Singapore is a country that is dominated by tropical climate thus it is very humid most of the year. You will, therefore, see people strolling with their dogs or cats along the streets on a sunny afternoon to enjoy the breeze. However, cats and dogs come with a lot of responsibilities. Besides feeding, cleaning them and taking care of their health, other related responsibilities are carpet cleaning.
It is evident that dogs and cats will poop on your carpet from time to time. Therefore, you have to make sure that your carpet is clean at all times to avoid unpleasant dog poop odors. At the same time, ensure that the chemicals you use do not affect your cats and dogs.
Carpet cleaning safety-tips you need to know
The biggest responsibility of being a dog or cat owner is dealing with the accidents that happen daily. These accidents are mainly the cat or dog poop. However, cleaning up is the real challenge because the sprays you use may be harmful to your pet. Usually, these sprays have strong scents to counteract the smell of the pet pee and poop. The strong scents can thus give you uncontrollable coughing fits.
If the spray makes allergic, imagine how your pet would react to it. Therefore, be very careful when buying these sprays and do not be fooled by the “environmentally friendly” label because they can still be very toxic thus affecting the health of your pet. You can, therefore, try natural carpet cleaning sprays that have milder effects.
How to select a pet-safe carpet cleaning
Choosing safe chemicals to clean your carpet is not only safe for your dog but also for your health as well. However, since the pets spend most of their time on or close to the floor, finding carpet cleaning chemicals that are safe is paramount. Ensuring that the products you use to clean the carpet are safe is the best way to keep your cat or dog healthy. Thus, when looking for the best and safest product to use, the following tips can be of help.
• Read the sticker
So many pet-safe labeled deodorizers, as well as stain removers for quick and instant spot removal, are available in the market thus you have a wide array of choices. However, before you buy the product, it is imperative to take a look at the label. Make sure you have read the sticker, the instructions, and warnings. If the instructions tell you that you should isolate your pet while cleaning, then the product is not safe for the dog.
• Wet Vac
Typically, using water is one of the safest and effective ways of cleaning a carpet that has been slightly soiled. The wet vac that can either be rented or purchased is the best way to avoid chemicals thus it should your number one choice. This vacuum flushes the carpet with water, wets it then sucks up all the dirt. Cold water is however recommended to use to avoid setting the stains or odors.
• Natural products
As mentioned earlier, natural products have scents that are mild. Thus they are safe than most of the other commercial products. For instance, baking soda can effectively remove light odors and stains. Evenly spread a layer of the baking soda on the spot, leave it for an hour then vacuum the spot thoroughly. Alternatively, you can use lemon juice or dilute white vinegar mixed with salt as a pre-stain treatment before cleaning.
• What to avoid
Many people tend to be lazy when it comes to buying natural carpet cleaners. However, such people are warned against using chlorine products as they can irritate the pet’s eyes and nose. This is because chlorine tends to be denser than air thus settling on the carpet.
Also, ammonia-containing products can make the pet to sneeze and have watery eyes. Cats, in particular, are very sensitive to such products thus they can be adversely affected.
For this reason, ensure that you keep your pets out of the room while cleaning until the chemical dries, even if it is considered pet-safe.
Carpet cleaning tips
Apart from the health of your pet, your health as a pet owner is also important. Cats and dogs tend to leave fur on seats and carpets, and if left to accumulate, it can become irritating. More so, hair is not suitable for asthmatic people thus it is imperative to clean the carpet regularly. To make sure that you follow the right carpet cleaning procedure, the following tips will be of help.
• Get rid of pet hair
Since pets tend to leave a trail of hair on the carpet, it is wise to remove the fur as frequent as possible. Attach a paint roller to a broom and wrapping masking tape around the paint roller is a very effective way of lifting hair before vacuuming. You can also use a rake with rubber bristles to remove the fur.
• Get rid of urine instantly
If your pet accidentally pees on the car[et, it is advisable to react immediately to minimize the damage and odor. Use a rag to suck the urine moisture before using any other detergents. Also, blot the surface using water and vinegar can also be very effective.
• Stains
Stains from pee, poop, blood, and vomit can are challenging to remove. Using an extracting carpet-cleaner can be very effective. However, avoid using steam cleaners for stain removal because the heat can make the stain set.
• Odor
Odors from pet urine and poop are very unpleasant. However, before you use any enzyme-containing treatment, it is imperative to use a carpet cleaner to make sure that any previous chemicals have been removed so that they do not inhibit the action of the enzyme treatment you want to use.
There are so many chemicals that can be used to clean carpets. However, some of the substances can be harmful to both the pet owner and the pet. For this reason, it is wise to follow carpet cleaning safety tips to observe your health as well as that of your cat or dog.
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