Should You Have Your Carpet Professionally Cleaned if You Have a Puppy?

Before we get into carpet care, let’s dive into a few types of carpet damage your puppy can cause.

Damage From Urine: This sort of damage might be the reason you’re looking for help: odor that won’t go away or discoloration. Even if you properly use a spot cleaner and a deodorizer, you might still experience one or more of these issues. Deodorizers and spot cleaners can accomplish topical cleaning, which protects the surface of your carpet and mask odors, but they won’t be able to eliminate the bacteria deep in your carpet. Over time, the bacteria will grow, and you may start to see discoloration again, or the odor may return. That said, if you don’t use any topical products, your carpet’s damage will be much more severe and happen more quickly. On top of that, your puppy will still be able to smell the accident right away and be more inclined to use that spot for the bathroom again.

Damage From Feces: Like with urine accidents, your puppy is bound to make at least one mistake in this area, but feces damage can be even more concerning. Feces that can be quickly picked up without smearing and spot-treated will not need immediate deep cleaning, as this will eliminate the danger from the surface of your carpet. However, bacteria will continue to grow deep in the carpet over time as it does with urine, leading to the same issues with odor and discoloration. That said, it’s important to keep in mind that dog feces carry elevated risks for E coli, worms, and other harmful bacteria. If you often have small children or grandchildren crawling on your floor, you will want to be extra careful about spot-cleaning these accidents immediately and sticking to a regular deep cleaning schedule.  

Shedding: Puppies typically don’t shed quite as much as adult dogs, but they still shed at least a little bit from the time they’re babies, especially during the typical seasonal periods. As their fur floats throughout your house, it lands on your carpet and can become embedded in the fibers, where a vacuum may not have the power to suck it up. Dander follows the fur, triggering respiratory symptoms in those with allergies. This tends to be a silent issue since it’s hard to see, but it can have a big impact on your living space.

Carpet Maintenance Steps to Take In between Cleanings

Realistically, if you called us immediately after your puppy had an accident, we’d be at your house weekly, if not daily. To tide you over until the right time for a professional carpet cleaning, here are our best maintenance tips:

Vacuum Regularly: This one may seem like a no-brainer, but that’s all the more reason for it to be on our list. Vacuuming allows you to at least fight the buildup of pet hair and dander in your carpet. It will also capture any lost kibble crumbs or loose dirt your puppy brings in from outside. Some vacuums have a pet attachment that you can use to get deeper into the carpet fibers.

Address Spots from Accidents Quickly:  When accidents happen, address them immediately to keep them from settling into the carpet. Blot the affected area with a clean cloth or paper towel to absorb as much liquid as possible. Avoid rubbing the spot, as it may push the urine deeper into the carpet fibers. If your pet deposited feces, remove the feces from the carpet before you blot. Next, use a pet-safe spot cleaner like Stanley Steemer's spot remover as an anti-bacterial solution. To address odor-causing bacteria, follow this product with Steemer’s Odor Out! solution once the area is completely dry. Odor Out! takes on the bacteria at the surface of your carpet by encapsulating it as it breaks down, preventing it from replicating or off-gassing in your home. These methods won’t get deep in your carpet fibers like our professional cleaning, but they will take care of the immediate concerns and head off carpet damage until it’s time for a deep clean.

Benefits of Professional Carpet Cleaning for Pet Owners 

Generally, it’s recommended that homes with pets have carpet cleaned every 3 to 6 months.

What’s the benefit of frequent cleaning, though? And how does a professional cleaning differ from our retail products or others you might see at the store?

1. Removal of Pet Dander and Allergens

Remember that embedded fur and dander you couldn’t vacuum? Our magic wands and hot water extraction process take care of both problems in one fell swoop. The wand flushes the carpet fibers to make them release the fur and dander before extracting the water and taking the fur and allergens with it.

2. Elimination of Pet Spots and Odors

Our hot water extraction method fights the bacteria and other remnants of pet messes like it does fur and dander, flushing them out and then extracting the waste. For particularly tough cases, we have deodorizer and pet treatments to apply to your carpet where necessary. Some methods can even help target the backing of your carpet, but we determine if an odor or spot can be treated on a case-by-case basis.

3. Damage and Contamination Prevention

By sticking to the recommended schedule, there’s a better chance of our technicians being able to restore your carpet to its pre-pet state. The longer bacteria, dander, and dirt fester in your carpet, the harder it is to extract them from the fibers, and you risk irreversible odor or staining.

Factors that Affect Frequency of Carpet Cleaning for Puppy Parents

That said, there are factors to consider when deciding where you fall within that 3-6 month range.

• Puppy's Age: There will be more pet messes in the beginning, so you may want a professional carpet cleaning after 3 months if your dog’s potty training is solid. On the other hand, you might also want to schedule at 3 months if your puppy is really struggling and your carpet has absorbed a lot of accidents already. If you’re getting close to being done with potty training and/or your puppy hasn’t had very many accidents, you might be able to go 4-6 months without a cleaning in order to wait until your puppy is done with regular indoor accidents.
• Breed: Certain breeds, such as golden retrievers, may shed more and thus lead to more dander build-up. Especially if someone in your household is sensitive, having a professional cleaning more often might be helpful. On the other hand, a hypoallergenic dog owner might not need a cleaning quite as soon unless other issues arise with potty training or bringing dirt inside.
• Indoor or Outdoor Access: If your puppy spends a lot of time outdoors or has easy access to the yard, they are more likely to bring in dirt and mud from outside. They may also bring pollen in on their coat, which could further respiratory triggers in your household as they shed. Consider scheduling more often if this is your situation.

Stanley Steemer’s cleaning solution is safe for the people and pets in your home while still being tough on dirt, dander, and spots.

If you and your puppy are ready for a deep cleaning, give us a call at 1-800-STEEMER or schedule online via the quote tool!