If you are pooch has been taking a dump on the carpet lately, then you might be wondering how to clean dried dog poop from carpet.
As a dog owner, you know how amazing dogs are. These little furry creatures fill your life with so much love and joy.
However, there are a few moments where they manage to get on your nerve. One of those moments is when they feel that it is entirely alright to take a dump on your expensive carpet.
Dog pooping on the carpet is a common problem that pet parents deal with and frantically seek a solution. Before we discuss how to clean dried poop from the carpet or how to stop your dog from pooping on the rug, you need to understand why they do it in the first place.
What Do You Need to Get Dried Dog Poop out of the Carpet?
If you think you can get rid of dog poop merely with water and washcloth, you couldn’t be more wrong. If you don’t treat dried dog poop carefully, you will end up making things worse for your precious carpet.
To begin with, you need the right tool to clean dried dog poop from the carpet. So before you understand how to clean dried dog poop from the carpet, let’s discuss what tools you would need for the same.
To begin with, you would need a broom to take out the poop from the carpet. It is better to opt for a brush that comes with a dustpan. There is a wide range of broom and dustpan combos available in the market.
Since it is dried poop, merely sweeping with a broom cannot take out all the particles from the carpet. Using a vacuum cleaner will ensure that even the smallest of dried poop particles are taken out of the rug. You would also need a vacuum cleaner to dry the carpet.
Now that you have managed to take out the dried poop from the carpet, you need to worry about the disgusting stain it has left behind. There are many dog poop stain removers available in the market that you can use. If you want to use a natural ingredient, then baking soda and lemon would work great as well.
To work the chemical onto the stain, you need a carpet cleaning brush. Ensure that you don’t opt for the hard brush as it could create a tear in your carpet. A soft-bristled brush is ideal for this purpose.
To clean off the chemical, you should use a paper towel or soft cloth.
You will need a plastic bag to collect the poop from the carpet.
How to Get Dried Dog Poop out of Carpet Step by Step?
Cleaning dried poop from the carpet can be a difficult task, and if you are not careful, you could end up ruining your precious rug altogether. Along with gathering all the right tools and ingredients, it is equally necessary to follow the proper steps to clean out your carpet entirely.
Before getting onto the steps, ensure that you wrap a bandanna around your nose and mouth and put on rubber gloves. It is vital to ensure your hygiene during this process.
Following the below step will provide you with the answer to how to clean dried poop from the carpet.
The steps of how to clean dried poop from the carpet, primarily depend on the type of carpet you have laid across the floor. Accessible carpet materials include wool, nylon, acrylic, polypropylene, polyester, etc. You can clean the poop off with warm water in any kind of carpet except for wool. If you have a woolen carpet, then you must use cold water.
The fact that it is dried poop will make it easier for you to get the solid part out quickly. Pick out all the solid bits, you can use a brush and dustpan. Extract as much as possible, but try not to spread the mess around while you move. Once you have collected all the substantial parts, put it in a sealable bad. If you don’t want to use any plastic, then you can directly flush it down the toilet.
Professional carpet cleaners always pre-treat the stain before they begin the actual cleaning process, and it is a good option. To pre-treat, the stain, pour some oxygen-infused fabric cleaner onto the stain and let it soak for a while.
Once you have soaked the stain, the next step is to get the stain off the carpet completely. For that, you can use a stain remover or some laundry detergent and mix it up with some warm water. You would need to mix two splashes of chemicals with a gallon of water. Using a sponge or washcloth, thoroughly soak the stain and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes, and work its magic.
Once the cleaning mixture has been infused into the carpet, it is time for you to put some muscles into the whole procedure. Use a soft-bristled carpet brush, dip it the cleaning solution and gently scrub onto the stain until it disappears. Work your hands from outside towards inside. Don’t rub outwards as it will only spread the stain further on the carpet.
Once the stain has gone, you would not need the bucket of cleaning solution anymore. So empty the bucket, properly clean it and fill it again with clean water. If you would use distilled or spring water, that would be much better. Now use the freshwater to rinse the mixture from the carpet using a clean cloth or paper towel.
Once you have cleaned the carpet from stain, it is time to dry it off. Use some paper towels to get the extra water off from the carpet. Moreover, you can also use a soft cloth to blot away the liquid and get the carpet as dry as possible.
You might be able to get rid of the poop stain, but there might be still odor left behind. You can quickly deal with the smell using simple ingredients from home. Mix spring or distilled water and vinegar in equal parts and pour it all over the stain. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes, before wiping it off using paper towels or soft cloth to dry it again.
For additional stain and odor removing boost, take baking soda and sprinkle it over the stain. Let it sit there for about 24-hours and then remove it using a vacuum cleaner. You can also use odor neutralizer, however, they are expensive and more importantly, harmful for dogs.
Finally, watch this video on how to clean dry dog poop from the carpet.
How to Get Dried Dog Poop out of Woolen Carpet?
Woolen carpets are more sensitive than other types of carpet, therefore, you need to follow individual steps to get the stains out of them. Once you have taken out the solid particles, follow the step to remove dog poop from woolen carpet.
- Take two parts vinegar and mix it up with one part distilled water. Spray the mixture onto the poop covered area.
- Use a paper towel or white cloth and gently dab the area. Make sure you don’t scrub or else you might ruin the carpet.
- Use a stain remover that is safe for wool and pour it onto the stain.
- Put a clean white cloth on the stain and apply pressure so that all the liquid gets soaked up.
Finally, you can use baking soda, leave it for a day, and get it off using a vacuum cleaner.
Why Is Your Dog Pooping on the Carpet?
If you answered yes to this question, then it is worthwhile knowing the following essential reasons that contribute to your dog pooping on the carpet:
One of the common reasons why your pup ends up pooping in your carpet or the house is due to the lack of house training. Dogs don’t differentiate between inside and outside as we do, you have to teach them.
When dogs are taken outside after spending the majority of the time inside, they tend to explore while forgetting the one thing they are supposed to do.
To ensure that your dog has enough time to poop and enjoy its time outside, make sure you take her on a long walk. Establish a routine where your pub does its business first and then plays.
Even after house training your dog, if it tends to poop on your carpet, and then it is crucial to consider the health factor.
Get an appointment from the vet, especially if the stool is loose or your dog has diarrhea. It could be a symptom of gastroenteritis wherein your dog’s large or small intestines tend to get inflamed.
Possible causes of these health issues might include food allergy, viruses, bacteria, bowel cancer, parasites, etc.
If your dog is old, you will notice that it poops more inside the house. Older dogs tend to have lower bowel control or fecal incontinence.
- With growing age, they may need to empty their bowel more often. Moreover, dogs may also lose muscle strength to keep the poop inside the body longer.
- Your dog might be suffering from canine cognitive dysfunction. It could forget what to do when out on the walks, comes inside and poop. If you experience this behavior, make sure to talk to the vet about appropriate treatment options.
- Your dog may suffer from arthritis. In this condition, it may be difficult for it to bend into a posture to poop.
Dogs detest stress and anxiety, and they don’t deal with it well. A simple change in their lifestyle can significantly impact their behavior. And during such time, such accidents are prone to happen.
If your dog gets anxious, whenever you leave the house, then it might be suffering from separation anxiety. Destructive chewing, scratching window, pooping inside the house, howling, etc. are some of the first signs of separation anxiety.
Talk to your vet regarding the same and seek some over the counter aid. Moreover, ensure that you don’t make a big deal about leaving the house or coming back.
If you have moved into a new home or any family member has passed away, that can make your dog depressed. Hence another reason they end up pooping inside.
When dogs are scared, they often poop or pee inside the house. Loud noises from fireworks, thunder, etc. are common triggers for your dog.
How to Stop Your Dog from Pooping on the Carpet?
Now that you know how to clean dried dog poop from the carpet doesn’t mean you would want to do it every day. It is vital to ensure that your dog doesn’t poop on the mat and save you a lot of time and effort.
Dogs learn from what you teach them. So, if you want them to stop pooping on the carpet, you will have to train them to do the same. Besides dogs are quick learners, so if you spend a little time preparing them, it will end up saving you plenty of unpleasant experiences. We will be discussing how to train your dog not to poop on the carpet or anywhere inside the house.
Ideally, outside is the right place for a dog to poop. However, let’s start small and then work out a way to the harder stuff. The goal is to control where your dog poops inside. You can set up a puppy pad next to the door and guide it in the right direction when you see it is sniffing on things.
Often puppy pads are infused with certain scents to attract dogs. Once your pooch gets used to going on the pad, you can slowly take it outdoors.
Eventually, they will get the hint that outside is where you want them to poop. Make sure that you shower them with treats and praises whenever they finish their business in the puppy pad or outside.
If you are going out of the house for an extended period, then ensure to offer your dog with toys and treats to keep themselves entertained. If you research, you can find that there are plenty of mental stimulation toys available, especially for dogs.
Often these toys come with a hidden treat that requires your pup to chew or roll to get it, thereby keeping them entertained for an extended period.
You will keep them distracted and prevent them from pooping on the carpet or anywhere inside the house. Gradually, it will make them smarter, and they will wait for you to come home.
Stress and boredom are common reasons that make your dog poop on your carpet, and if that is the case, you need to deal with the situation first. The best way to deal with anxiety is to shower your pet with lots of love.
Moreover, ensure that they are getting plenty of exercise. Indulging in physical activity with your pup is the best way to distract them from negative emotions. Therefore, it is crucial to take your dog out for a walk and spend plenty of time playing with them.
You can use verbal cues to let your pooch know what is right and wrong. Dogs are smart creatures, and with the proper training, they are capable of understanding simple words and phrases.
Every time you take your dog outside, say the same verbal command. Gradually, the cues will indicate to them that it is time to do the business. They may head towards the door when they have to poop.
During the whole training process, you must pay close attention to your dog. You need to ensure that it doesn’t poop on your carpet again. The more they poop inside, the more they will feel that it is the right place to do.
Whenever they start to show a sign that they are about to do the deed like walking in a circular motion or sniffing things around, you need to take them outside.
Watch this video on some tricks you can deploy to stop a dog from pooping on the carpet.
Now You Know How to Clean Dried Dog Poop from Carpet
Dog pooping on the carpet is a common problem among many pet owners. And as a pet owner, you need to be prepared at all times. First, you need to understand why they are pooping on the carpet, then you need to train them to do their business either outside or at a designated place.
Meanwhile, if such an incident does happen, you need to know how to clean dried dog poop from the carpet properly and keep it fresh and hygiene at all times.
