Best Carpet Cleaner for Pets, Whether You DIY or Buy

Ah, the life of a pet parent ... it’s filled with laughter, fun and – noooo! – all kinds of messes, from dog poop on the carpet to drool stains and let’s not forget about throw up ... lots and lots of throw up.

But don’t worry. While cleaning up gross messes is inevitable, getting your paws on the best carpet cleaner for pet stains will make the job so much easier. Whether you like to DIY or buy, we’ve got your top solutions.

How to Get Dog Poop Out of Carpet, DIY

If you don’t have a carpet cleaner for pet stains, some simple pantry staples have got your back ... and your pet’s backside. Here’s how to get dog poop out of carpet DIY style:

• Put on a pair of disposable gloves. No self-respecting pet parent wants dog poop on their hands.
• Remove solid dog poop from the carpet with a thick paper towel. Pinch up the carpet fibers to pick up as much of the dog poop as possible. (This is not the time to be frugal; you’ll be using multiple paper towels.) If your dog’s #2 looks more like a #3 (hello, doggy diarrhea), there will be some blotting involved. Just don’t scrub the spot ... you don’t want to grind dog poop deep into the carpet fibers.
• Make the carpet cleaner: mix one part vinegar to two parts water in a large bowl or spray bottle. Add a tablespoon of unscented, dye-free dish soap into the solution if you have it, as it will boost the cleaning power. (No bleach in the dish soap, please! Bleach mixed with acids like vinegar = danger.)
• Spray or pour the carpet cleaner solution onto the soiled area, sit for 10 minutes (you AND the solution), then blot it away with white cloths. (It pays to buy these in bulk.) Again, don’t rub the stain – blot only. You may need to do this spray-blot cycle a few times. More of the mess will get lifted if you stand on the cloth ... with shoes, of course. Or you can set something heavy on top.
• Once the stain is gone, apply cold water to the area, then blot again to remove any leftover cleaning solution. Vinegar smell = icky.
• Deodorize the area with baking soda. Let it sit for several hours or overnight if possible.
• Vacuum your carpet, then sit back and enjoy the freshness!

How to Get Throw Up Out of Carpet, DIY

We’re guessing this ain’t your first rodeo when it comes to pet throw up. Like us, you’ve probably seen it all: whole-food chunks (don’t they chew?!) to yucky yellow bile piles and everything in between. Don’t fear. If you don’t have a commercial cleaner, you can still get throw up out of carpet with what you have on hand. Note, the steps vary a bit depending on whether the throw up is fresh or not.

How to get throw up out of carpet when it's fresh

Catching vomit spots right away is ideal, of course. Otherwise, the vomit can soak into the carpet fibers and be more difficult to remove. If the vomit is fresh, here are the simple steps to get it out:

• Spoon. No, it’s not time to spoon your pet and take a nap. You’ll want to put on gloves and use a spoon to scoop up as much vomit as you can into a trash bag. As gross as it sounds, it really will remove a lot of vomit and make getting throw up out of carpet that much easier!
• Mix half vinegar with half water in a bowl or spray bottle. Soak the vomit area until it’s completely saturated.
• As soon as you’ve applied the vinegar, you can start blotting the area with cloths or paper towels. Don’t rub the spot or you’ll spread the vomit around. You may need to do this apply-blot cycle a few times before the stain is completely removed. Standing on a folded-over cloth helps wick up all the moisture. You’ll know all the vomit is gone when your cloth is free of any yellow vomit.

How to get throw up out of carpet when it's old

Sometimes vomit piles go sight unseen until they’re dried and crusted onto the carpet. This is not fun, but don’t worry. You can still get the throw up out of the carpet with a few added steps and patience.

• Apply a coat of baking soda onto the spot. Cover it completely. More is better in this situation. Let it sit for 20 minutes. If you need to keep pets or people from traipsing through the area, you can cover the spot with an upside-down laundry basket or even a loose towel.
• Next, vacuum up the baking soda spot. Empty out the vacuum so it doesn’t start to smell.
• Now mix a cleaning solution of half vinegar, half lukewarm water in a bowl or spray bottle. (The water should NOT be hot, or it can set the stain.)
• Spray or soak your solution onto the throw-up spot. This will help rehydrate whatever vomit is still lurking in the carpet. Then blot with cloths. Step on the cloth to really soak it up. You may have to repeat this process a few times until your carpets look good as new.

Voilà! You’re now a DIY expert on how to get throw up out of carpet, even when it’s old!

What Can I Spray on Carpet to Stop Dog from Peeing?

The smell of pet pee is incredibly difficult to remove from carpet. Even though vinegar removes the smell for us humans, dogs, with their keen sense of smell, may still be able to detect it. Vinegar also takes longer to work at removing smells (24 hours) so the dog may go in the same area before the vinegar has fully kicked in. That makes it hard to get ahead of the pee-on-the-carpet problem.

The best thing to spray on carpet to stop dog from peeing is a product with oxidizing agents. They will remove pee smell right at the bacterial source. Oh, and don’t use sprays with ammonia to stop your dog from peeing on the carpet. Urine has ammonia so adding MORE ammonia to the carpet will invite them back to the same spot.

Note: it’s important to find out why your dog is peeing on the carpet, especially if the behavior is caused by a medical issue and not improper cleaning. Your little tail-wagger wants to please you, not upset you with their penchant for peeing on the carpet.

Hate Vinegar? Here's the Best Carpet Cleaner for Pets.

Vinegar is one of those polarizing ingredients, much like cilantro. You love it or hate it. And if you’re in the hate court and can’t stomach the smell of vinegar, the best carpet cleaner for pets will be one that has oxidizing agents. Both quickly target the bacteria that cause pet stains and odors at the source. The key thing is to find a carpet cleaner for pets that is free of fragrances so you’re not adding a chemical cocktail onto your flooring.

If you love your pets, but your carpets are a close second, choose Oxyfresh Stain & Odor Remover. Only Oxyfresh carpet cleaner features the proprietary oxidizing ingredient Oxygene® to quickly and gently break odor bonds, rendering them inactive, right at the bacterial source. No coverups with harsh fragrances. Combined with FreshAir® technology, you have a dynamic duo to encapsulate the pet stain completely, help prevent re-soiling, and enhance stain removal during vacuuming. Bottom line: you’re going to have carpets so clean, you could eat off ‘em if you want to.

Oxyfresh Stain & Odor Remover is so easy to use and works faster than enzyme cleaners:

• Open sprayer tip and completely spray area to be cleaned. Immediately remove solid residue from area and blot up excess moisture.
• Remove as much of the stain or pet stain as possible using a highly absorbent towel.
• Apply a liberal amount of cleaner to affected area. (For odors of epic proportions, you want total saturation). Let stand 5–10 minutes, then blot with a towel and let air dry.
• Once dried, vacuum and inspect. Repeat if necessary. For best results, treat stains promptly.

5 Reasons Oxyfresh Is the Best Carpet Cleaner for Pet Stains

#1. Outperforms Enzyme Carpet Cleaners

When we say we’re the best carpet cleaner for pets, we can prove it! In an independent third-party lab test, Oxyfresh beat the leading enzyme brand in pet stain removal. And unlike enzyme carpet cleaners, Oxyfresh Stain & Odor Remover won’t leave a tacky or greasy residue behind on the carpet to attract dirt and oils from your pet’s paws and coat.

#2. Safe & Non-Toxic

Fur-get about toxic fragrances or chemicals that make you feel like your lungs are burning. A key reason Oxyfresh is the best carpet cleaner for pets is because it’s environmentally friendly and free of fragrances, parabens, and harsh chemicals. So whether your pets are rolling around on the carpet, the kids are rolling around on the carpet, or YOU'RE rolling around on the carpet (no judgement), you can always breathe easy. (Read more about the scary truth of fragrances.)

#3. Works On All Pet Stains & Surfaces

We know your pets aren’t super picky about where they leave their messes. So whether it’s dog drool on the couch pillows, throw up on the carpet, or pet pee on the hardwood, count on Oxyfresh to get rid of every pet stain from every surface, fast.

#4. It's Got Major Bragging Rights (You Will Too.)

Oxyfresh Stain & Odor Remover sports the prestigious Seal of Approval from the Carpet and Rug Institute. This means our carpet cleaner passed their rigorous testing for removing pet urine, vomit, feces and soil from carpet without harming the carpet fiber or color. You will have major bragging rights with how pristine and clean your carpets look!

#5. Helps Prevent Remarking

This is what you can spray on carpet to stop dog from peeing on it over and over again. Because the odor will be totally undetectable, pets won’t be drawn back to the same space where they tend to whiz. It works faster than vinegar and better than enzyme cleaners to remove pet urine smells from the carpet ... on the first try!

Say yes to the best carpet cleaner for pet stains and get your paws on Oxyfresh Stain & Odor Remover. Guaranteed you’ll love it!