Five Steps You Must Follow to Remove
Pet Odor from Upholstery

As consumers become more and more attached to their pets, the incidents of pet accidents on upholstery are skyrocketing!

While you might be comfortable with pet odor treatment steps for carpet, you must remember that the structure of furniture, as well as the fibers used in making the upholstery fabric, often create situations that prevent successful outcomes at best, or expensive damage claims at the worst.

Five steps to follow when removing pet odors from upholstery that will minimize your risks and maximize your chances of gaining a satisfactory result:

#1. - Find The Contaminated Areas:
Moisture sensors are not practical to use on upholstery, as the probes will leave permanent visible damage where they are inserted. Instead you should question your customer, look for visible stains, use a UV light to find ones that aren't easily seen in natural light, and let your nose be the guide.

#2. - Determine What Limitations Exist:
Fabrics made from natural fibers, or blends of natural and synthetic fibers, may bleed, brown, shrink, water stain, or have texture distortion when exposed to the amount of moisture needed to delivery deodorizing treatments to the fabric and materials beneath the fabric.
 
If you think carefully about the steps you take to clean upholstery safely, most of it includes controlling moisture and preventing penetration of cleaning materials beneath the surface of the fabric.

During the odor removal process, you must have the penetration of moisture. For that reason your customer must assume all risks that are created by the use of these products, as well as the fact that urine residues will weaken dyes that are otherwise colorfast.

#3. - Apply the Correct Deodorizer:
Deodorizers with strong fragrances may be irritating to your customer. Use products that are effective deodorizers, but that also have light, pleasant fragrances. 

#4. - Apply Deodorizer To the Correct Places:
Upholstery skirts, (a common place to find urine deposits) are relatively easy to treat, though shrinkage is a risk you must have already made clear with your customer. The deodorizer may be sprayed onto other fabric surfaces, but often will also need to be injected into padding or cushion foam. The risks of bleeding, browning, and especially water stains is high when this is done, and you must advise your customer accordingly. Make sure that injections are done on seams, under buttons, or by unzipping the cushion so that the puncture of the needle isn't visible.