In addition to owning 2 adorable boxers, I often babysit my friends.
Believe me, that's a lot of doggies that visit my house daily!
Plus, most of these dogs are adopted and haven't been trained to pee outside yet.
So, with all these dogs, it goes without saying that there are a lot of accidents to clean up at home (and when I say many , I'm not exaggerating).
Everything you can imagine coming out of a dog (front or back) has landed on my carpet or rug! Yes I am talking about poo, pee and vomit...
And it's obviously even worse, with an incontinent dog...
But that's not all. In the spring, my garden turns into a veritable quagmire. As a result, the dogs tumble into the house and drag their paws full of dirt everywhere!
In short, for me, good stain removers are absolutely essential. I need these products to remove stains but also to neutralize bad smells associated with the accidents of my dogs.
Unfortunately, it took me far too long to realize that I could easily make my own cleansers.
Plus, these homemade stain-removing and deodorizing recipes are as effective as the dozen or so expensive store-bought stain removers I've tried!
Whether it's mud, blood, vomit, small commission or big commission, here are 3 homemade recipes for natural stain removers to eliminate and deodorize your pets' little surprises:
It doesn't get any easier than this recipe. It's the one I choose most often. It's simple, inexpensive, and works especially well on blood and urine stains.
If you don't know it yet, white vinegar is a miracle product that even works on old urine stains. Dogs are particularly good at leaving little pees in hidden places.
As for baking soda, it is THE natural deodorant par excellence. Combined with white vinegar, baking soda is surprisingly effective in eliminating even the worst odors.
- 50 cl of white vinegar
- 50 cl of lukewarm water
- 4 good tablespoons of baking soda
- 1 spray bottle (optional)
a. Use an old rag or paper towels to soak up the little surprise left by your pet as much as possible. I cannot stress enough the importance of this step!
Cover the affected area with an old rag folded in half. Then, put a thick book on the cloth and stand on the book. It may seem a bit extreme, but this technique is very effective in extracting as much liquid as possible from your carpet or rug!
b. Mix 50 cl of white vinegar in 50 cl of lukewarm water, in a large container.
c. Add four good tablespoons of baking soda. Don't pour in all the baking soda at once, as it creates a small chemical reaction when you mix it with the vinegar. Fizzing is completely normal , don't be afraid :-)
d. Pour the vinegar-bicarbonate mixture into a spray bottle and spray the affected area thoroughly. Leave to act for 5 min. If you don't have a spray bottle, pour this mixture directly onto the stain.
e. Rub the stain gently and blot excess cleanser with a soft cloth.
It is the ideal solution for removing traces of urine from tiles, lino or plastic. You can also spray this cleaning solution on concrete, plaster or a wall.
a. As in the first method above, clean and blot the stain as much as possible.
b. Mix the 50 cl of lukewarm water in 50 cl of white vinegar.
c. Instead of adding the baking soda to the water-vinegar mixture, sprinkle it generously directly on the stain.
d. Leave the baking soda to neutralize and deodorize bad odors for ten minutes, then vacuum the affected area.
e. Now spray the water-vinegar mixture on the stain. As in the first method, leave on for 5 min, then rub and blot with a soft cloth.
It is a good technique to remove an old urine stain, on fabric or a sofa on a mattress.
a. Mix warm water and white vinegar.
b. After carefully cleaning and sponging the affected area, sprinkle a good amount of baking soda.
c. Now pour the water-vinegar mixture directly over the baking soda.
d. This will create a mini volcanic eruption that will dissolve the stain and neutralize bad smells. Leave on for 5 min.
e. Gently scrub and blot excess cleanser with a soft cloth.
Too little known, hydrogen peroxide is also one of the most powerful natural cleaners for destroying urine "crystals" and extracting stains from your carpet or rug.
Combine hydrogen peroxide with the deodorizing properties of baking soda, and you have a highly effective natural cleanser to remove stains of your animals and neutralize their bad smells .
- paper towels or old rags
- 180 g baking soda
- 12 cl of hydrogen peroxide 10 volumes
- 1 teaspoon of washing-up liquid
- 1 large bowl
a. Cover the stain with paper towels or old rags. Then, trample the affected area to extract the excess liquid from the stain (you can also put a large heavy book on top of the paper towels).
b. Once you have mopped up as much of the liquid as possible, sprinkle a large handful of baking soda on the stain.
c. Mix 12 cl of hydrogen peroxide and 1 teaspoon of dishwashing liquid.
d. Pour this mixture little by little on the baking soda covering the stain.
e. Scrub the stain gently with a soft-bristled brush or an old rag, so that the cleaner fully penetrates the fibers of your carpet.
f. Leave on for 10 to 15 minutes, then vacuum.
g. For stubborn stains, repeat the steps above.
If a mattress has urine rings, you can try this trick to remove them.
On the labels of commercial stain removers, there are often texts that highlight the fact that their product contains "enzymes" that act at the molecular level to break down and neutralize stains and odors.
This all may sound scientific and complicated, but with a little time and patience, you too can make your own bio-enzyme stain remover. Watch:
- 7 tablespoons brown sugar
- citrus peel (lemon or orange), the equivalent of 1 ½ mustard glass
- 1 liter of water
- 1 glass bottle (or a glass container) large enough to hold the liquid and the peel
a. Pour the brown sugar into the container, using a funnel if necessary.
b. Add the citrus peel.
c. Add water.
d. Tighten the bottle or container cap securely.
e. Shake vigorously to mix the brown sugar and rinds well.
f. Loosen the cap halfway, to allow gas to escape and prevent the container from exploding due to gas buildup.
g. After 3 months of storage, your natural enzyme cleanser is ready to use!
As it does not contain vinegar, this enzymatic product can be used on parquet.
We love our animal friends, but no one likes the stains and dirt they leave in our homes. And we can't really blame them for leaving us little surprises on the carpet from time to time.
After all, it's not like they were born knowing that they have to defecate outside, or in a litter box! Accidents to your pets are inevitable, even for dogs and cats that have learned to relieve themselves outside or in a litter box.
With these 3 recipes for natural deodorant stain removers, you can easily clean even the worst stains and save money on expensive commercial stain removers.
Know that these tricks also work to clean a rabbit's pee!
Before using these recipes, always do a test on a small, inconspicuous area of your carpet or rug first, to avoid discoloring them.
Also, be careful not to skip any steps in these recipes when cleaning up after your pets. Remember to blot up as much liquid as possible before applying these treatments. And be patient, no shortcuts! :-)
Have you tested one of these homemade recipes to clean up your pets' little accidents? Let us know in the comments if it worked for you. We can't wait to read you!
