If you have a dog, it’s practically inevitable that there will be an accident at some point. Even the best-trained dogs have bad days or a stomach upset, which means you need to clean unpleasant stains from your carpet. However, while accidents are inevitable, carpet stains are not. Here’s how to clean dog poop out of your carpet.
Be Prepared
The best way to take care of dog poop stains is right away before the accident has a chance to soak into your carpet fibers. However, the best stain treatments and prevention methods depend on what kind of carpet you have, so it’s essential to know. If you don’t know what type of carpet you have, here’s a simple test to find out:
- Find an inconspicuous area of your carpet, and snip a small piece of the carpet. You only need about a centimeter of carpet fiber, so trim a little piece that won’t be missed
- In a well-ventilated area, hold the carpet fiber in a pair of tweezers or in a paper clip
- Get a fire-proof plate or jar and place it on a table in front of you
- Using a lighter, light the carpet fiber on fire (don’t use a match because you need to smell the fiber, and the smell of a match may overwhelm the scent of your carpet fiber)
- When you light your carpet fiber on fire, pay attention to what happens.
- If the fiber melts instead of burns (this is why you hold it over a fire-proof plate), you have synthetic carpet
- If the fire smolders and burns, smell the aroma that comes from the fiber.
- If it smells like celery, you have nylon carpet
- If it smells like asphalt, you have polypropylene or polyethylene carpet
- If it smells sweet, you have polyester carpet
- If it smells like burning paper, you have rayon carpet
- If it smells like burning meat, you have acrylic carpet
- If it smells like burning hair, you have wool carpet
The most effective stain removal treatments depend on the type of carpet you have. It’s best to identify your carpet early and buy the right carpet stain remover for your home before your dog ever has an accident. It’s also a good idea to test your carpet stain remover on a small, inconspicuous area before using it to make sure it won’t bleach your carpet.
How To Clean Dog Poop Out of a Carpet?
If your dog has had an accident on your carpet, it’s essential to take care of it right away.
To get dog poop out of a carpet, you might also need:
- Sturdy gloves
- A mask or bandana to cover your nose
- Paper towels
- Clean cloths
- A soft scrubbing brush
Here’s how to prevent further staining and carpet damage:
- Use a scoop to lift up any solids and place them in a disposable bag. Try not to press down into the carpet, but use a sweeping and lifting motion instead.
- Apply a pre-treatment spray. If you have a non-bleach laundry detergent pre-treatment spray that is safe for your carpet, apply the spray now. Oxygen-based products typically work well but may not be safe on wool carpets. Spray a small amount on the fibers without saturating the carpet.
- Mix a cleaning solution. Let the treatment spray soak in while you make a cleaning solution.
- For wool carpets: mix two parts cool water and one part white vinegar in a spray bottle
- For non-wool carpets: mix a gallon bucket of hot water with two tablespoons of laundry detergent until you have suds
- Apply the cleaning solution to the affected area. Spray the solution directly onto the stain without saturating it; you don’t want messy liquid soaking deeper into the carpet or carpet pad.
- Blot the stain. Do not rub or scrub downward, but blot gently. Using paper towels or a clean cloth, gently blot the stain. Work from the outside in, move the cloth so that you are pressing a clean, dry part of the cloth into the carpet, and keep blotting until all the liquid has been absorbed. If the stain is still visible, spray with more cleaning solution and repeat blotting with a new, clean cloth or paper towels. Repeat with cleaning solution and blotting until the stain is no longer visible.
- Rinse. Once the area is clean, spray a small amount of cold water over the stained area and blot it back up with a clean cloth until the area is dry.
- Use baking soda. Once the area is dry, sprinkle it with baking soda to eliminate any odors
- Vacuum. After 10-15 minutes, vacuum up the baking soda.
How to Get Dried Dog Poop Out of a Carpet?
If the dog poop has dried on the carpet and the carpet fibers are already stained, you follow a similar process, with these changes:
- Lift up as much solid waste as you can. Lift up solid waste and dispose of it. If there is dog poop stuck to the carpet fibers, you may need to use something like a dull butter knife to help you scrape it free.
- Follow steps 2-4 above
- Try blotting. If spraying with a cleaning solution has softened the dog poop, you may be able to gently blot it up. If blotting doesn’t work, scrub the fibers with a soft-bristled brush. Try to brush upward with a sweeping motion, rather than downward. Always work from the outside in to avoid spreading the stain.
- Repeat scrubbing. Alternate between scrubbing and blotting until the stain is no longer visible
- Follow steps 6-8 above
The basic rule for getting dog poop out of a carpet is to be prepared and be patient. Accidents will happen, but they aren’t the end of the world and aren’t the end of your carpet.