All Things Dog Blog

by Carrie Boyko

Thank you readers for always being there to remind me of the topics I simply have not covered. When a reader's letter arrived today, she touched on a the topic of cleaning up; what is best?

We, as consumers, are barraged with commercials for all sorts of specialized cleaners, promising to remove not only the stains, but also the odor. The problem? As my carpet cleaner told me, "All those products in the commercials have residues in them that, over time, pick up dirt and grime from the bottoms of our shoes, leaving stains that are tougher to remove than the dog's mistake."

Here's what I use: My first line of defense for cleaning up any indiscretion is always Club Soda. It's cheap and you can buy it at any grocer. The bubbling action brings the liquid substances up from carpet padding or pillow stuffing, for quick absorption. Use 2-3 times on a large stain or when urine is especially dark. Club Soda doesn't leave any residue to collect dirt from our shoes, so no follow up stains.

Using an old rag or towel, after I have soaked up the visible stain, I put one more dose on the spot and let it completely soak it. Then I stand on the old rag or towel and walk around on it, using my body weight to absorb all the excess club soda.

If you're concerned about odor remaining, you might like Simple Green's enzyme treatment that kills odors by "eating" them. Understand that enzyme treatments are not intended to immediately annihilate the odor; it takes time for the enzyme to do its job. That's why most of these products include fragrances. Choose wisely; too much fragrance could also collect dirt with its residue. Save yourself a cabinet full of products that you won't use and stick to what's simple and natural. You'll be saving the earth too. Thanks!

Once you've gotten everything out that you can, one other natural option exists. This only work if you have lighter colored carpet--medium khaki to white, or pastels. Peroxide will gently lighten stains, slowly, so that you can control how much you lighten an area. Allow it to stand on the spot for 5-10 minutes, each time you use it. This is a last ditch effort, when a stain remains, so use it with care. Finally, dowse it generously with water at least twice, when done, to assure that the carpet does not continue to lighten. Keep in mind that wet carpet will naturally look darker, so you'll have to estimate how much to lighten--always better to go with less. You can do another treatment after the carpet dries, if needed.

You may be wondering if Club soda and peroxide will work for other stains--vomit, food and beverage spills, etc.--and yes, you can use it on anything. No worries about setting the stain with Club Soda. I've even battled red wine and won; now that's saying something!

Finally, speaking of saying something, Oliver is spouting his opinion of this over at 5 Minutes for Fido. I think I hit a nerve. Poor little fella got blamed for a wet spot yesterday, and turns out it was just water. Sorry, Oliver!

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