What's the best way to get rid of Dog or Cat odor in a rug?

[trumad]

I just bought a huge area rug at an Auction and found out later that the rug kind of smells like Cat or dog pee.... Yuk... I rented a rug steam cleaner and cleaned the damn thing 3 times but the odor is still there... It improved but not much. The rug is outlined with shag carpet around it edges and that's where most of the smell is.

Any suggestions?

[King Coal]

1. There is a chemical just for that.

But, I can't think of it. I'll see what I can find out for you.

[JimmyJazz]

2. Plain white vinegar works well if you don't want to use a

commercial product.

[barb162]

21. do you use it straight or mix with water. I always mix with water.

[JimmyJazz]

23. If it's a small area - i just use it without dilluting it.

[Cuban_Liberal]

3. Have it professionally cleaned, OR....

If you're where you can do it outdoors, absolutely DRENCH it with water, then apply vinegar and let it set for 15 minutes. Drench it again to rinse the vinegar out, gently brush/rub in a MILD detergent and DRENCH it one last time. Elevate it to let it drip dry.

:)

[Susang]

30. If you use water on the rug, you just re-activate the smell

The uric acid crystals are still there and the water reconstitutes them and releases their odor. It's the worst possible thing you can do.

[Padraig18]

33. Not precisely accurate, Susang.

I used to work for Sevicemaster@ and am an IICRC-certified Carpet Technician (http:iicrc.org), and the rug MUST be re-wetted before the odor can be removed. An enzymatic application would be my first choice in getting rid of the odor, although mild acids like vinegar may also be used.

What C-L sugested is known in the industry as 'floating' the rug, and is often used with this sort of problem.

:)

[flvegan]

4. Odoban works well. I like Simple Green, personally.

[Dora]

5. We use "Nature's Miracle"

We buy it at Petco. It comes in cat formula, dog formula, and non-specific formula.

[City Lights]

12. So do we.

Nature's Miracle is the only thing we've found that completely removes the odor.

[Phillycat]

15. Thirded.

It's the best. And it's organic, too. Won't harm pets.

[amandae]

19. We used to use this when we had a cat

Now we have a dog that's so small that regular dog/cat carpet cleaners work. Nature's Miracle worked for removing the cat urine odor though. Cat urine odor is the absolute worst to remove.

[trotsky]

6. This is what you want: ANTI-ICKY-POO

http://www.antiickypoo.com/

We tried it, and it works.

[Lex]

7. Yes, I have hands-down the best remedy.

.
Go to your local pet store and get a bottle of

"Simple Solution" or "Nature's Remedy" (same stuff)

It contains special enzymes that will totally obliterate any kind of smell like that -- pee, poo, vomit, etc.

It has the consistency of water and is clear too--you just pour it on the stain and let it dry. Or, you can take a spray bottle and spray the rug down really well and let it dry.

It won't stain the rug.

[King Coal]

8. Here you go, Trumad.

www.justrite.com

[barb162]

20. Nature's Remedy is pretty good, but not perfect. I think you

basically have to toss the rugs or carpets. I had to toss a large wall to wall rug and we put in wood floors. My one cat kept going back to the same spot and blessing it (what seemed like) a million times.

[Lex]

24. Well, if the cat keeps peeing on it after you clean it, then

I'd say that Nature's Miracle would hardly stand a chance.

But if Trumad uses a heavy dose of Nature's Miracle and doesn't have to worry about the cat coming back time and time again, then it will work.

After having 3 naughty cats in the house, I had a constant battle but Nature's Miracle or Simple Solution kept me sane.

[barb162]

26. What worked for me is the cat got older and he just stopped doing it

after the wall-to-wall rug got tossed. That cat has cost me thousands! He's 14 now and I think he has finally mellowed and when he sees some stray cat walking across the back yard, he doesn't have to spray in the house any more to show it's his territory. I had him on sedatives for a while and all kinds of other stuff trying to get him to stop this. I literally think he's aging and that's what's stopping the spraying/marking or whatever you want to call it.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

31. Nature's Miracle is what my bottle says..good stuff

[Lex]

Here's a link to the stuff I was talking about:

http://www.redhotcarpetcleaning.com/en-us/p_13.html

It really works.

[arwalden]

9. PetSmart has a concentrated cleaner with some sort of

enzymes that target fecal and urine and vomit odor. I've used both of the following with success, but I liked the Simple Solutions the best.

Simple Solutions
http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441775334&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023689&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302032893&bmUID=1103648399462

Nature's Miracle
http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441775473&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023689&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302033465&bmUID=1103648369840

[LibertyLover]

10. Animal Pee

We have 5 dogs and use Petzyme, which we get a PetsMart, to clean up after them. It's very good on dog urine. If you are sure that it's cat urine, there is an excellent product called FON - Feline Odor Neutralizer - that can do wonders. Cat pee and dog pee smell different and an unneutered male cat's pee is particularly hard on the nose. It used to be the FON was available only through veterinarians, but now I believe that it is available in stores like PetsMart and PetCo.

[Lex]

11. We had three cats and Simple Solution or Nature's Miracle

both worked wonders on the cat pee smell/stain. We bought the products at PetSmart.

Totally eradicated the smell.

[paula777]

22. Yup, Natures Miracle. Soak it w/ that and the smell will be GONE

[BurtWorm]

13. Have them poop on it.

That'll get rid of the smell. :thumbsup:

[trumad]

16. Who?

My kids?

[BurtWorm]

17. How old are they?

If they're less than 5, the poop may not smell strongly enough to cover the pee smell.

[Cuban_Liberal]

14. These people do AWESOME work, and we've used them often:

They have THOUSANDS of professional carpet cleaners nationwide, and we have been VERY impressed with their 'system'. Their prices are also quite fair, their personnel have been polite, knowledgeable, well-trained and prompt.


Give them a call.

http://www.baneclene.com/index.html

[BiggJawn]

18. Gasoline. (and a real tip, too)

And a match.

Best done out of doors.

Seriously, though...If the stink is in the fringe, you can take it to a rug shop and they can replace that part. Might be able to de-odorize it, too.

[EC]

25. wool lite's oxgy cleaner

it's a spray - on... otherwise I use clorox alot when the dog goofs up. You may have to turn the rug over and clean the back also. If you live somewhere where you can lay it out in the sun to burn off the stain, that works also.

[yellowdogintexas]

27. those enzymatic cleaners mentioned by several other posters

are the best. If for some reason I no longer had any animals, I would still keep the stuff around because it also will remove body odor from any washable fabric (love those accidental armpit floods, y'know what I mean?), barf, blood if presoaked w/cold water, and just about any organic stain or smell.

We ended up peeling out two rooms and a hall of wall to wall (we planned to replace it with wood or tile anyway) earlier than we had originally intended due to our cats discovering an ancient cat spot on the carpet right after we moved in...and of course they had to destroy it, to show that other cat that this was THEIR house.

I hope to get the new floors laid by this time next year....

well, the bedroom one was more the result of a water bed flood, which is another story in itself.

[SarahB]

28. Wet it a little, cover with a ton of baking soda, cover with a towel...

vacuum in about 2-3 days.

[Susang]

29. If you've already steam cleaned it, you're pretty much screwed

The enzymatic solutions only work if the urine soaked carpet hasn't been cleaned, exposed to water or other cleaning solutions. The heat locks in the stain and smell.

Before my cat died last May, he managed to urinate on pretty much carpeted surface and the sofa. I tried gallons of the enzymatic cleaner as well as steam cleaning after that didn't work. The smell still persisted. You could try taking the rug to a professional and have them clean it, it's probably your only hope in getting rid of the odor.

Sorry if I sound too negative, but I've lived with the transient smell of cat urine for well over six months now, so I know of what I speak.

[msgadget]

32. Yep, you might have to toss it.

I've lived with dogs and carpet my whole life and, well, the only way to get rid of the odor, especially after steaming it in, is to get rid of the offending article. Even if you get rid of the smell for now, trust me, it'll revisit you the first rainy day.

[Padraig18]

34. A professional can get it clean.

In addition to various cleaning methods, they can also use ozone deodorization.

[msgadget]

35. Yes, a professional can seriously reduce the odor but it's rare that it

never 'rise' again. I spent a small fortune paying professional carpet cleaners and, regardless their method, a damp day brings with it an echo of the original accident. So, yes, they can get rid of it. For that day and all other dry days.

[Padraig18]

36. You were ripped off.

No ethical professional would have sent it back to you with the problem still ongoing.

[msgadget]

37. I'd think that if I hadn't had so much pet odor experience

or used so many different people. Seriously, I only have carpet on my stairs now, it's not worth the hassle, not even area rugs. And, wouldn't ya know it, my dogs haven't had an accident in ages! Figures.