Removing Pet Stains from Carpet

Dear Rob:

We recently moved into a new home, and we’d like to try and salvage the carpet, but it has some pet stains and odors. Is there anything we can do to clean it up so we can discourage our own dogs from relieving themselves on the carpet?

-Evan R. from Indiana

Dear Evan:

Old pet stains and odors in carpet can be a stubborn problem. If the pet urine was allowed soak into the carpet pad or even through to the subfloor, you may not be able to totally remove the odors, but here are a few tips for you to try.

• First off, remember to test any cleaning products you use on a small hidden area of carpet to make sure the cleaner doesn’t damage your particular carpet.
• Next, turn off your lights and use a black-light to look for pet urine stains.  This will allow you to focus your cleaning on problem areas.
• If there are a lot of effected areas, or the carpets are very heavily soiled, consider renting an extractor carpet cleaning machine from your local hardware store.  Use plain water in the machine, and follow the instructions that come with it.
• If the stain is still visible after using the extractor, try an enzymatic cleaner.
• Once you’re done cleaning the visible stain, use a pet odor neutralizer.  You can usually get a high-quality product at a pet supply store.

If the pet odor remains, and the area is near a corner, you might be able to pull up the carpet and replace the section of pad underneath.  While the carpet is up, clean both sides with carpet shampoo and rinse thoroughly.  Then, once the pad is replaced and the underside of the carpet is dry, stretch it back onto the tack strips.

-Rob

Lead Paint and Remodeling with Neil Staples of Black Bear Inspections

In This Podcast Episode

Floor guy, Rob McNealy interviews Neil Staples of Black Bear Inspections a company which specializes in indoor air quality including radon, lead and asbestos. They discuss issues and hazards that homeowners should be aware of when remodeling their home, including keeping their children safe from lead based paint.

Neil Staples’ Bio

Co-founder of Black Bear Inspections, a home inspection and environmental services company, Mr. Staples is a state certified Lead Based Paint (LBP) Inspector/Risk Assessor. He has conducted over 175 Lead Hazard Screens (primarily for the City of Aurora, Colorado) and over 500 Lead Based Paint inspections using an RMD LPA-1 XRF for HUD’s (Housing and Urban Development) Small Buy program.

Mr. Staples has a background of 20 plus years in construction, building maintenance, and inspection industries.

Black Bear Inspections, Inc. is an environmental inspection company specializing in Indoor Air Quality issues, with it’s primary focus on Lead Based Paint (LBP), Asbestos, Mold, Radon, and Clandestine Meth Lab inspections on residential, commercial and government properties in Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico.

Construction and Media with Tim Carter of Ask the Builder

In This Podcast Episode

Floor guy, Rob McNealy, interviews Tim Carter, a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist and owner of the popular Ask The Builder website. Rob and Tim discuss how Tim made the transition from actually doing construction to writing and educating consumers about it.

Tim Carter’s Bio

Tim Carter is an expert remodeler, and he spreads his knowledge to consumers through his AsktheBuilder syndicated newspaper column. At AsktheBuilder.com he answers homeowner questions about do-it-yourself repairs and provides videos, e books and other how-to resources. In 1993, he was selected as one of the top 50 remodelers in the United States by Remodeling magazine.

While Tim Carter now has a prominent media career, he got his start in construction after fixing up and flipping his own first home shortly after graduating from college. He spent nearly 20 years working full time in construction, and uses this first hand knowledge to provide consumers with accurate information about home remodeling and repair projects.