Cleaning Tips

Here at BISSELL we’ve learned a thing or two about cleaning over the past 100 years. We’ve put together some Cleaning Tips to help share our cleaning knowledge with you. Use the categories below to find articles on topics ranging from how to clean pet messes from your carpet to cleaning large areas.

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The Best Pet Carpet Cleaner for Your Pet Messes

Posted on 6/12/2020
Categories: Cleaning Pet Messes
There are many ways to clean up after pet messes. And shopping for a pet stain remover can be confusing – there are so many options online and in the aisles. Should you get an enzyme-based cleaner or an oxygen-based cleaner? Is a general spray good enough to treat your carpet after an accident? Don’t worry, we will make it easy for you to understand the difference in these spray cleaners so that you can choose the right pet carpet cleaner spray to get the job done.

Enzyme-based Cleaners

Enzyme-based cleaners are cleaning products that contain enzymes that work to break down and digest the stain and odor-causing molecules that pet messes leave behind. Enzyme-based pet stain removers work best on organic pet stains and odors, like urine and feces.
Pawsitively Clean’s Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator is an enzymatic cleaner that can be used to remove new or set-in pet stains. It works best in damp conditions, because the enzymes in these cleaning formulas can stay active until the stain and odor-causing molecules are gone.


Tips and Tricks to Using Enzymatic Pet Carpet Cleaners

  • For the best results, get the stain matter as thin as possible prior to treating it. Scrape up any big chunks and blot very wet areas.
  • The pet stain should then be saturated along with the surrounding areas thoroughly, and also covered with a damp, white cloth for 12 to 72 hours.
  • Enzyme-based cleaners are safe for use on carpet, upholstered furniture, dog beds and more!
  • Before cleaning a stain, test the product you’re planning to use on a hidden area of carpet. If the color changes, don’t use it. When cleaning upholstery, look for the manufacturer’s cleanability code tag. BISSELL products can be used on fabrics coded “WS” or “W”. However, if they’re coded “X” or “S”, don’t use the formula. *Don’t use BISSELL products on velvet, silk, vinyl, or leather upholstery.

Oxygen-based Cleaners

Oxygen-based cleaners activate upon contact with the pet stain. The reaction between the cleaner and the carpet stain alters the color of the residue and helps neutralize odor-causing molecules. Oxygen carpet cleaner sprays work best for removing the stains and odors left behind from deep-down, smelly stains like pet vomit or blood. 
Pawsitively Clean’s Instant Clean formula uses oxygen to lift these stubborn carpet stains to refresh and renew carpet. This cleaner will start to work within a few seconds and continue to work for several hours.


Tips and Tricks to Using Oxygen Pet Carpet Cleaners

  • If there is still a visible stain left after a few minutes of treating carpet, give it some time and check back later before repeating. 
  • Oxygen-based carpet cleaners are safe for use on carpet, upholstered furniture, dog beds and more.
  • This type of pet stain remover formula can remove new and set-in stains.

Pet Carpet Cleaning Sprays to Use on Each Type of Pet Stain

The reason that we have different types of formula for different stains comes down to the science behind getting rid of the stain. An oxygen-based cleaner may get rid of the color from a urine stain and it may also remove the odor to a human nose. But animal noses are more sensitive, and pets are more likely to re-mark in areas that have been had previous urine or feces messes. Enzyme-based cleaners have enzyme action like that of healthy probiotics found in some types of yogurt that help “eat” the microscopic particles that make up the stain. Once the carpet cleaner spray is released from the bottle, the probiotics are activated and begin working. If kept moist, they’ll continue to multiply and remove the material until it’s gone, making it less likely that your pet will remark the area. That’s why keeping a moist towel on the stain and giving it plenty of time to work will ensure that the stain is thoroughly removed.

That’s not to say that oxygen-based cleaners are bad – they aren’t at all. In fact, they are great at getting out many types of color and food stains. They can get the color out of a urine stain. And they work without being covered with a cloth for hours. Just consider the type of stain that you are trying to remove AND the likelihood that it may happen again before you choose which type of pet carpet cleaner to use.

Use Enzyme-based Cleaners for these Pet Messes:

  • Urine 

  • Feces

Use Oxygen-based Cleaners for these Pet Messes:

  • Vomit

  • Blood

  • Urine (to remove any color-remnants after using an enzyme-based cleaner)

Chart of common pet stains like urine, feces, blood, and vomit and corresponding carpet cleaning product to use
Whew! We just threw a lot of cleaning information your way but we hope it helped you understand the difference between oxygen-based cleaners and enzyme-based cleaners, and the reasons to use them both in different situations to treat and clean pet stains. Happy cleaning!
 
 
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