Carpet Tips for Pet Owners

They may be cute, but pets can wreak havoc on your carpets.  Whether they're shedding on it, peeing on it, or dragging fresh "kill" from your backyard onto it, your carpet is sure to suffer.  Follow these tips to keep the damage to a minimum:

• Vacuum often, even if your dog or cat doesn't shed or only sheds a little.  Chances are there's still a lot of hair and dander embedded in your carpet fibers.  Plus, dogs bring in a lot of other debris, seeing as they can't exactly take their shoes off at the door. 
• Wash your pet often, even if it thinks water is its kryptonite, as mine does.
• Brush regularly, as it will cut down on shedding. 
• Be careful with household cleaning products - many household cleaners can actually be very damaging and ruin your carpets permanently.  (Read our blog, "Some Carpet Sprays Do More Harm Than Good" to learn more)
• The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) recommends that pet owners have their carpets professionally cleaned at least once every 12-18 months.  It's cool to use your SpotBot for quick cleanups, but that shouldn't take the place of a periodic deep cleaning.  Professional cleaners are much more effective in removing stains and odors permanently.