subject: How To Remove Stains And Prevent Pet Stains [print this page] Pet stains are one of those "little inconveniences of life" -- that aren't really so inconvenient. Once that pet stain has set in to your expensive carpet, the battle is already mostly over. That's why it's especially important to know both how to prevent carpet stains and how, if possible, to clean them up before undertaking the adventure of pet ownership. A bit of prevention can prevent hours of headache.
One thing to pay attention to, in housebreaking a new pet, is whether, when it makes a "mistake," the mistake involves -- shall we say -- a large or a small amount of fluid. Large puddles of water on the floor probably mean that your dog or cat needed to relieve itself and did not know the proper place in which to do so. But tiny puddles probably have more to do with marking out territory as "theirs." After all, animals don't have language to communicate with, as we humans do; they thus suffer from a possible evolutionary disadvantage.
And dogs and cats have thus evolved a fascinating way around this problem: their urine scent contains coded messages of all kinds, whether it be "this dog is available to mate" or "keep out! My territory!" The easiest way to prevent territory-marking, then, is, of course, to spay and neuter the dog. Spaying and neutering resolves many of the same social problems (such as issues involving pecking order among other dogs) that territory-marking is designed to do. Remove the need to leave such messages -- to compete with other nearby dogs for a scarcity of mates, for example -- and you help remove this particular problem from the table.
Another angle on this problem is the issue of insecurity. If you have a pet that has never marked territory before, but suddenly feels the need to do so, it may mean that changes have occurred that make the pet worry about its status, even its safety, in the house. Spending more time with the pet may reduce this problem. And punishing the habit -- for example, by interrupting the dog or cat in the act repeatedly with the same loud noise or command -- will also usually do the trick.
If a pet loses control in one place, it is likely to do so in the same place again. This means that, during the process of training, it is very important to thoroughly clean the affected area and keep it from becoming a pet stain, not only for your sake (who wants to look at a pet stain?), but also for the pet's. If the pet can smell its own refuse in a particular place, it is likely to make the same mistake there again. Prevent this from happening by thoroughly cleaning. And cleaning these would-be, proto pet stains is something that should be done both promptly and with a non-ammonia based cleanser. Ammonia is one of the ingredients in dog and cat "spray," and so any ammonia based cleaner merely reinforces the unfortunate odor. A vinegar and water solution will take care of the smell and the bacteria.
What they won't take care of, however, is the pet stain. This is why it's important to investigate options for stain removal. There are many stain removal products on the market, though some of these are less good for pets to be around, as they contain harsh and unnatural chemicals. A less abrasive, but still effective stain remover, especially a stain remover made from all natural chemicals, is a more effective remedy for fighting pet stains while also keeping your home -- your most important investment -- safe for pets.
