Are you looking to remove those pesky pet smells from your home? If you’re like many Texas homeowners, you know that your pets can create quite the odor and unsightly stains around the home. Or, maybe there’s a lingering odor from the previous occupants’ pets that never makes your home feel completely yours.
Whatever the case, getting rid of these pet odors once and for all before your home starts to smell like a zoo is a priority for your peace of mind. Plus, those odors may actually be causing health problems in your home!
To help you understand where these odors are coming from, what you can do to eliminate traces of pets from your home, and more, we’ll take a look at the following topics about getting rid of pet odors and pet stains:
- What Causes Pet Odor?
- What Causes Pet Stains in Carpets and Rugs?
- Health Problems Caused By Pet Odors in the Home
- 7 Ways To Get Rid Of Pet Odor and Stains
- Eliminate Pet Odors and Stains With Safe-Dry® Carpet Cleaning in Cypress, Texas
Let’s begin!
What Causes Pet Odor?
To start, pet odors come from a variety of sources. These include:
- Saliva
- Urine
- Feces
- Vomit
- Food
- Sweat
- Hair
- Dander
- Tracked-in material (ie. dirt, dust, and other small particles)
- Cat litter
- And more
Accumulated biological matter in your home is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria and parasites, and mold to fester and grow. As these pathogens multiply, they release a lingering odor that humans can smell. Similarly, the ammonia from pet urine and the bacteria in feces also release unpleasant odors.
Worse, many homeowners become “noseblind” after living in their home. This means that eventually these smells become the “new normal” and aren’t able to be perceived by smell. However, visitors to your home who haven’t become acclimated to these smells WILL be able to smell them and may find them extremely off-putting – especially in Texas’ humid summer months.
The most common area in your home for these odors to accumulate is in your carpets and rugs. Because of their porous nature and frequency of use, these pathogens are deeply embedded into the fibers of the carpet and are difficult to remove. With low levels of moisture from the moisture, even tiny traces of these pathogens can become big problems. Additionally, your pets and the occupants of your home may transfer these smells onto places in your home, creating a larger problem that’s difficult to remove without professional carpet cleaning.
What Causes Pet Stains in Carpets and Rugs?
When a cat or dog pees, the expelled urine contains ammonia, bacteria, hormones, and uric acid – all of which are acidic. Once this acidic fluid is mixed with bacteria, it becomes an alkaline as it loses moisture, eventually producing salts from the alkaline. It’s these alkaline salts that break down the dyes and pigments in carpets, affecting the uniform quality of carpets, rugs, and upholstery.
Similarly, pet vomit and feces also causes these changes, but may feature more caustic acids/alkalis that further stain the carpet. Worse, the dyes in pet food can further stain the carpet and rugs.
Homeowners that choose a spot treatment for these stains should know that unless all of the urine is removed, it has the potential to penetrate deeper into the carpet and becomes harder to remove. That’s why experts always recommend a professional carpet carpet cleaning in Cypress TX to eliminate all traces and preserve the aesthetic of your home.
Health Problems Caused By Pet Odors in the Home
An unsightly appearance and a lingering smell from animals in your home are obviously problems that few Cypress homeowners will tolerate. However, these smells may actually just be symptoms of growing pathogens that can cause chronic health problems.
For example:
- Cat feces contains the Toxoplasma gondii parasite. Exposure to this parasite leads to toxoplasmosis (tok-so-plaz-MOE-sis), a serious disease that results in body aches, fatigue, headaches, and even birth defects in pregnant women.
- Or, the ammonia salts from dog urine can be dispersed throughout the home, leading to severe respiratory and developmental problems.
- Furthermore, the pet stains may also be a breeding ground for parasites like round worm, causing gastrointestinal issues and require antiparasitic medication to fully eradicate.
7 Ways To Get Rid Of Pet Odor and Stains
1. Regularly Clean All Pet Items
Pets can have tons of items that make their way to your carpets and rugs. Toys, pillows, bedding, and pet furniture need to be cleaned regularly to avoid transferring biological and outside material to your home.
After washing, make sure these items are thoroughly dry. A wet bed, for instance, will not only be uncomfortable for your pet, but can also lead to mold, mildew, and bacteria growth that’s dangerous for your pet.
2. Wash Your Pet Regularly
Wash your pet on a regular basis to get rid of dirt and dander that hides in your pet’s fur/coating. Experts agree that washing (and drying) your dog at least once a month is a good routine to keep a healthy household. For cats, bathing your cat every 4 – 6 weeks is recommended. Of course, the frequency of washing should take into account whether the animal has a health condition or if they are a predominantly indoor/outdoor pet.
3. Use an Air Purifier
Like the name implies, air purifiers are designed to improve the quality of your home’s air by removing harmful dust, dirt, and debris from your home’s air, including the sources of pet odors (which can become airborne). While there are plenty of air purifiers to choose from, look for an air purifier specifically designed to get rid of odor-causing pet matter.
4. Vacuum Regularly
Do you vacuum your home’s carpets and rugs regularly? If you’re not vacuuming your home on at least weekly basis (or more often for heavy foot-trafficked areas), then there’s a good chance that lingering pathogens have the ability to grow in the fibers of your carpets and rugs.
Regular vacuuming gets rid of pet dander, dirt, and hair in your carpets and rugs, and hard surfaces. Be sure to vacuum problem areas multiple times and from different angles to get the best results.
Health experts recommend that homeowners choose a vacuum with a HEPA-certified filter. These types of vacuums remove 99.97% of bacteria and other allergens from the home with their powerful filters, which must be cleaned and/or replaced often to remain effective (and not further disperse odors).
5. Use Air Fresheners
Air fresheners are a great way to cover up lingering odors from pets. Scented candles, oil diffusers, and sprays that are safe for pets are a great choice to freshen the air. However, these may only mask the odors, so be sure to only use air fresheners if you plan on professionally cleaning your carpets in the near-future.
6. Clean Your Pet’s Paws When They Enter The Home
If your pet likes to go out and play outside the home, they tend to bring things from outside into your home on their paws. For dog owners, it’s a smart practice to clean their paws once they’ve come inside to minimize the dirt and sweat found on their paws. This can be a little more difficult for outdoors cat owners, as they tend to dislike water on their fur – however, it’s possible to train your cat to be compliant.
7. Circulate Fresh Air Throughout the Home
Fresh air in your home helps to ventilate your home and dilute pet odors naturally. Simply open your windows or use a fan to expel stagnant air for fresh, outside air. Additionally, draw the blinds to let sunlight in, as the UV rays can destroy germs.
Eliminate Pet Odors and Stains With Safe-Dry® Carpet Cleaning in Cypress, Texas
Now that you understand what every homeowner needs to know about pet odors and stains, you should know that professional carpet cleaning is the best way to treat pet odors and pet stains.
For over thirty years, Safe-Dry® Carpet Cleaning has helped numerous Texas residents create the clean and appealing home environments they’ve always wanted. Our cleaning professionals know the details and nuances that come with cleaning homes effectively, utilizing our time-tested processes that effectively eliminates pet odors and stains. Best of all, our Safe-Dry process is just like the name implies:
- Safe for your pets and the environment, with no harsh residues or caustic chemicals that actually reduce your quality of life.
- Dry within an hour of cleaning, which means you can enjoy your home sooner than other carpet cleaning companies in Cypress TX.
Best of all, Safe-Dry offers a 7-day guarantee to remove pet stains and odors from your home. If the odor comes back, so do we – free of charge!
Contact us today to schedule a free estimate to get rid of those pesky pet odors and stains once and for all!
