Raining Cats and Dogs
Bringing home a new sofa is an exciting thing to do. Finding the perfect area to place it in a room is even more exciting. Walking in to find a fresh stain on one of the cushions and a pet looking innocently into the distance? Not too exciting. Thankfully there are quick and easy ways to clean the sofa of any stain or shedding incident a pet can throw at it.
Dealing with Urine Stains
The biggest issue with urine on a couch, besides the unfortunate and embarrassing smell, is that animals will recognize the scent and continue to do their business there if it's not handled correctly. Thankfully the Humane Society has detailed the appropriate way to deal with this to avoid further stains. The first step is to soak it up with a combination of newspaper and paper towel before using more over and under the area to blot up as much as possible. The next step is to use cool water, with no cleaners, to rinse what remains of the accident. The newspaper can be placed where the pet is supposed to do their business to help teach them the appropriate place to relieve themselves.
The Magic of Lint Rollers & Dry Sponges
One of the most effective ways to remove pet hair is also one of the least expensive. A simple lint roller that would normally be used on clothing can remove most pet hair in a single swipe. They can be found at any department store in packs of two or three and an extra tip is to keep one with the remote control by the couch so it will always be on hand. An alternative is the use of a dry sponge or the upholstery tool on a vacuum cleaner. Dry sponges can be found at all major pet stores and are designed to catch hair from cats and dogs.
For Tough Stains, Call in the Professionals
Sometimes trying to fix a stain with an at home cleaning solution can do more damage than good. While these tricks work on fresh stains, sometimes a pet can be sick and have it go unnoticed for some time. In these cases, especially with acidic vomit, the best way to save the sofa is to call in a professional cleaner. The city has a variety of professional cleaning services that have the equipment and experience necessary to remove even the deadliest of long standing stains to return a sofa back to its original condition. It may not be as cheap as a do it yourself solution, but the results are guaranteed. Everybody will have different results when trying to remove pet stains or hair from their sofa, some may find the lint roller the most effective while others may prefer using a vacuum cleaner to remove hair. The most important thing to remember when dealing with pets and new furniture is that time is of the essence. Pet stains should be taken care of as soon as they are noticed to keep the sofa looking fresh and new.