subject: Pernicious Pet Odor Eradication Is Best Left To The Professionals [print this page] People dearly love their pets, of course, but sometimes a dog or cat owner also faces the problem of nagging pet odor. The smell can disrupt lives, put entertaining plans on hold and even play a critical and negative role in the sale of a property. The good news is that pet odor can be successfully overcome, however prompt attention is the key because urine and fecal material that isn't completely eradicated quickly will only lead to more problems over time.
If the pet odor problem is brand new and caught early, there are pet odor products and rental cleaning equipment that may be able to handle the situation satisfactorily. However, most carpet cleaning experts point out that long-standing pet odor issues are best addressed by professional experienced in all aspects of pet ordor eradication.
Pre house breaking or litter-box training, kitties and puppies are prone to "accidents." The problem is worse if the animal is not neutered or spayed at a young age because of territorial spraying in sexually mature pets. These issues can be exacerbated by the introduction of a new pet into the home environment until the newcomer is accepted into the family by the existing pet. To add to the problem, once a pet selects a marking spot it tends to return to that spot over and over again, adding to the odor exponentially.
The biggest problem is pet urine odor that can be particularly pungent and long-lasting. The urine can crystalize and become deeply seated in carpets, carpet pads, sub-flooring, upholstery and even woodwork and walls which is why the crystals must be removed in order for the odor to follow.
Of course, the best solution is to catch the pet in the act of urination and clean up the urine before it has time to sink in or crystalize, however this is nearly an impossible task. Many products on the market today can be easily used on carpets and upholstery to remove the odor if the problem is new and hasn't had a chance to soak in yet. The process is best started by using a black light, that holdover from Hippie dorm rooms, that can highlight urine stains and help in locating problem areas (use a black light in a completely darkened room for best results.).
But a professional is required for almost any long-term pet odor problem. Regular consumer products and even home-market rental equipment for treating pet odor problems are really only mean for minor issues, often just masking odor and cleaning only the surface of carpets and sofas.
Pernicious pet odor problems, where the carpet backing has been stained, the sub floor inundated and where even walls and trims have been soaked, can only be addressed by a professional.
Most carpet cleaners in Denver use steam cleaners and enzyme-based odor eliminating products when they perform pet odor removal services. However, as carpet and upholstery cleaners these companies are also experienced at pulling up carpeting, replacing the pad, and repairing and restoring stained fabric. If the pet odor problem is long-standing, a full remediation may also require replacing the sub flooring (wood or concrete), removing and replacing tainted wall trim, and perhaps cutting and replacing wall boards and repainting. In some cases the carpeting, experts say, needs to be replaced, but consumers should understand that once the odor-causing crystals have soaked into the area around the carpet, simply replacing the carpet will do nothing to permanently eliminating pet odors. Pets are very popular in the United States, with American Veterinary Medical Association statistics showing Americans in 2007 had some 72 million dogs and more than 81 million cats. It's obvious that such a population will occasionally lead to accidents, and fortunately today's carpet and upholstery cleaning industry has developed safe and effective pet odor elimination services.
