Muzzling pet scents

A professional carpet cleaner may be needed to remove the odors from dogs and cats.
By REBECCA SLOAN
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
Christmas is right around the corner. What's the first thing your holiday guests will smell when they walk through your home's front door?
For some homeowners the answer isn't roast turkey or scented candles -- it's pet odors.
"Lots of people who have several pets in the house don't even realize that their homes smell bad. They are just so used to the smell that they don't notice it anymore," said Frank Marra of Casual Carpets in Austintown.
Marra said dogs and cats cause the strongest and foulest pet odors.
"Cat urine is particularly strong because it is richer in protein than dog urine. Getting rid of the smell can be difficult. Stains from cat urine are also harder to get rid of than stains from dog urine," Marra said.
What to do
If you suspect that the air in your home might curl the hair in your Christmas guests' nostrils, there are two ways to tackle the problem (without getting rid of your beloved Fido or Fluffy): You can clean it yourself or call a professional.
If the damage is minimal -- just a few stinky spots -- then you might be able to freshen things up on your own with inexpensive over-the-counter products.
Sue Dawson, of Family Pet Center at Countryside in Kinsman, said the clinic sells two products designed to remove pet odors and stains.
"One product is called X-O and costs about $11 for a 8-ounce bottle. It is a natural enzyme that you spray on the place where the animal urinated. It is supposed to break down the urine and neutralize the odor. It is biodegradable and can be used on any surface, but if you are going to use it on carpets, you might have to use it several times," Dawson said.
The other product is called The Equalizer. It costs about $11 for a 14-ounce bottle. Dawson said The Equalizer seems to work better on stains rather than odors.
Timing
She also said timing is a key factor in how well the products will perform.
"These products work best if you can get to the place the animal urinated immediately after the accident occurred and press a towel down to sop up the excess liquid," Dawson explained. "Then, once you have done that, you can apply these products to get the best results."
Dawson, who has cats in her home, said she has used both X-O and The Equalizer and has been pleased with the results.
"I also tried the product Oxy Clean, but I wasn't as pleased with it. It seemed to take the odor away at first, but then it seemed like I could smell the odor again," she said.
There are numerous other over-the-counter products sold at pet stores and grocery stores that promise to remove pet odors and stains, but Gary Sarko, of Sarko's ChemDry Carpet Cleaning in Cortland, said he is skeptical as to how well they really work.
"Lots of customers tell me they've spent a lot of money on over-the-counter products that didn't really work," he said.
Sarko said removing odors and stains from carpeting are two different processes, and although a carpet might appear clean to the eye it might still smell bad, especially if the carpet is deeply saturated with pet urine.
"You also have to remember that even if you clean the carpet, in many cases the animal can still smell the urine even if you can't, which means the animal will be more likely to go back to the same spot and have another accident," Sarko explained.
Marra also expressed doubts about over-the-counter products, particularly those that simply mask odors.
"A recent customer had been using one of those products that you sprinkle on the carpet and then vacuum up. She'd been doing this for a while. She ended up with big mounds of powder under her carpet," Marra said.
When to get help
Both Sarko and Marra said that if you have several dogs or cats that have repeatedly dribbled all over your house, you need to call a professional.
Sarko said his company specializes in pet stain and odor problems.
Sarko uses an ultraviolet light to locate urine in carpeting, and once the trouble spots have been detected, a carbonated solution to break up the urine and make it "come back up toward the surface."
"The treatment usually costs about $45 per gallon and most jobs require about two gallons," Sarko said.
Sometimes, when a carpet has been literally soaked with dog and cat urine, even the professionals can't help.
"In severe cases there could be as much as 20 to 30 gallons of pet urine in a carpet," Sarko said. "Sometimes we have to tell people the best thing to do is to tear up the carpet."
In cases like this, the padding and the flooring beneath the carpet will probably need replaced as well.
Sarko said if there's a urine stain on the surface of the carpet that appears to be about the size of an orange, then the stain on the carpet padding is probably the size of a watermelon.
"You can clean the carpet, but if you don't replace the carpet pad, your house will still smell," he said.
If a pet has repeatedly urinated in the same place, Marra said the floorboards might also need replaced.
"Sometimes the floorboards can simply be treated with Clorox and then resealed with shellac, but in severe cases, floorboards might need replaced if bacteria has gotten into the wood," Marra explained.
Marra said a new kind of carpet pad on the market, called a Microblock pad, might be a godsend for pet owners.
"It has materials in the cushion that inhibit the growth of microorganisms and keep odors minimal," he explained. "In a home with lots of pets, it would be ideal."
If you do decide to call a professional, Marra recommends hot water extraction cleaning methods and cautions customers against cleaning methods that rely on rotary action devices.
"Rotary action can damage carpet fibers," he said.
Marra said his company uses hot water extraction cleaning methods and Bane-Clene products for pet stains and odors.
"The costs vary, but we have specials where three rooms can be cleaned for $59.99 and a whole house for $99.99," he said.