It is not unusual for
homeowners who have household pets to have urine stains on
their carpet. Pets will urinate on carpet as an act of
territorialism, anxiety, or simply out of need. If your dog is
not neutered, they will pee on everything and anything -
including all furniture, curtains, shoes, and handbags in your
house.
The color of pet urine and it's
staining potential will often depend on dietary habits and the
age of the pet. Foods high in protein tend to produce a
darker, more pungent and acidic urine. Foods higher in
carbohydrates such as corn or oats produces more alkaline
urine that is less likely to stain carpet and does not produce
as potent an odor. Typically, because cat diets are richer in
protein than dog diets, their urine will produce harsher odors
and are more likely to cause stains.
Unlike dogs, cats do not
urinate for territory. This behavioral pattern in male cats is
accomplished by spraying. This urine product also contains the
male hormone testosterone which makes it even more pungent
than urine. Although spraying is typically done on a vertical
surface (such as a couch) it could also conceivably come in
contact with a carpet.
Another consideration is the
age of the pet. The older the pet the more renal function
diminishes, thus producing urine that contains more plasma
proteins. Because less uric acid is secreted in this urine it
is less likely to stain a carpet; however, it will produce an
even stronger odor. In almost all cases cat urine is the worst
perpetrator for pet stains.
The degree of staining from pet
urine on a carpet will depend in part on the fiber type and
dye method of the carpet. Solution dyed fibers will be the
most resistant to urine stains with olefin fibers providing
the greatest stain resistance. In most cases, stains created
by urine tend to leave either a red tinge (by adding to the
existing color) or a yellow tinge (by reducing existing
color). In either case the shift in color is almost always
permanent in nature. Although there are some commercially
available products designed to remove urine they are only
effective on fresh spots. Neutralizers and deodorizers offer
only minimal help in removing urine and urine odors once it
has set into the carpet and pad. Even the sub floor can become
contaminated.
Acids found in pet urine can
also liberate calcium carbonate fillers used in carpet latex,
causing it to lose it's bonding strength. Therefore, it is not
uncommon to experience de-lamination (a loss of tuft bind
strength) in carpet exposed to pet urine. Urine stains can be
identified in several ways, the most obvious means being
smell. Because pet urine is so concentrated it will initially
emanate a strong ammonia odor, which after several days
develops into a musty odor. Because of its mineral content pet
urine will fluoresce under a black light.
Stains that have appeared
within a couple of hours can often be cleaned with good
success. This can be accomplished by using a 50/50 solution of
white vinegar and water, followed by blotting with water only.
After this, absorb the spot with clean colorfast towels until
it is as dry as possible. Next, place a one-half inch thick
weighted layer of colorfast towels over the spot and let it
sit overnight. This final procedure must not be overlooked,
since crystallized urine residues left in the carpet are
capable of reproducing odors during the warmer more humid
months. Older urine stains often require replacement of the
carpet and pad in the affected areas and can also necessitate
cleaning the sub floor with a disinfectant.
A final concern for carpet
stains from pets is vomit. Hydrochloric acids found in the
stomach of pets will be present in any vomit's material. The
degree of acidity of these materials and their potential
staining of carpet will be based on stomach content. Foods
from the stomach tend to dilute the hydrochloric acid content,
reducing the chance for staining. On the other hand, reflux of
bile from the small intestine, which is more common with dogs,
can be highly acidic. Typically, stomach acids are very
acidic, which explains why vomit is much more likely to stain
carpet than food.
Like urine, the effectiveness
of cleaning vomit is based on expediency. The first step is to
scrape up as much of the matter as possible.
Next, it is important to
elevate the pH of the stained area. This should be
accomplished by blotting using a solution of one part non-sudsing
ammonia to five parts water, followed with blotting with a
damp towel until the spot is as dry as possible. Again, it is
also recommended that you place a weighted layer of white
towels folded one-half inch thick over the spot and allow it
to sit overnight to allow residual matter to wick up into the
towel.
Our
technicians at Certified-DFW are specially trained to
locate all pet stains with high power ultra violet lamps.
Infected area's are treated with an amazing new odor counter-actant.
It contains an odor neutralizer that binds to and absorbs
odors no matter what the source. It can handle odors from
humans, animals, food, chemical processes and smoke. We treat
severe urine contamination. Works immediately, making your
cleaning experience more pleasant. As a bonus, our new product
contains a polymer in the formula that helps to slow
re-soiling of the treated area.
