Pet urine can cause permanent damage to your floors and fabrics. It can also create an unhealthy indoor environment. When pet urine is first deposited onto a floor or fabric, it has a pH of about 5 or 6, which is on the acid side of the pH Scale. It is easier to remove right then when it is fresh. Once it dries up, it turns “alkaline,” or to a high pH, between 10 to 12, on the scale and becomes more difficult to remove. The odor can become unbearable. So don’t hesitate to reach out to DynaClean! Our cleaning experts are only a phone call away, and we service Waco, Round Rock, Temple, and surrounding areas.
Understanding the Damages of Pet Urine
The warm acid state of the urine offers a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, which begins to flourish almost immediately. In this original acid state, the urine begins to oxidize and react with the carpet to create a color change, which will become permanent if the urine is not removed immediately. Some of this color change can be attributed to the strong ammonia that forms as the urine passes through bacterial and chemical change. If left for days or weeks, depending on the fabric or floor type, it will change the dye structure, therefore causing permanent staining. Even if the soluble deposits are removed, the damage to the dye structure may already be done.
Two Types of Odors
There are two sources of odors associated with urine. The first comes from bacteria that grows abundantly in dark warm places with a never-ending food source. A pet can feed the bacteria daily! This bacteria growth and breakdown of the urine creates amino acids. These complex organic compounds will often work deep into the fibers to a point of becoming part of the fiber. This can present a challenging situation. The waste materials and gases from the decomposing urine create an unpleasant odor. When dried urine is remoistened, it gives off an ammonia gas. Once you smell it, it is seldom forgotten!
The second source of odor is chemical odor that is present even when the bacteria has been killed. This explains why you need our cleaning solutions rather than just sanitizing to neutralize odors from urine. Urine also presents additional odor problems when the relative humidity is high.The salts and crystals that are left behind as the urine dries are hydrophilic and draw water to them.
Dried urine is often easy to smell in the humid months because the salts attract the moisture, and the moisture evaporates putting out a greater proportion of odorous ammonia gas. You must get rid of the urine salts in and under the carpet to get rid of the odor. That’s why cleaning existing urine spots WILL NOT remove any associated odor. In fact, it could INCREASE the odor in the air space for a temporary period of time.
Do-It-Yourself with Our Pet Stain Removal
The best tool to have is a small one gallon wet vac or small spot removal machine. We recommend a small machine because the more convenient the tool is, the more likely you are to get it out for an accident.
If you can clean up the urine while it is fresh, you will have a better chance of 100% removal. Simply extract the urine right out of the carpet. Next, apply some of DynaClean’s spotter and let it sit for a few minutes. Then, pour a measuring cup of warm water on the spot and extract it out to rinse the carpet. Always dry the carpet as much as possible and never scrub or rub the carpet. This will distort the face fiber and break down the fiber protection, which allows for easy staining.
If the urine spot is older than 24 hours, apply DynaClean’s spotter, rinse the carpet with warm water and wet vac. Then, you can mix 1 part white distilled vinegar with 2 parts water and apply it to the spot, rinse with warm water, and wet vac. Do not use the vinegar on fresh spots, as the acid from the vinegar cannot counter the acid from fresh urine. The vinegar works best after 24 hours when the urine has become alkaline.
Additional Cleaning Agents For Pet Urine
Enzymes are the best cleaning agent for urine, vomit, and feces. An enzyme is the only cleaning agent that actually eats up the bad bacteria. For the best results, use an enzyme spotter after you have rinsed the carpet, especially if the spot is not a fresh one. We recommend Nature’s Miracle, which can be purchased at any local pet store. Always read the directions before use!
Products to Avoid
Try to stay away from products with a high pH such as ammonia and oxygen bleaches. These products will leave the carpet with residue and a high pH state, which will enable the carpet to attract dirt like a magnet. In some instances, the use of the wrong product can cause the urine stain to be permanent. Please call DynaClean first if you are not sure about a product you may want to try.
How Our Professionals Remove Pet Urine Odor
Remember, in order to remove the odor, you must get rid of all of the alkaline salt in and under the carpet. This can be quite extensive and time consuming, which is why you should leave it to the experts. In the most severe case, all of the following steps will be done by our experts. When damage is not so bad, a few steps are left out:
1. Pull up carpet.
2. Remove affected pad.
3. Clean back of carpet.
4. Treat floor with an enzyme treatment.
5. Seal floor if needed with an odor barrier.
6. Treat back of carpet with enzyme treatment.
7. Install new tack strip.
8. Install new pad.
9. Re-install carpet.
10. Clean carpet.
11. Topically apply enzyme.
DynaClean’s Pet Urine Odor Solutions in Waco, Gatesville, and Surrounding Areas
If you are dealing with pungent pet urine odors, or want to prevent it from escalating there, give DynaClean a call today. Our cleaning solutions are second to none. We service Waco, Round Rock, Temple, and surrounding areas. We are your odor control solution that offers disinfectant applications to kill the bacteria in order to restore health and safety.
Disclaimer: Use these techniques at your own risk. Always read directions on any spotter before using. Pre-test each spotter in an inconspicuous area before using. If the stain or odor persists, call DynaClean.