Carpet Cleaner Buyer's Guide

WHEN FLUFFY OR SPOT HAS AN ACCIDENT

Just about all pet owners will experience this at one time or another. It is just one of those things that we as animal lovers have to accept. However, urine is one of the biggest contamination and odour problems a carpet cleaner ever gets asked to tackle. Now it is important to understand that there are two different types of contamination. Isolated contamination is from a rare occurrence. Large area contamination is from a problem or an unhealthy animal.

Now the success in treating this is dependent on these factors. Volume, frequency, age, and health.

Volume or the amount of urine must be considered. A Rottweiler will have a bladder the size of an orange, whereas a Chihuahua’s is smaller than a quarter. It is a logical conclusion that the contamination from a Chihuahua will be easier to remove.

Frequency is also an important consideration. And adult German shepherd going to the same spot daily will deposit 55 gallons of urine over the course of a year. Again if it is a one-time thing, it can most likely be fixed. A daily occurrence will wreak way too much havoc.

Age of the contamination is another consideration. As urine decomposes in the carpet, it will remove the colour. The longer it stays the more bleaching damage that is done. This damage is typically not revealed until after the carpets are cleaned.

And finally, the health of the animal needs to be considered. Undiagnosed diabetics, for example, will have high sugar content in the urine. Is there an infection or illness that is causing this problem? When a pet that for years has never soiled a carpet starts doing so, it can often be a symptom of a medical problem that needs a veterinarians’ attention. That is how a friend of mine discovered that their cat had developed diabetes.

Now with these four factors considered, a professional carpet cleaner can advise you on the correct course of action. A fresh, one-time contamination from a small healthy pet can typically be treated with a thorough cleaning and treatment for odour and bacteria. In some cases, depending on the volume, the under-pad may need to be treated as well with injections through the carpet with a syringe.

More severe problems can sometimes be salvaged. Start by lifting the carpet away from the wall. Remove and dispose of the under-pad. Sealing the floor. Replace the underpad. Thoroughly clean and treat the back of the carpet. Thoroughly clean and treat the face yarns or top of the carpet. Re-install the carpet. And in some cases, thermo-fog the room to destroy the odour molecules attached to wall and window coverings, furnishings and floating around the air.

In situations where the contamination exceeds 50% of the area, or if it has been an ongoing problem for over 12 months, then total replacement is recommended. This can be determined using two tools. A black-light and a moisture meter. The black light will reveal every single spot in the carpet that has been “christened”. Whereas the moisture meter will reveal how severe the contamination is.

If you do have additional questions about urine contamination, you may email me at info@carpetcleaningmanitoba.ca and arrange for a free inspection and consultation.

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