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How To Clean Area Rug with Pet Urine

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A Pet’s urine is perhaps the most difficult of all odors to remove, not only do you need to clean the ingrained odor, but there are also spillages and carpet spots that need to be treated as well. Completely removing the smell brought about by your pet’s urine is a very challenging task. The urine crystallizes and serves as a desiccant, trapping all indoor moisture and releasing odor.

Let this article help you by looking at the science of urine, and how to rapidly and easily extract odor from carpets using just a few items.

When you’ve tried washing a urine or pee spill in your area rug, you probably found out that the soiling often reappears after drying. 

It may seem to indicate that the carpet is dirty, but it simply indicates that the soiling has stuck deep inside the carpet pile and has wicked back up to the surface.

Wicking occurs as soiling gets embedded in carpet covering or subflooring and eventually grows to the tips of carpet fibers when it dries out during washing.

Few cleaning products on the market will actually help eliminate the spill and the odors of pet urine in your area rugs, but many will only temporarily cover the scent with a heavy aroma or a simple dispersant.

The salts in the urine can remain hidden for months or even years, but they are still active. Bacteria will easily build and create lingering odors in the air if the right requirements of adequate moisture and heat are met.

To help you prevent this, we’ve put together a step-by-step guide on how to fully clean your area rugs from your pet’s urine.

  1. Act quickly. Take off as many soiling by scooping it up right away. 
  2. Extract excess moisture from your area rugs by blotting the infected region with a clean, white absorbent cloth or paper towels, rather than rubbing it. Start blotting from the outer side of the affected area into the center to avoid spreading the urine deeper across the area rug. Repeat until the cloth/paper towels are no longer absorbing any moisture.
  3. Use an area rug or upholstery cleaner. Apply the product straight to the area rug with urine, making sure to cover the whole area rug completely. Allow the cleaner to work for about 5 minutes. Also, opt for a cleaner that does not contain harsh chemicals, in order to maintain the appearance of your area rugs.

The above method is also effective with blood, pet feces, and cat hairballs.

We recommend daily dry carpet & area rug cleanings with the optimum outcomes, with particular attention to high-accident areas.

Keep in mind that there will be times when cleaning is too late and nothing can be done. Depending on how long urine has been left on the area rug or how much re-soiling has occurred.

It may be too late to do something and the carpet or an area of carpet may need to be replaced.

If urine went unnoticed and was not washed immediately, it could have seeped past the fabric fibers to the carpet backing and onto the underlay to the surface. At this stage, no product would be able to eliminate the odor because the source is so deeply rooted.

If your area rugs are at risk of being damaged, prevention and quick response are the best options. We still recommend keeping your preferred products and clothes in an easily accessible location.

 

KEEPING YOUR AREA RUGS CLEAN

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If you’ve opted to use custom area rugs instead of carpeting in your home, it’s important that you know how to keep them clean and well-maintained. Rugs add something extra to your home, and at the same time, they attract a lot of dust & dirt. Considering the time you spend at work and at home, keeping it clean is not as easy as it seems.

Cleaning your area rug can be an easy chore with the help of our useful cleaning & maintenance tips. Follow these tips to keep rugs clean for as long as possible:

GIVE YOUR RUGS A THOROUGH SHAKING

Don’t be afraid to shake your rugs outside unless it is especially thick/big. Shaking your rug will help take out any debris/dust that was trapped in the fibers of your rug. If you have someone in the house to assist you, then big rugs can be rolled up and brought outside. By doing this prior to the deep cleaning process, you will find that you have eliminated a significant amount of loose dust and dirt.

DO REGULAR VACUUMING

Now that most of the debris is taken out, it’s time to pull out the vacuum cleaner. Vacuuming on a regular and systematic basis can be your rugs’ best friend when it comes to retaining their original sheen and luster. It can literally add years to the life of your rugs. This is rug care 101. Do this at least once a week or as needed. If your rug has fringes around the edges, do not vacuum them. Instead, use a dustpan to collect dust and dirt.

REMOVE STAINS

If you missed treating a stain as soon as it appeared, you may need a serious stain removal product that is compatible with the rug’s fabric. Rinse after blotting the stain from outside to inside. Repeat these steps if necessary. Avoid scrubbing the stained area too vigorously as this can damage the fibers.

DEEP CLEANING

You should do a deep cleaning of your rug depending on which material it was made of. You should do this to a minimum of once per year. If your rug is placed in an area where there is a lot of foot traffic or if you have a small home with children or pets, you may need to do a deep cleaning on a regular basis. Handwash rugs that are fragile. Use a gentle cleaner and a little warm water for rugs with natural fibers. You can machine wash woven & braided rugs. Be sure to follow the proper washing instructions.

MAKE SURE IT’S DRY

After a thorough cleaning, double-check that it is fully dry on both sides. Squeeze out any excess water, use the heat of the sun, or use indoor fans to speed up the drying process and to avoid mildew or mold formation.

 

Tips for Maintaining the Quality of Your Area Rugs

Rugs/carpets can last a long time if you care for them properly. If you have been looking for tips or ways how to maintain your rugs, follow these tips.

Include quality padding. Make sure that your rugs are properly covered by quality padding underneath. It avoids slippage & helps minimize wear, and most importantly it enhances the comfort factor. Not putting rug padding will cause damage to your rugs & to your floor. Underlayments vary, and selecting the right one is important.

Rotate them regularly. Make it a habit to change your rugs’ orientation at least once a year. Some people change their rugs as often as once every six months, depending on the amount of foot traffic the rug gets. This makes for more uniformly spread wear, giving your rug a more uniform look that will help retain both appearance and value.

Change the furniture arrangement regularly. Rearranging furniture not only changes the appearance of a room but also disrupts or eliminates natural paths that people normally use. This will extend the life of your rugs by many years.

Block sunlight. Sunlight can also cause damage to your rugs, over time, it may dramatically fade & lose its natural color. To prevent this, keep your rugs out of direct sunlight.  If this is not possible, make sure to rotate your rug as much as possible to ensure more uniform fading.

Cleaning & maintaining your rugs can be a tiring chore, but if you do preventive maintenance in advance you will see that it is all worth it. Aside from knowing how you can properly take care of your rugs, it is also important to seek help from professionals that can do the job for you. If you have a rug that needs some TLC and you’d like to get it looking new again, contact us and we will be happy to give you a free, no-obligation estimate for your cleaning.

Best Way to Clean an Area Rug

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Best way to Clean An Area Rug

Area rugs are like magnets for stains, just like carpets. By all means, you will try to take care of your rugs, but you just cannot stop staining your rugs & having them get dirty is the worst. Also, it is best to know how to clean an area rug on a hardwood floor. Preferably concentrate on the part of the stain rather than cleaning the entire rug.

To prevent dust & dirt from penetrating deeper into the fibers, an area rug should be vacuumed at least regularly, several times weekly. If the dirt can penetrate down the fibers, the backing weakens & evens the hardwoods can end up with scratches.

In this post, we will teach you how to clean area rugs on the hardwood floors. Here’s what you’ll need:

-Equipment / Tools
-Soft-bristled brush
-Vacuum
-Small bowl
-Microfiber cloths
-Plastic tarp or sheeting
-Sponge mop
-Old bath towels
-Steam cleaner
-Materials
-Baking soda
-Dishwashing liquid
-Oxygen-based bleach
-Carpet stain remover
-Carpet shampoo

STEP 1: Vacuum Time

Use a vacuum cleaner to clean your rug with a vacuum that features a carpet beater bar to loosen & suck away dirt. Whether you are doing a thorough cleaning or just a regular treatment.
If your rug is small, try vacuuming the top first and then turn the rug over to vacuum the underside. If you can, try to take the pad outside, give it a good shake & clean or mop the hardwood floor under the area rug

STEP 2: Stain Removal

For minor stains, place a plastic tablecloth or placemat under the affected area on top of the carpet pad. This will shield wood floors from moisture. Before using any cleaner or solution on your rug, test it on a small area on the edge to see the effect on the color.

There are types of stains particularly dirt and food stains that can be removed by spot cleaning.
Use a solution of one teaspoon of dishwashing liquid & two cups of warm water. Apply the solution to the stained region with a soft-bristled brush. Allow it to soak for about 10minutes, then using a clean cloth, blot away the dirt & stain.

Again, dip a clean cloth in freshwater to blot away any excess soapy solution in the rug.

If the stain is still obvious, prepare a mixture of warm water oxygen-based bleach following the product label directions. Apply the mixture to the stained area & let it work its magic for one to two hours.

Elevate the cleaned carpet area with books or anything that you can use to increase the air circulation to speed drying after spot cleaning.

STEP 3: Removing Odors

Use a baking soda to remove odors from area rugs. Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on the entire surface. Use a sponge to work the solution into the rug, down into the fibers to the backing. Let the baking soda remain on the carpet for several hours or overnight, and then vacuum it away. Baking soda can absorb odors & a gently abrasive nature will loosen any soil or debris to be vacuumed away.

STEP 4: Thorough Area Rug Cleaning

If the area rug requires a thorough cleaning, and cannot be transferred to an area with a protective plastic sheet, remember to cover the hardwood.
Vacuum the area rug. Roll up the area rug then the rug pad & transfer it to the other side. Thoroughly vacuum or dry mop the hardwood floor to remove any dirt & dirt that may cause scratches to the hardwood floor. Put down a plastic or protective cover that is larger than the area rug onto the hardwood floor. Make sure to secure it with masking tape. Unroll the rough on the plastic or protective cover.

STEP 5: Clean with A Carpet Shampoo

Read the label in the carpet shampoo, if you need to dilute it first or if it can be used directly. Use a sponge mop or soft-bristled brush to apply the shampoo. Completely wet the carpet but not so much liquid that the carpet is dripping. Use the brush in heavily stained areas to remove soil and dust. End by dipping the mop in freshwater & rinsing the fibers to remove soapy residue. Change the rinse water frequently until no more dirt or suds appear.

STEP 6: Cleaning with a Carpet Steamer

After preparing the room, use a home or leased carpet steamer to clean the area rug. Follow the instructions on the label & use a recommended cleaning solution by the manufacturer. Place the water & the recommended cleaning solution in the steamer, then turn it on to begin steaming. Move the machine swiftly as steam is blasted on the rug, focus on the areas with heavy stains & dirty spots.

STEP 7: Dry the Carpet

Dry the carpet by turning on your fans, or open windows to add circulation and increase airflow. Turn the other side of the rug when you feel the surface has already dried. Drying your rug can take up to 48 hours, depending on how big the area rug is.
Once completely dry, return the rug to its original spot. Life the rug and unroll it. Vacuum again the rug to make sure that there is no dirt left.

When cleaning your area rug, remember to clean the hardwood floors as well. Schedule a thorough cleaning of your rugs and dust your floors regularly. Having a scheduled cleaning will keep both your floor and rug long-lasting & will look good as new.

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