Stop us if you’ve had this happen to you. You’re cruising around town on the weekend, your love in the passenger seat, your pooch in the back. You got coffee, the windows down, and life is good. Until you hear an awful sound from the backseat. Turning your head you see your dog has just gotten sick in your back seat. Yikes! Now, what do you do? Let’s get to it fast with this quick blog!
Cleaning Your Car After a Pet Accident
Even well-trained dogs can have an accident, whether it’s car sickness, getting too excited or being sick with something else like giardia. In these instances, the immediate shock can have you concerned but you got this!
Cleaning Up Urine Stains
Before anything else, gather up your tools! You’re going to need:
- Paper towels
- Club soda
- White vinegar
- Pet enzyme cleaner
- Baking soda
- and of course, Water
First – First, things First, you’re going to blot the area with paper towels. This will soak up as much liquid as possible, right away.
Second – Pour club soda (a small amount) onto the affected area and quickly blot it up. The carbonation in the club soda helps agitate the stain and break it away form the fibers of your upholstery. If the stain is old or dried in you may want to repeat this step twice.
Third – Take the pet enzyme cleaner and, following the instructions on the label, treat the stain.
Roll down your car windows to allow the area of the upholstery to dry faster and keep the fumes out.
Repeat the process as necessary until the stain is removed. If there’s any lingering smell, sprinkle baking soda on it and allow it to sit for a few hours then vacuum it away.
Cleanining Up Feces Stains
When it comes to feces you’ll need to take some extra steps to get this process going, and you do not want to wait.
One again, gather up your tools. You’ll need:
- Plastic scraper
- Dust Pan
- Pet enzyme cleaner
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Baking soda
- Wash cloth
- Water
First – Remove as much of the solid feces as possible using the plastic scraper and dust pan. If there is anything left over that’s semi solid – like if your dog had diarrhea, take the baking soda and cover it liberally. Allow the baking soda to sit for a few hours, or until it all dries. Then you can scrape (or vacuum) the powder and waste.
Second – Take a cloth, get it damp and press it on the stain. Then rotate the cloth to a clean section and press again. Repeat until there is no more waste coming up on to the cloth from the upholstery.
Third – Take your enzyme cleaner and follow it’s instructions exactly. These cleaners have specific, and often slightly different, instructions for their best use so follow them! Enzyme cleaners are made with specific compounds (the enzyme) that work specifically to break down waste from pets.
Fourth – Roll down the windows and let the interior dry, and let the smell air out.
Repeat as necessary until the stain completely gone!
Now, that’s the way to handle it yourself. But if that stain is stubborn or you just don’t want the headache or the potential to damage your upholstery by DIYing it – well you know who to call!
Thanks for reading! We at VIP European Auto want to keep your ride in tip top shape no matter what it needs.If you need interior detailing you give us a call at 480-448-1183!
