Residential Real EstatePet Predicaments
When you"re choosing a pet, you never consider the mark that your new dog
or cat is going to make on your home ... literally. Even if you manage to
housebreak your pet with complete success, you"ll find evidence of your
furry friend throughout the house -- from hair on your bedspread to snags
in your sofa to the slight stench that"s been hanging in the dining room
ever since Fido shook himself dry after a romp in the rain.
If your furniture is dark and your pet has white, orange or another
light-color fur, you"ve got your work cut out for you. There"s nothing
worse than approaching a sofa covered in hair, which then transfers to your
own clothing. To pick up what your pets leave behind, dampen a cloth (don"t
saturate it), and run it over the surface of your sofa, bedspread or chair
cushion. This is the easiest way to pick up the majority of that fur and
restore your furniture to top condition. You can also use a piece of
masking tape. To avoid using multiple strips and experiencing the
frustration of having the tape tangle up, try wrapping a piece around your
hand, sticky side out. Of course, you can always use a brush or tool on
your vacuum cleaner to remove pet hair from your furniture, but that takes
more time and often isn"t as effective.
Pet stains are a tricky area. Due to the combination of a high protein diet
and their hormones, male cats are considered the worst offenders, followed
by female cats and then dogs (dogs tend to have diets higher in
carbohydrates, which means less offensive odors). If your dog or cat had an
accident on a washable surface -- a cushion with a removable slipcover, an
item of clothing, a pillowcase or bedspread, for example -- you may
continue to smell what your pet left behind even after you"ve run the item
through the cycle of your washing machine. Try adding some white vinegar in
your next cycle along with your laundry detergent. The vinegar should cut
any residual odors.
If your pet had an accident on the carpet, you"re facing a challenge.
Generally speaking, if you find the accident and clean the affected area
immediately, you can restore your carpet to its previous condition. If you
do notice the spot soon after the crime has been committed, blot the stain
using a white paper towel (colored paper towels might bleed into your
carpet, making the spot even more noticeable). After you"ve blotted the
area as much as you can (you may even consider placing something heavy on
top of the paper towel to help speed up the absorption process), rise the
area using a household cleaning solution containing ammonia. Blot the area
again with another white paper towel, and then rise again using a solution
of diluted white vinegar. Blot the area again. Then, tear off a few fresh
paper towels, and place them over the spot with something heavy on top (a
stack of books, a wine bottle, etc.). Leave them there for several hours to
ensure that the spot is dried thoroughly.
If your pet is clever and chooses a low-traffic spot that you don"t find
until several hours later or even the next day, you might experience faded
carpet (your pet"s mess actually bleaches the carpet) or a stubborn odor.
Depending on the dye used in your carpet, you might see a fading or other
type of color change in your carpet. This is particularly true if the spot
has time to sit, and your pet"s "accident" has had considerable time to
seep through to the bottom lining of your carpet. If the stain sits for
several days or even weeks, not only will the dye discoloration become
permanent; the fibers of your carpet will begin to weaken and deteriorate.
The area around the spot -- and even the room itself on a hot summer
afternoon -- will take on a strong, acidic odor, reminiscent of ammonia.
The bad news is that there"s not much you can do about that smell. Adding
to the problem is that the presence of urine in the fibers of your carpet
attracts bacteria in the carpet and its padding. Unfortunately, attempting
to wet the area with various household cleaners will probably intensify,
not diminish, the odor.
Some finicky pets are so problematic when it comes to housebreaking that
they constantly find new, out-of-the-way places to leave accidents. Their
owners find them weeks later when it"s too late. Other pets routinely leave
their messes in the same spot, regardless of how much scolding their owners
give them. If you"re facing either one of these scenarios, it"s probably
time to call a professional. If you"re lucky, a carpet cleaning company may
be able to restore the color to your faded patches of carpeting, and
disinfect the affected areas.
If you"re not so lucky, even the pros won"t be able to restore your carpet
to its pre-pet condition, and you"ll be facing the expensive proposition of
replacing your carpet. The fact is that once those "accidents" make their
way down to the padding of your carpeting, there"s not much you can do. And
when the summer months arrive, you"ll constantly be reminded of their
presence. Of course, it goes without saying that it"s also time to consider
sending your pet to a housetraining school (if your cat is a perpetrator,
you might be out of luck, short of an unconventional kitty training video
or book) or even finding him or her a new place to live. You may want to
contact your vet, as well, to see if something in your pet"s diet is
causing a proliferation of accidents. If your lifestyle has experienced any
upheaval lately -- for example, the departure of a child to college, a
move, the arrival a new baby or a spouse -- that could be the problem.
Animals are extraordinarily sensitive creatures. Even the most housebroken,
model pets can fall into regression if they"re facing a stressful event.
If you do, indeed, replace your carpet, it"s time to regroup. Do you want
to shell out thousands of dollars for brand-new carpeting, only to have it
destroyed again by your pet? Many training centers have excellent success
rates with their four-legged students. Although pets are considered family
members, the expense of replacing your carpeting isn"t something you want
to experience twice. Your best bet is to meet with your vet before you
empty your wallet for new carpeting or place an ad in the newspaper to give
away your pet. Your vet is your best resource for making sure you"ve tried
everything possible to correct the problem. Only then is it time to take
drastic measures. In more than a few cases, pet owners have pinpointed the
problems leading to their pets" accidents, and they"ve had to replace their
carpeting only once -- and without saying goodbye to their four-legged
family members.
Also See:
Moving Your Pet
Pet Policies: Pleading Your Case Successfully
Are Your Pets Soiling Your Chances of Selling Your Home?