Pet smells in carpet

Ah, pets. They’re furry and cute — until they stink up your home.

If you’ve ever dealt with pet smells in carpet, you know that undoing the damage is no joke. No matter how often you scrub, it seems like you just can’t get rid of that icky smell of urine.

So we’re here to answer the question we get asked all the time here at INTEK: Can you remove pet smells from carpet?

We Hate to Break It to You, But…

It’s nearly impossible to completely remove pet smells in carpet.

Well, we take that back. If you’ve kept your house clean and taken care of pet accidents quickly, you should be able to eliminate most pet odors in your carpet. Read these nine pet cleaning tips to keep your house hair-, fur-, and filth-free.

But what if it’s too late? What if you (or the previous renter or homeowner) didn’t do such a great job of cleaning up pet accidents the moment they occurred?

Unfortunately, you may be stuck with a slight stench forever, depending on what is underneath your carpet. If you have padding, the urine has probably seeped down into it. Your subfloor, which may be wood, has probably also soaked up some of that urine. So now your problem becomes not only cleaning your carpet, but also cleaning your pad and subfloor.

You can try pouring cleaners with enzymes onto the affected area and allowing them to soak down into the pad and onto the flooring. After the cleaner has soaked for a while, the area can be flushed thoroughly with hot water and extracted. This method has fairly good results.

A more effective way would be to pull up the carpet, treat the backing, remove the contaminated pad, and seal the floor with an oil-based paint or shellac. Then, you can put new padding down, re-lay the carpet, and have it professionally cleaned by a carpet cleaner in Sioux Falls. This method has much better results.

Don’t have time for all that? Here are some quick tips for preventing and removing pet smells in your carpet:

  • Vacuum regularly to avoid a buildup of pet dander.
  • Place towels (or restrictions) on areas where your pet tends to piddle.
  • If you have a cat, scoop its litter box every day, and change it every 7 to 10 days.
  • Properly maintain and work to extend the life of your carpet.
  • Clean accidents immediately by blotting the area with a clean cloth and then applying a safe cleaning product.
  • Once the area is clean, buy a high-quality pet odor neutralizer to help eliminate the smell.

What if Your Carpet Still Smells?

If you feel like you’ve tried everything (or you’re too afraid to try anything), it’s time to call the pros.

The best way to get rid of pet smells in carpet is to hire a professional carpet cleaning company. At Intek, we offer the highest-quality carpet cleaning services in Sioux Falls and Yankton.

We can’t guarantee we’ll be able to remove every last vestige of your carpet smell — no one can! — but we will do everything in our power to try.

Learn More About Carpet Cleaning from Intek