how well behaved or trained our pets are, accidents are bound to happen. Thankfully most pet messes can be taken care of with common household products. I’m certainly no expert, but I did get my fair share of experience in cleaning pet accidents daily.
I wanted to share some of my favorite pet cleaning tips and tricks for those of you who may be going through something similar with a new pet. I received a quick emergency cleaning guide put together by Rainbow International Restoration and it’s full of useful cleaning tips which have been extremely helpful in our home, so I figured it would be a good idea to share them with you!
These pet cleaning tips and tricks are great for carpet cleaning, pet stain removal, and pet odor removal.
GENERAL PET CARPET CLEANING TIPS
When removing pet and odor stains, consider keeping these general pet cleaning tips in mind:
Don’t rub
Don’t rub a stain. Rubbing will make the stain go deeper.
Work from the outside in
Work from the outside in. Starting from the center can spread the stain more.
Use cool water
Always use cool water since hot water can set an unwanted stain.
Be gentle
Harsh solutions and rough movement can damage carpet. Remove gently for best results.
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BEST PET STAIN REMOVAL TIPS
How to Remove Grass Stains from Pets
Apply a diluted solution of dishwashing detergent mixed with water and rub into the spot with a cotton towel. Be sure to work toward the center of the stain. Rinse with water and blot dry.
3% hydrogen peroxide is a great pet carpet cleaner, so you may also use this if a stain does not not come out.
How to Remove Blood Stains
Make your own cool detergent solution by combining a mixture of 1 tsp of a clear mild liquid detergent in a cup of lukewarm water. Then apply an enzyme detergent and blot. Rinse with water and blot dry.
You may also substitute 3% hydrogen peroxide as a pet stain remover if the stain is still present.
How to Remove Pet Urine with Detergent
Blot up as much of the urine as you can with a towel, then dab with water to wash it away. Then fold a cotton towel onto of the stain, weigh it down, and let it sit for 24 hours. After 24 hours, remove and clean with a pet urine remover.
Mix 1 oz. dishwashing detergent into 12 oz. water is a great DIY urine odor remover. This solution will remove unpleasant dog urine smell.
How to Remove Pet Urine with Essential Oils
Essential oils act as a great pet urine remover. Add 5-10 drops of essential oils such as eucalyptus and tea tree to remove pet urine stains. Mix the oils with 1 cup of water and place in a spray bottle, then spray to saturate the stain. The oils will work as a natural odor remover.
How to Remove Mud Stains from Pets
Let the mud dry before cleaning. Once dry, slowly vacuum the area with mud. Then make your own pet stain remove by mixing 1 tsp of dish detergent into a cup of water. Blot the stain with a damp sponge or cloth. Continue until the stain is removed.
How to Remove Pet Feces Stains
Remove any remaining feces with a moist towel or sponge in a pinching motion. Pour club soda onto the stain and allow it to bubble, then blot the stain with a cotton towel. Repeat and keep using the club soda pet feces remover mixture until the stain is gone.
How to Remove Pet Vomit Stains
Scrape up any excess vomit, then sprinkle baking soda to absorb the rest of the stain. Allow to set for 10-15 minutes
RELATED: SPRING CLEANING & HOME REFRESH CHECKLIST
BEST PET ODOR REMOVAL TIPS
Use a Vacuum
Start by completely vacuuming the area to remove any pet hair or dander. Lint rollers are great for spot cleaning and catching any lingering particles.
Try Some “Magic” Dust
“Magic” dust, aka baking soda, is one of the best pet odor removers. For a natural pet odor remover, sprinkle some baking soda onto carpet and rugs, let sit for a few hours, then vacuum.
Regularly Wash Carpet and Upholstery
Area rugs, blankets, curtains, and linens can easily be deodorized in the washing machine. Add a 1-lb box of baking soda to your regular laundry detergent for odor removal. Air dry items outside to eliminate any lingering odors.
Use Essential Oils for Natural Odor Removal
Diluted essential oils in a spray bottle area great natural odor removal. Common essential oils for odor removal include the following: lavender, peppermint, lemon, orange, tea tree, eucalyptus, lemongrass, rosemary, and oregano.
Do you struggle with keeping your home fresh and clean with pets? If so, hopefully these pet cleaning tips will come in handy!
Be sure to pin this post and share with a friend that has pets!
Amanda Powell says
Such an extensive list of cleaning tips with pets. Thank you for putting it together.
Stephanie says
I only have a cat, so luckily, we don’t get near as many messes as a dog would bring to our house. But, there are occasional things that need to be cleaned. I haven’t tried any essential oils. Just be careful because even if you are using the best oils, some of them are dangerous to pets if ingested. I know I was looking at using peppermint around the house for spiders and was told it would be really harmful to the cat if she got into it.
Kate Loves Travel says
These are such great tips for pet owners… I only have fish so don’t have to worry about cleaning them lol!
Eva says
These are great tips, we have lots of pets (farm life). I no longer have carpet anymore but I’ll pass these on to friends that could use them.
Holly says
These are awesome suggestions. Pets are such a blessing, but they definitely require some extra cleaning!
Karen Monica says
These are some great tips. I have 9 cats so you can imagine how messy it can get at times. But I am glad my fur babies usually behaves well so not too much cleaning for me.
Elaine says
These are very useful tips! We have two dogs and two cats, so it can get a little hectic in here. Fortunately, it’s gotten better since we don’t have carpet anymore. I will start adding baking soda to my laundry detergent though!
Kristyn Nealey says
Love these tips. For the most part our pooch is pretty good at knowing where to go use the bathroom. However, sometimes there are still some accidents that happen and we’ve been using just the ordinary pet stain and odor remover. I’ll give these tips a try.
Jasmine Watts says
These are amazing pet tips for pet owners! I have a pet cat. 🙂 and I know this is very useful to me.
Laura Schwormstedt says
These are some really good tips, having grown up with at least 2-3 dogs at all times I know how messing and smelly a house can get so these tips are essential
Laura x
Nish says
These bring back memories. Two years ago, we got a pup and I was running around with soap and water all the time! Thankfully no carpets though, so cleaning up messes was relatively easy.