carpet stains

[Stacy]

Can we talk about carpet cleaning for a moment? I looked up some old threads, but can't really find what I'm after. 

We're not currently having potty problems, but there was a run with a dog that I was babysitting that was not as housebroken as her mom said she was. Then there was Ava on steroids. And then Ava on fish oil. So I have a few spots that aren't awful, but I can still see them. 

I cleaned them with natures miracle. I hate the smell of Nature's Miracle! And they spots don't stink. When I get down and smell them I can still smell a trace of nature's miracle, but I don't smell urine or poop. The problem is I can still see them. 

I have hardwoods under the carpets. The plan is when the carpet starts looking bad to pull it up and have the floors refinished. But it was brand new carpet less than 2 years ago, and I admit I kind of like the carpet. So I'm not ready to ditch it yet. And I'm supposed to have waterproof pad under the carpet, but I'm not 100% convined that it works. I don't want to get the carpet so wet that it stains the wood. 

Short of hiring a professional and moving all the furniture (yuck) I'm not sure what product to use. Keep in mind these stains are all several months old at this point. Strangely, I didn't really see them so much until I realized that my vacuum was doing a terrible job and replaced it. My carpet is cleaner than it's been since I moved in. But now I'm more aware of the spots. 

Ideas? 

Thanks! Stacy

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

In the past, when I had geriatric, incontinent dogs, I had to have the carpets professionally cleaned to get rid of the stains. I know there are all kinds of do-it-yourself carpet steamers that you can rent or buy, but I'm just not a do-it-yourself person, lol. I do know that the pros had to do some kind of special pre-treating to get rid of the dog stains. 

I've always used Nature's Miracle to get rid of odors, and it's always worked great. But it's not great for getting rid of bad stains. 

[Stacy]

What I really wish for is someone to tell me about some magic spray that I can buy that will just make the stains vanish with virtually no effort. I'm with you - steamers and whatnot sounds like a lot of work. I wonder if I can hire a professional carpet guy to just spot clean. That would be easy and worth the money!

[Lisa & Sunny]

This may be worth a try; I have used Motsenbocker products on a variety of stains, and they always worked well for me:

https://www.amazon.com/Motsenbockers-405-01-Beverage-Stain-Remover/...

[Stacy]

Thanks! I'll give it a look!

[John Deutinger]

When our Geriatric Dachshund ( 18 Years old ) started having accidents in the house we got of one of these worked great.  Works good on Drink & food stains also

We still have it ready and waiting for our Doodle puppy which we are picking up this weekend.

https://www.chewy.com/bissell-spotbot-pet-hands-free/dp/139669?gcli...

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I know Jane (Guinness & Murphy) has a Spotbot that has worked well for her. 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

We have used a professional - a good one not the fly-by-night ones.  Some of the stains seemed to show back up eventually.  I called them to come back for a second treatment.  That seemed to work.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

It's been many years, but I have found that smaller locally owned companies that specialize in carpet/upholstery cleaning do a better job than the big nationwide franchises, and the worst job I ever had was done through Sears.

[Diane and Alma]

I used Sunny and Honey's Carpet Miracle with a steam cleaner rented from Lowe's.  Smells much better than Nature's Miracle. The stain I had was quite large and my spot bot couldn't get it out.  Ironically, I hired a professional carpet cleaner and that's when the spot originally wicked up from the pad to the surface. He came back again to treat it but it didn't go away.  I tried baking soda, vinegar and hot water several times and finally rented the steam cleaner and bought some Sunny and Honey's.  The stain is completely gone.  My carpet is on top of a concrete slab so I wasn't worried about damaging a hardwood floor like you have.

[Stacy]

I was looking online at carpet cleaner and that one got really good reviews. 

I've often heard bad things about the professional carpet cleaners. 

Thanks!

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

I have a spot bot that I really like.  But if there are several old stains try baking soda generously spread on the spot and worked in with a soft damp brush ( like old toothbrush). Leave several hours or overnight and then vacuum and steam clean the spots.  You can use your iron as the steamer if that is all you have and steam each spot one at time generously with the iron held above the surface, throw an old thick towel on it and step all over it using a clean piece of the towel for three times at least, then vacuum again.  A spot bot is much easier in the long run than an iron and a towel, but they are not cheap.

  

[Stacy]

Dry baking soda that you work in with a damp brush? Or do you make the baking soda into a paste first? And I would never have thought about the iron as a steamer! It's not so much the cost of the spot bot that worries me, as I don't really have anywhere to store it. Teeny tiny little house! I love it here, but I miss my basement.