Rugs and pet spots
A pet accident on a rug: what to record before cleaning
With a pet accident, it is tempting to keep adding cleaner until the smell disappears. That can make it harder to work out what is in the rug and how far the liquid reached. Start with the care instructions, keep a record of what happened and ask about a suitable next step.
Leer esta guía en español →For a fresh accident, avoid rubbing it into the rug
Follow the rug’s care instructions. For liquid on a suitable surface, gentle blotting with a clean white absorbent cloth is preferable to aggressive rubbing. Do not keep pouring water into the rug or apply a mixture of household products.
An unfamiliar rug, unstable color or a delicate construction deserves advice before further treatment. A method that seemed fine on synthetic wall-to-wall carpet may not be right for the rug in front of you.
Keep the label and a photo of the area
Photograph the rug from above and take a readable photo of the material and care label. Mark the location in a wider photo, not with ink or tape on the fibers. Give the dimensions and tell us whether the rug has fringe or an attached backing.
If the same spot has been used repeatedly, explain that. The date of the latest accident does not tell the whole history.
Think about the layers beneath it
Tell us whether the rug lies on tile, wood, laminate or carpet, and whether there is a separate pad. Liquid can affect more than the visible surface. Do not assume cleaning the face of the rug will address everything underneath.
Only check underneath if you can do so safely without dragging furniture or damaging the rug. If there is a known flooring problem, include it in the conversation and ask which part needs a different kind of attention.
Name every treatment already tried
Send product names or photos, including sprays, powders and products used in a household extraction machine. Tell us if someone scrubbed, soaked or heated the area. Do not hide a previous attempt because it did not work; that information helps assess the situation.
Ask about the visible mark and the odor separately. Neither a photo nor a product label can promise that an old dye change, backing damage or deeply absorbed odor will disappear.
Agree on the work before the visit
Ask whether the rug is suitable for the proposed method and cleaning location, what the price includes and how drying will be handled. Do not assume pickup, pad treatment or floor treatment comes with a rug-cleaning request.
Send your city and access details along with the photos. Keep the rug available to inspect and point out every known affected area when the cleaner arrives. If the smell returns, report where and when you notice it before adding another product.