"Two Reasons Pet Odor Problems in Upholstery Are Unique"

Upholstery fabrics that have been exposed to minor pet "accidents" rarely emit bothersome odors in cooler weather; but when warm and humid weather begins, such odors may, and often do become more apparent.

Today's "pampered pets" are allowed to sit on furniture, and urine stains and odor may often be the result!

When it comes to pet odors, upholstery has two issues that do not exist with carpet:

ISSUE #1 - It is VERY dangerous to saturate upholstered fabrics with liquid, which is the primary way that deodorizing treatments are applied to carpet.

ISSUE #2 -  Today's customer does not want strong fragrances to be used in their home, and is especially sensitive about strong odors in their fabrics.

These two issues mean that cleaners cannot do everything that they might wish to, and cannot use as wide of a variety of products (because of the potential of strong, lingering fragrances) either.

Treatment Steps

#1 - Inspection and Communication:  
The extent of contamination from urine can be detected with ultraviolet lights, moisture detectors, (and your nose of course). The fabric must also be tested for its sensitivity to water, as well as cleaning and deodorization products. You cannot make decisions about what products to use and how to use them without this information.

#2 - Clean it First!  
If the contamination hasn't penetrated through the fabric, upholstery cleaning products are often very good deodorizing and even spot/stain removal treatments as well.

Here are some examples:

 a)  Acid Detergents and Rinse Agents:  
Acidic products remove urine residues, visible spots, as well as much of the related odors from urine. The same products that are useful for preventing browning and bleeding, as well as for residue removal, are helpful in treating urine.

 b)  Oxidizing Cleaning Boosters:
Urine stains that remain after acid spotters remove sticky residues often require mild bleaching for complete removal. The powdered oxidizing agents that cleaners use to whiten whites and brighten colors are also very effective urine stain removers.  These same products also will remove odors surprisingly well!

  c)  Deodorize with Care:
If cleaning with the above mentioned products has not removed the odor, choose deodorizers that use little or no fragrance in their formulation. Depending on the extent of the penetration of the urine, such products can be applied by spray or by injection.

PRO TIP: Be sure to use the  most "pet friendly" deodorizers possible, especially if you need to apply your treatments after cleaning.  Some enzyme products may cause rashes in pets (and people!), and odor free deodorization products are always to be preferred in these cases.  If you want to know more about "Pet Friendly" odor treatment, be sure to attend the next Fabric Pro Workshop in our schedule.
                                                                                                          

"…be aware that liquid that is injected will often wick to the surface.."

If you decide that injection is necessary, be aware that liquid that is injected will often wick to the surface and potentially cause water stains, browning, or color bleeding.

These brief tips should serve as a reminder that many things that we take for granted when we treat carpet cannot be taken so lightly when treating upholstery for odors.

Always remember: 
Your customers' pet(s) are considered to be family members, and their use of furniture as a bed or toilet is completely acceptable to most pet owners.  Always speak with respect and genuine empathy when it comes to pet “accidents”, never with disgust or judgement!