Cleaning Tips for Over-Fed Pets

The holiday season brings many food temptations--treats like chocolate, cookies and candy, as well as calorie-packed meals during every gathering with friends, family and co-workers. In our homes, these buffet-style spreads of food can also be tempting to our pets. While some foods can be very dangerous for cats and dogs, even foods that may be occasional “treats” for our pets can make them sick if they’ve eaten too much. If you’ve ever left out a dish of shrimp cocktail or a plate of turkey scraps, and then returned to the kitchen to find that fluffy has eaten every last bit, you know what can come next. Hours later, you’re likely to find that what went down has come back up.

Fortunately, you can easily deal with your pets’ vomit messes before they become stains, especially if you act quickly. To clean the mess, use warm water (not hot), natural enzyme-cleaning action detergent, and clean white paper towels or cloths. For pet owners who deal with these messes often, a BISSELL deep cleaning machine--such as the SpotBot Pet or Little Green--can save you and your carpets from a lot of manual scrubbing.

If the soiled area has a lot of “solid” material, remove it with a blunt spoon or spatula and use your BISSELL deep cleaner to rinse and extract the stain. Next, apply an enzyme producing bacteria detergent to the stained area. BISSELL Pet Stain & Odor Remover is an effective and easy-to-apply, natural enzyme-cleaning action detergent. After you apply the detergent, place clean, white, damp towels over the treated stain, and let the enzymes interact with the stain for 3-5 hours before rinsing with warm water. Remember, it is very important not to over saturate your carpet. You can use your BISSELL deep cleaner to rinse your carpet and a fan to expedite the drying process.

Of course, vomit isn’t the only type of mess your pet is likely to be creating around the holidays. For more stain-removal tips for common pet messes, visit http://www.bissell.com/pet_tips.aspx.

--BISSELL Clean Team
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BISSELL supports pet charities across the country and regularly contributes to Wag Reflex.