Pets are a source of companionship and joy for millions of us.

There are two pet-related problems that can affect the freshness of your home and its furnishings. These are pet accidents (both urine and feces) and body oils. Knowing about them can make living with a pet an even more positive experience.

Hot or humid weather is the time you are most likely to notice pet odors. That’s when pet hair, skin dander, and the residue from “pet accidents” begin to decompose — generating a distinct “doggie” smell that plagues even the most fastidiously cleaned homes.

Dogs secrete oils from their fur and paw pads. Good grooming and baths keep this in check. Periodically launder your pet’s bedding. If your pet has a favorite spot on the floor or in a chair, you might want to put a pet blanket/rug or some other washable item there.

Pet accidents are always cause for concern. Animal behaviorists will tell you that by instinct pets are attentive to good hygiene. They don’t want to have accidents in their homes. When they do, it is usually because of some other factor. Perhaps the pet is sick. Perhaps the pet’s exercise schedule was interrupted or wasn’t long enough. Perhaps the litter box needs to be cleaned. Maybe the pet has been traumatized. It’s been recommended that the first thing to do when a pet unexplainably starts having accidents is to talk to your veterinarian.

As far as cleanup goes, you need to blot up as much of the problem as you can. If solids are involved, gently scrape it up with a bit of cardboard. Work from the outside toward the center. This is important: Don’t apply house cleaners to the site. Some of them can change the color, texture or stain resistance of the affected fibers. Some can leave strong smelling residues that serve as “marker” triggering further accidents from your pets. New safe-to-use enzyme products from your local pet store are available which do a decent job of treating these problem areas.

Here’s How You Can Help Keep Your “Home-With-Pets” Clean and Fresh

1. Act immediately when pet accidents occur. The longer the accident stands, the greater the chance it will seep through the carpet to the pad and floor.

2. Remove as much moisture as possible by blotting the spot with a clean white absorbent material. The more moisture you remove now, the less residue has to be treated later. Using a clean white absorbent material lessens the risk of transferring dye between your cleaning material and your affected fabric. It also helps you to “see” if the stain is being successfully removed.

3. If you catch the animal in the act, use a mixture of one-part ammonia to three parts water. Spray it on the spot to neutralize the urine, let stand for five minutes, then flush with water and blot with a dry towel. If the urine spot is not fresh, use an enzyme to help kill the odor

4. Call us. We are trained and equipped to thoroughly clean, disinfect and deodorize pet stains. We also stand behind our work.

Tru Clean Surface Care is a family-owned environmentally responsible carpet, tile and upholstery cleaning company serving all of Lee and Collier County. Our technicians are certified by the world’s most prestigious certification body for textile professionals, the IICRC, and regularly attend vendor-sponsored training seminars.

For more information on our company and the services we offer, please visit us online at https://www.trucleansurfacecare.com/ or give us a call anytime at 239-541-4888.

Tru Clean Surface Care donates a portion of our profits each month to The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) in the hopes that no animal has to suffer.

Tru Clean Carpet and Tile Care services the cities of Cape Coral, Punta Gorda, Fort Myers, North Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach, Lehigh Acres, Estero, Bonita Springs, Naples, St. James City, Bokeelia, Sanibel, Captiva, and Pine Island FL.