Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning · Carpet Cleaning 101 · General Home Cleaning Tips · The Gross Stuff ·Aug 31, 2022

How to Clean Dog Diarrhea from Carpet

Every dog owner will have to face messes in their home from time to time. And few are quite as unpleasant as how to clean dog diarrhea from the carpet. But although this is a truly unsightly and foul-smelling problem, you don’t have to throw out your carpets or ban your dog from your home.

Most carpet mishaps are easily solved, and that includes messes caused by our beloved pets. By following our step-by-step guide, you can clean this mess up quickly, and rid your carpets of the stain and smell. We also recommend the best products for all your pet-related carpet problems.

What this article covers:

How To Clean Dried Dog Diarrhea Off Your Carpet

When approaching the problem of dog diarrhea on a carpet, there are 3 stages: clean-up, stain removal, and neutralizing of the odor. Let’s look at some of the most effective ways of dealing with each of these stages.

The Clean Up

Cleaning up dried dog diarrhea is never fun, but it can be over quickly if you follow these simple instructions. This will work equally well for cat diarrhea, as well.

You will need the following items:

A pair of disposable latex gloves (optional, but highly recommended!)
A few paper towel sheets
A trash bag

Wearing latex gloves, use the paper towels to gently pick up the dried poop bits on the carpet surface. Be very careful not to use too much force, as this will just worsen the mess on your carpet. Do not attempt to remove poop that has become stuck deep down in the carpet fibers, at this stage.

Place it all in the trash bag, including all the used paper towels, and the gloves when done. Seal and toss out the trash bag. And leave the windows open while cleaning to help with any odor.

Removing The Stain

Next, treat any resulting stain left by the dog's diarrhea on your carpet. There are 2 ways to approach this step. The one you choose will depend on the availability of professional carpet cleaning chemicals in your household.

You will need the following items:

A large bowl
Warm, but not hot, water
Professional carpet cleaning chemicals or stain remover ( if you do not have these, use distilled white vinegar)

A spare fork (one that you will not reuse)
A soft, clean cloth or old towel for blotting
A vacuum cleaner or portable mini vac

Make up the carpet cleaning or stain removing solution, according to the instructions for spot cleaning on the packaging. Use the bowl for this mixing up the carpet cleaning or stain removal solution.

If you do not have these products, you may fill the bowl with equal parts warm water and white vinegar, at least a cup of each.

You may have heard that a vinegar solution is one of the best home remedies to remove urine from carpets. Well, it is, but it works great for pet poop to stains too. Set the bowl aside for a moment, while you proceed with step 1.

Step 1 - Remove Surface Chunks

Using the fork, scrape up any of the dried feces that have stuck to the carpet fibers. You can use another utensil if you wish, but do not use a sharp knife as it will damage your carpet.

Use a gentle raking motion, and take care not to dig into the carpet or pull fibers out. Remove as much of the dried diarrhea bits as possible, without using excessive force. Then vacuum up any of the chunks that have loosened. Any remaining residue should be loosened up in step 2.

Step 2 - Clean The Stain

Slowly pour the carpet cleaning product (mixed according to package instructions) or water/vinegar solution over the remaining stain. Blot this up with a cloth or old towel, removing as much moisture as possible.

Repeat this pour-and-blot process until the stain disappears. Allow the carpet to dry naturally. The water/vinegar method is also great for cleaning dry pee out of the carpet and also removing dog vomit from the carpet naturally.

A Fun Cleaning Hack For Dog Diarrhea Stains

This one is a little unusual, but it’s an easy and harmless hack to try in a pinch. After cleaning up the mess as in step 1 above, all you will need is a can of shaving foam. The variant you use does not matter to the result

Simply spray the shaving foam cream onto the stained area. Massage it into the carpet gently while wearing latex gloves, or just let sit there for up to 20 minutes. Then add some water and blot it up with the old towel or cloth. Once again, allow the carpet to dry naturally.

We cannot vouch for how well this works on stubborn stains, but it could work on minor stains without doing any harm. But, it is always a good idea to first do a test patch on an inconspicuous area of the carpet.

Neutralizing The Odor

Even after cleaning, an unpleasant odor will likely remain. Once again, you should use a professional carpet odor product for the job. Dog diarrhea has a particularly offensive smell, and you will need a professional strength product to rid your carpet of it.

Our Professional Odor Remover

We recommend our USOR Unchained odor and stain remover for all pet stains and odors, including those caused by dog diarrhea. This product has been specifically designed to combat all sorts of stains and odors and will deliver the best results.

You may therefore use it as the stain removal product for step 2 in the stain removal instructions above. By doing so, you will be treating both the stain and the odor in one easy step. It can also easily remove old pee smell from carpets.

But always do a test patch for colorfastness before using any product you have not used on that particular carpet, before. Please take note, that although this product is safe and effective on most carpet types, it is not suitable for use on wool carpets and rugs.

The Safest Home Remedy

But there is also a simple home remedy for neutralizing the smell. In the absence of a professional product, you may use baking soda instead. You can combat this smelly problem by sprinkling a generous amount of baking soda over the affected area.

Leave it to sit for about half an hour, longer if necessary. Then vacuum up the baking soda and the smell should be neutralized. Baking soda is a gentle and safe yet effective solution to the problem of pet odors on carpets and upholstery.

So if you have no professional odor removers, use this to get a dog smell out of the couch and carpet. Bear in mind though, that for really stubborn odors, a home remedy may not be strong enough.

How To Clean Wet Poop Off Carpet

Wet poop is a little trickier to clean up, but the methods for treating the stain and the odor are the same as above. But to clean wet poop off the carpet, you may need to use a large plastic spoon or similar instrument instead of paper towels.

Scoop up the poop with the spoon and into the trash bag, tossing the spoon in at the end, as described above. But if the surface area is large and it’s a very runny mess, you may find it easier to let it dry first. It is far easier, and less unpleasant, to remove dried dog poop from the carpet.

Place a bowl with a wide circumference and a high dome over the mess and leave for a while to allow the poop to dry. Removing it will be far easier, then, and you may proceed with the dry poop removal steps listed above.

Other Products You May Like To Try

For Cleaning

For a deep clean that makes the dirt right out of your carpets, you’ll love our Rug Smack. It gives all carpets a deep clean, right into the fibers. Best of all, it is safe to use on both synthetic and natural fibers.

As a rule, you should deep clean your carpets every few months. This is especially important for pet owners, as your carpets will be subject to more messes than homes without pets. Also, it is far easier to clean up messes like dog urine or dog diarrhea from clean carpets.

The reason is that embedded dirt and dog hair in your carpet can make these unfortunate messes even more difficult to clean. Regular vacuuming of pet hair and deep cleaning is essential to keep carpets looking and smelling their best. And when mishaps occur, they can easily be sorted out.

For Stains

Our Pure O2 Cherry Bomb Odor and Stain Remover will work miracles on all kinds of stains.

This includes stains left by dog diarrhea and all other pet-related issues. It will not only remove the stain and the odor, but it will also leave your carpets smelling fantastic. This product is designed to be used with a professional carpet cleaning machine that uses hot water extraction.

The secret is the added oxygenating power, which cuts through even the toughest stains such as urine, feces, blood, or vomit. It is a highly effective product for the professional cleaning of carpets in any pet lover's home.

For Odors

Professional stain removers and odor neutralizers often leave a fresh fragrance behind. This may be preferable after an incident of dog diarrhea or after cleaning the dog's puke from the carpet, as the smell tends to linger. We have a great deodorizing product for you to try, called Ecocide.

It is available in 2 fresh fragrances, Beachy Peachy and Citrus Lush. These products are both natural concentrates that will eliminate all foul odors on contact, leaving behind fresh fruity fragrances instead.

They can also be used as a pre-spray treatment, or in conjunction with most other carpet cleaning products.

Conclusion

As you now can see, there is almost no carpet problem that cannot be solved with the right know-how and tools for the job. Although cleaning dog diarrhea from a carpet may seem to be a daunting task, it is easy when you have the right guidance and tools.

So ensure that you are always equipped with the right products for any carpet disaster. Contact us today and stock up on the very best carpet care tools and cleaning chemicals you will ever need.

How To Clean Dog Diarrhea From Carpet (FAQs)

Is it okay to do a spot treatment for dog diarrhea?

This depends on the severity of the stain, and how much surface area of your carpet has been affected. If a large area has been stained, it may be best to follow up the initial cleanup with a deep clean of your carpet using one of the products listed above.

Use a professional carpet cleaning machine and high-quality products for the best results. This is advised as a general carpet care practice for all pet owners. A deep clean is very effective at getting rid of a dog smell on your carpet.

Does dog diarrhea ever leave a permanent stain on carpets?

While it looks just awful at the outset, dog diarrhea does not usually leave a permanent stain if you clean it up as soon as possible.

The discoloration may, however, be more noticeable on lighter color carpets, requiring more stain removal effort. In this case, it is better to use a professional stain remover like USOR Unchained.

Can I use hydrogen peroxide to clean a dog's diarrhea stain?

Yes, hydrogen peroxide will remove most stations from carpets. The problem is that it can do more harm than good if you get the strength wrong, or leave it to sit for too long. Hydrogen peroxide is the main ingredient in bleach, and could very easily strip the color from your carpet fibers.

Rather use dedicated carpet care products that contain this ingredient, as they have been formulated for safe use on stains. And always do a test patch before using any bleaching agent on your carpets.

Do I need to use disinfectant on my carpet after cleaning up dog diarrhea?

Dog feces may contain bacteria, and disinfecting the area is always a good idea. But, industrial-strength disinfectants may prove to be too harsh for use on your carpets. Rather use a carpet stain remover that includes disinfectant properties.

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