My Floor and Carpet Are a Mess I Need Your Help !!!!!

Simple Solution works great for pee on the couch or on anything for that matter. It takes the smell right out!

hi C., I have the same problem at my house, plus we just got our 4 year old (Ihave a 2 1/2 yr old girl and 4 yr old boy) a boxer puppy for his 4th b-day so add that to all the messes on the floor already and, well u get the picture. The only thing that i can suggest that has helped a little for us is scotch gaurd. I would say, splurge, I know its tuff when u have little ones but, have your carpets cleaned, our if you just can't, shampoo them yourself and add oxyclean as the cleaner. also add scothch gaurd. It will protect your carpet and couches from more stains, when things do get on the floor or couch, they come right off, even if you dont get to it right away. most places, i have found, that offer professional applications will gaurentee their work meaning that if there is a stain that u cant get out, they will come get it out for free. as far as the couch goes for the urine smell, there is some kind of cleaner in the pet isle, (can't remember the name of it now but ill look when i get home and let you know)that works wonders. you saturate the area well and let it dry and as it does, it acctually gets ride of the smell, not just covers it up. I will get you the name of it asap...hope it helps!
A.

I actually bought a carpet cleaner. (The top-of-the-line one - because I figured with MY three boys it was a good investment.)

White vinegar works on every odor. (Even cat urine.) Use a one part vinegar, two parts water solution and dab the smelly spot. Afterwards, you should go over the spot with a cleaner that smells a little better; otherwise your house will reek of vinegar!

Hydrogen Peroxide works GREAT on stains - even wine and blood. I just put the straight liquid on the stain and blot. It bubbles up the stain from the bottom so you don't just clean the surface stain.

(I get my vinegar and Peroxide at Costco!)

When we were kids my mom used a million (not literally, but almost) area rugs that could be washed outside. It does a good job at protecting the carpet and hiding stains. You can get decent area rugs at Ikea or used.

C.,

Why not put the oxy clean in the shampooer and run it? That might help your carpet.

I have two kids and a cat, I understand about the odors. If the foam comes out of the cushions (mine does) why not throw the covers in the wash, if they're machine washable? Another thought is the pet odor remover that we use for the cat. I bought it at Target, and it's the Complete brand. You spray it on the offending spot, wait x minutes, then mop up with a towel. It also has a great citrus smell.

Hope this helps,
M.

For the couch I would take off the cover to wash it. You should then put baking soda on the spot to help suck the odor away. The floor, I kinda have the same problem, and have yet to get a shampooer. I need to bad. I love my app, only I hate that my dining room area has carpet. So you can imagine what mine looks like. I have a 4 year old girl a 2 year old boy and a two month old little girl. Talk about them keeping you on your toe's.

We bought a small bissell carpet cleaner. It does do the job, although it doesn't always suck up all liquid cleaner which i would prefer. I'm sure the bigger ones are better.
Try baking soda or the powder carpet refresher on the smelly couch.

We had a similar problem and when you try the little fixes like Fabreeze and spot cleaning it doesn't quite get it to where it needs to be. The problem with those spot cleaners is they arent't strong enough to totally pull the soap from the fibers, so dirt and other stains stick to it and look darker!

If I were you I would spend the money ONCE for a professional cleaning like Stanley Steamers or DA Burns and then put a cover over your couch (a throw or something inexpensive from Target) and then for your carpet - either ban all food and drink in that room or pick up the little area rug for $15 from IKEA that another mom suggested. We have the same one and it is cute and washable.

We just had 1800 sq ft of carpet cleaned by DA Burns and it was $200- if that gives you an idea of pricing. Look in the Valupaks or online for coupons or specials. And since this is a rental, keeping up on the maintenance will ensure you get your deposit back when you decide to move.

Resolve carpet cleaner from Walmart or the grocery store. We use it all the time to remove spots from our beige carpet. Recently my teen spilled a mocha or something sticky brown in her room and left it...for months, and the resolve got it out. Amazing stuff.

The next time you have a child pee on anything, use baking soda!!! I don't know what to tell you now that the smell is in the couch, but next time, use a rag to wipe up as much of the pee as possible, clean with whatever cleaner you would normally use, and then put the baking soda on it and let it dry completely. Vacuum it up and odor is gone!

C.-
Since you already used OxyClean on some of the spots on the carpet, I suggest using a solution of it in a steam cleaner. The instructions for the cleaner say to use only thier products, but if you dissolve the OxyClean in water in a bucket, then add it to the cleaner, no one will ever know. ;) I found that this helps in at least getting the carpet a uniform color instead of having all those "dalmation" spots on the carpet. :) It also doesn't leave the carpet all sticky like the machine cleaners do. But do make sure you do one rinse on it as well, after shampooing once. I hope this helps!!

I just recently shampooed my carpet after several years of not doing it and it was really bad. Mine too is beige and shows everything as well. I have used the rug doctor in the past but when the carpet got wet it smelled like a dirty old wet mop. I started using Shaklee cleaning products around the 1st of the year and am very impressed with the laundry soap, dryer sheets and all the other cleaning products with everything smelling so fresh when I use them. I knew I needed to clean my carpet and was not looking forward in using the rug doctor again because of past experience with it and that it is so heavy. I had some Shaklee Basic H on hand and had read that it works on 1000's of different cleaning chores as well as keeping the mosquitoes from biting amoung other things. So I decided to use the Basic H on my carpet. I first made up a 16oz spray bottle and before I started the machine (I used my daughters Hoover Steam Vac) I sprayed the stained areas with the spray solution and worked it in with my feet, yes my feet, then used 2 tablespoons of Basic H per gallon in the shampooer. I was told to use 1 1/2 tablespoons, but my carpet was so dirty I decided to use a little bit more. I still had to use the de-foamer in the dirty water container, about 2 tablespoons, as Basic H is very concentrated. I went over the dirtest areas several times mainly the traffic areas and not only did my carpet come out really clean and it smelled really good too and I still had about 1/2 a bottle of Basic H left. It also takes out pet accident smells and doesn't leave a soapy residue. It is also non-toxic and safe to use. Besides you don't have to limit what you clean with it. (One bottle of Basic H = the cleaning uses of 5,824 bottles of 26oz Windex)
If you still need to use the rug doctor...you can still use the Basic H in it as well, but don't forget the defoamer.
If you are interested in trying Basic H and don't have a Shaklee distributor in your area, contact me at ###-###-#### or email me at ____@____.com and I will see if I can help you. All Shaklee products come with a 100% money back guarantee.
Hope this helps,

Lot's of good advice. The more you shampoo your carpet, the dirtier it will look! It is filled with soap which attracts dirt. The stain will go away for a week or two and then come right back. We used a carpet cleaning service in Colorado called Right Way Carpet Cleaning. They guarenteed their work. On two different occassions I called the cleaner about a spot that came back and they came over the next day to retreat it! Here's a web site for them that also has carpet care tips:
http://www.rightwaycarpetcleaning.com/services
I also have cats and 4 kids. On our last vacation, our adorable kitten urinated on two of our beds! One of them was a brand new cushion top queen matress! I treated it 2-3 times a day with the enzyme cleaner Nature's Miracle, available at most pet stores. It took almost a week of treatments, but finally the smell was all gone. I also use this cleaner in the wash on stains and on the carpet. My hubby recently spilled a cup of coffee with cream on the carpet. Again after repeated sprays the stain is completely gone.
I have also used white vinegar for urine and vomit odors. It works well but I don't think it cleans stains.
Stay away from the soap cleaners. They don't really remove the stain.
B.

Just a note on the couch cushion covers. It is ok to wash them in the washing machine but make sure you don't dry them on a heated setting of they will shrink. when I do mine I hang them outside to dry. Good luck.

First any time you clean your carpet or upholestery, you must rinse, rinse, rinse. Literally! Cleaning residue can make material actually sticky, so dirt of any amount shows because it is, stuck. When I clean our very old, worn carpet I rinse (with just clear water in the machine) probably 5 or 6 times, really high traffic areas more! You'd be surprised, even the last rinse water I dump has been tan or grayish in color. The dirt and cleansers (and urine, and juice, and milk etc. that kids spill) get locked into the padding underneath as well, so vaccuming isn't enough nor is a single cleaning. After you have really, really cleaned and rinsed the carpet or couch and it has had proper time to dry (free of traffic or use) then spray "Scotguard". It helps bead up liquids giving you an oppertunity to get the spill up before it is absorbed into the fibers. Good luck!

You need something that works with enzymes to take out the odors, like Nature's Miracle. It breaks down the uric acid crystals. I've found it at Fred Meyer and pet smart. I got the cat formula (for my boys' room and bed) and it worked. Just last night I used a pretreater (Bissell tought stain) on the carpet for various stains, then waited a few minutes (like the instructions say to do) and shampooed with hot water and Bissell Fiber Cleansing, and it worked. Then I rinsed with just water, because if the soap residue is left on the carpet, it attracts dirt back. I also got Folex a while back (Safeway and Fred Meyer have it, in the household cleaner section - not carpet care section) and it helped with a petroleum jelly stain on the carpet.

Hi C.,
Will you please send me some responses that you get, because I have the exact same problem, but I don't have time to read it all right now. I don't have the carpet shampooer to turn my light blue carpet into a dalmation design with big spots, it's got the little brown ones from juice being spilt and people walking into the house without taking off their shoes, and a lighter brown from that too the spots are over a bigger area is all. I've made rules that sippie cups don't leave the high chair and table, but that doesn't always work. My husband and I do plan on getting the carpet out of the dining room where carpet shouldn't be and will put linolium(sp?) in it's place and get a good carpet cleaning before hand. We have more plans than that but I don't want to bore you with all of them. I again do want to hear about what others tell you, the advice they give you because I am tired of the look and smell of all the fabrics in this house, one day we'll get new furniture too, but not till our youngest can be trusted. I hope all works well for you.

FOLEX!!!

I think I have the same carpets as you, so I feel your pain. I just discovered Folex a few months ago, despite the fact that it's been around for more than 50 years. You can get it at any supermarket where the rug cleaning supplies are. You can either spray it on spots, or the bottle has instructions for mixing up a solution to use in a carpet cleaner. It takes out EVERYTHING. I'll spare you my own experiences, but if you look it up on Amazon, it has never received less than a 5-star rating from anyone that has reviewed it.

Good luck! Don't blink or you'll miss it at the store; it's packaged in a very humble white bottle with purple lettering...Folex!

I should mention that I also tried it on some old, uh..."skidmarks" on my young son's underwear - it took those right out too! Sorry if that's too much information. :)

Try Kids & Pets (big white, blue, & yellow bottle)! This stuff is amazing & can take the stench out of anything! I found it at WalMart & Fred Meyer (probably other places too). Our cats peed on the couch when their little box door got stuck & I thought it was ruined! I tried other stuff, but this is the only thing that 'ate' away the pee smell (& that was over a year ago!). Test for color-fastness, but it worked great on a dark purple couch. Also, don't blot it off...it 'eats' the nasty odor as it dries. Takes time, but it is worth not having a couch stink like pee! Good luck!

I have a daycare in my home, as well as 2 dogs, 3 cats, and 4 teenagers, so I am sure you can imagine the kind of nastiness our carpet has to deal with! We have a lot of hardwood flooring, but our family room,(where the daycare is primarily located,) is carpeted. My best solution so far has been one of those rugs that have the little roadways all over it for toy cars. It was $15 at IKEA and it is thin enough to fit in the washing machine, even though it covers a pretty decent amount of space. Since I cannot toss my entire carpet in the washing machine, (sure with I could!) this has been a great help to me. Blessings to you and yours! :)

First of all, cover the couch. No one will know what they are sitting on. Next, absolutly NO food or drink in the carpet area. That will stop your spills. We also have a no shoes in the house rule too. If the diaper leaks, clean and fabreeze it, you can buy a pet deoderizor for pee, but if you have a cover, you just throw it in the wash!

C.,
I don't really have any advice for you, but I am SO GLAD that you asked this question! I battle with very similar things. I have three kids, I babysit others and I have two dogs and a cat! It gets crazy at our house. It was great to read the suggestions. Thanks for asking such a great question. I wouldn't have thought to ask here.
Anyhoo, good luck to you Cinderella!
A.

I dont know if this helps at all but we went to ikea and got one of those plastic thingys you put on the floor for an office chair. and we put it under the high chair. it is a life saver! Maybe if you got some of these for the high traffic problem areas it could help. also maybe you should buy a carpet shampooer of your own. My mom has a dog and bought a bissel home carpet shampooer it cleans really well and the home type seems to dry faster. she does it right before she goes out and it is usually dry by the time she comes home a few hours later.

I used PURE AYRE on some cat urine and it worked great. I found it at McLendonds Hardware.

The spots on the floor are most likely a milk product. Milk never comes out. Find something with enzymes to break down the milk, so you can get it out. Then, have a rule where they have to eat and drink, everything except water, at the table. They don't need to be carrying around their drinks to get spilled on your stuff. They can sit at the table and then go play when they are done. If they must have a drink away from the table, give them water.

If you go to a pet store and look for an enzyme cleaner it might work for the urine (i assume you were talking about that on the couch)
we have a three year old boxer who still has accidents if he's not let out in time... the cleaner that i use is called nature's miracle and it has worked for feces and blood before as well. the enzyme actually eats the bacteria that causes the smell.
hope this helps!

Hi C.,

I would suggest using a detergent like Arm and Hammer Dry detergent (with or without bleach. Sprinkle it on your floor like you do carpet stuff...on the stained spots mist with water so it gets a little pasty and brush with a stiff brush into the carpet. (An old toothbrush will do). You only have to scrub on spots you get wet. Let it dry. (I know, with toddlers this is a pain, but if you do it overnight, all you have to do is vacuum it up in the morning. I suggest opening a window, as it can get a little dusty, but it leaves the house smelling wonderful and the carpets a lot cleaner I have found. I have also used borax, though with younger ones around you have to be careful with that. It works really well if you have the time to do it also is an excellant ant/shrew/rodents that may try to come in near winter time. I've also heard that misting it with white vinegar helps, but I've not tried that myself. Good luck..I know your pain..have the exact same problem. I understand that this beige/white carpeting is cheap and thusly easily replaced, but if they got a decent color for family units perhaps it wouldn't be necessary. It's easier to ruin white than any other color it seems.