You come back home after a long day at work, only to find your dog has left a surprise for you. The smelly piece of turd makes you want to want to throw your carpet in the trash. But wait!
We’re here to help. Learn how to get dog poop out of carpet with this simple guide.
First, scoop out as much poop as possible with some latex gloves and dispose of it. Then make a mixture of detergent and vinegar and soak the stain. Sprinkle baking soda and give a final wash to get rid of the stain.
If you have a few minutes to spare, let’s go over the steps in detail so that you can banish dog poop from your carpet forever.
Why do dogs poop on the carpet?
We get it. You’re frustrated at the situation at hand, and want to clean your carpet as soon as you can. But before we tell you how, it’s important for you to understand why your dog pooped in the first place.
You see, that way you can prevent such accidents from happening in the future and take preventive measures. Here are some common reasons why this may be happening.
#Medical issue
Sometimes, there might be an underlying issue behind your dog’s poop accidents. If your dog picked up this behavior recently, this may be an alarm bell for you.
Firstly, check the consistency of the poop. If your dog has an indigestion problem or diarrhea, they might not be able to control their bowel movement.
Moreover, your dog may have other bowel diseases like parasites, virus, or even bowel cancer!
So if you notice a sudden odd behavior from your furry friend, then it might be time to take a visit to the vet. That way, you can avoid any major health risks.
#Behavioral issue
Now if the vet’s report comes clean, then the problem may lie elsewhere.
If you recently brought a puppy home, then they may not be fully potty trained. So your puppy won’t really know that it’s a bad thing to relieve themselves on your expensive rug.
If this is the situation, then don’t be too tough on your dog. Teach them that it’s not appropriate behavior by encouraging healthy ones. Give them a treat every time they poop in the right place.
Another thing. A dog usually has to relieve themselves 2-3 times a day, depending on their diet. If they don’t have access to their outdoor poop spot, then they’ll find your carpet as an ideal one.
So keep track of your dog’s poop schedule if you want to minimize such accidents.
#Anxiety
Another major issue that is causing your dog to soil the carpet. Sometimes, your dog may have separation issues. When you leave for work or school, your dog may become super anxious.
This separation anxiety could also cause your dog to misbehave so that you pay attention to him. The way to tackle this is to have patience. Don’t punish your dog and make them even more disobedient.
How to get dog poop out of carpet?
Now that we’ve checked off all the reasons why your dog may be pooping on your carpet, let’s get into the business.
Just like there’s a procedure to get rid of larvae from carpet, the same applies to dog poop.
Even though it may seem daunting and quite impossible to get your carpet like before, with a little bit of patience you can easily achieve it.
So let’s take a look at the things you may need, and then directly jump into the gist. This way, you can get your hands on the essentials before you start working.
Step 0: List of essential items
We’ve accumulated a list of all the things you’ll need to remove dog poop from your carpet. Don’t worry, they’re all things that you probably already have.
- Mask
- Latex gloves
- Plastic bag
- Detergent
- Water
- White vinegar
- Baking Soda
- Towel
- Vacuum cleaner
Step 1: Scoop out as much as you can
Let’s get over the worst part first. Now whether it’s removing clay from carpet or poop, you need to scoop out the excess with your hands.
The only difference is that the latter stinks really bad! So wear a mask and some latex gloves. Next, scoop out the poop as much as you can. This may be difficult if your dog is going through a bout of diarrhea.
Remove the poop carefully without spreading it to clean carpet. Make sure you don’t blot or apply pressure at this point. That’s going to push the poop further into the carpet.
Next, dispose of the poop and your latex gloves in a plastic bag. Make sure you tie the plastic bag properly so that the smell doesn’t permeate your whole house.
Step 2: Lift the stain
So that’s done. Phew! Now you must be left with a horrid brown stain which smells only a little less than before. So our primary job is to treat the stain and the stink.
Also, we need to make sure that your dog doesn’t get anywhere near the poop or the stain before your clean it. If you wish, you can disinfect the paws, just to be on the safe side.
Remember that time isn’t in our favor. The more you delay the cleaning process, the harder it is going to be to remove the stain.
To lighten this smear, you can use a detergent mixture. To make this paste, mix two tablespoons of detergent to a cup of warm water. Pour this over your mucky stain and leave it on for around 30 minutes.
This will help loosen up the stain so that it can be removed easily.
Additionally, you can pour a mix of vinegar and water in equal parts. This will further get rid of the smell.
After leaving it on, blot it with some paper towels.
Step 3: Apply baking soda to neutralize odor
This is an additional step you can follow to really make sure that the stinky dog poop smell leaves your home forever. You see, baking soda has an amazing odor neutralizing properties.
You can take this one step further by adding some beneficial essential oils. These perfume your whole home and also have healing properties!
Step 4: Use detergent to clean the stain
After we’ve tackled the nasty odor and stain from the dog poop, it’s time to clean the carpet. Think of this as a finishing touch which will make your carpet look as good as new.
Even when it comes to removing washable marker stains, a final clean up ensures that your carpet looks fresh.
Take around one tablespoon of detergent in a cup of water and scrub the area well with a sponge. Make sure you do it gently, or else you may damage the carpet fibers.
The best technique is to wring out any excess water and gently scrub in circular motions.
Step 5: Wash with water and let it dry
Last but not the least, you want to wash the area well with water. This will ensure that the cleaning agents don’t remain lodged in your carpet.
If you don’t remove the detergent and vinegar from your carpet, it may damage the fibers in the long run. So dip a towel in some warm water and go over the stain.
Alternatively, you could use a wet vac to clean the carpet as a final touch.
Do this until it’s clean and no more detergent is left. Afterwards, make sure that you let the area dry properly.
We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again. Drying a carpet after you clean it is super important!
If you don’t do this, consider all your effort go down the drain. You’ll end up with a moldy and smelly carpet which will also damage the wooden floor underneath it.
So vacuum the carpet, or leave a fan on in the room for it to dry. Moreover, you could keep the windows open if you live in a warm place.
FAQ
Question: Can you get old pet stains out of carpet?Answer: Yes. Make a solution of 3 parts water to one part vinegar and mix well. Pour this over the old stains and let it sit for around 30 minutes. Then blot the stain and clean the area well with some detergent and water.
Question: How do you get dog period stains out of carpet?Answer: When you want to remove blood from the carpet, mix a tablespoon of dish-washing liquid to a cup of cold water. Warm water will not work to get the blood out. Next, soak a rag in this solution and blot the blood stain away. After it’s blotted, scrub the stain and let it dry.
Question: Does baking soda remove poop stains?Answer: Baking soda alone can’t remove poop stains. Mix baking soda with dish soap and hydrogen peroxide in a ratio of 1:1:2. Pour this over the dog poop stain and leave it for 30 minutes.
Conclusion
That was all from us.
We hope this article cleared your doubts on how to get dog poop out of carpet.
If you have any more questions, ask us in the comments below. Until then, stay happy and healthy!