How to Keep Your Carpet Pristine as a Pet Owner

The problem with pet hair is that if you do not remove it quickly, it gets pushed down into the carpet where it's a lot harder to remove. Ideally, you should vacuum every two to three days to keep pet hair at bay. There are also a few tips you can follow to make each vacuuming session more effective.

• Focus on areas where you most often see your pets sleeping or playing.

• Use the soft brush attachment to help loosen hair and also keep it from blowing away.

• Use a specialized stair attachment to effectively vacuum stairs and other small, carpeted areas.

Make sure you are using a powerful vacuum with adequate suction, and empty the canister (or change the bag) often to maintain the highest possible suction power.

It's common for cats, especially, to scratch at certain sections of the carpet. This act causes the carpet to fray, and it is very tough to stop carpet from fraying once it starts. To keep pets from scratching the carpet, make sure you provide a horizontal and vertical scratching post made from sisal or wood. If you see your cat starting to scratch a certain area, cover that area with a thin mat or a piece of furniture to break the habit.

You should also trim your pet's nails regularly to minimize the damage done by scratching. Pet stores also sell nail caps, which are soft covers you can slip onto each of your pet's nails to dull them and discourage scratching.

Even the best-trained dog or cat has an accident once in a while. If the accident occurs on your carpet, it's important to clean it up promptly before it gets the chance to sink deeper down into the carpet padding. Here are some other tips for effectively cleaning up pet urine stains and similar "accidents."

• Never use a steam cleaner. The heat will just set in a stain.

• Always blot up the liquid before applying a stain remover.

• Choose a carpet stain remover that is safe for pets, and follow the label instructions closely.

• Remember to always blot with an up-and-down motion rather than rubbing from side to side when soaking up a stain or a stain-removing product.

• Finish the job with an enzymatic cleaner that breaks down the proteins in the stain and helps prevent your pet from urinating in the same spot again.

If you have several pet stains that have not been removed from your carpet completely, feel free to contact Smith-Mathis Inc. We offer specialized pet-stain treatments and use non-toxic, safe cleaners that won't harm you or your pet.