New puppies are great. They are cute and snuggly and playful. And who does not love puppy breath? But along with a new puppy come new messes – messes that are not easy to pleasant to clean up. Below are a few tips to make tackling these messes just a little bit easier.
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Floors
One of the first big things that you will notice about having a new puppy is that the floors get dirty so much faster. Between tracking in dirt from trips outside to drooling to learning how to eat from a bowl, the floors really take a beating. For hard floors you can use a spray bottle with equal parts water and cleaning vinegar to spray on any smudges and mop away the grime. For carpet, use equal parts water and cleaning vinegar to soak the area and blot with a paper towel or microfiber cloth.
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Urine
This is the pet mess everyone thinks of first when they think about pet messes. And it is no surprise, because these stains and odors are hard to get rid of. Potty training a puppy is no easy feat. For hard floors, use a towel to soak up the urine, then spray equal parts vinegar and water on the spit. Let it sit for a few minutes, then mop it up. The vinegar helps to remove the smell so that your little puppy is not tempted to continue using the same spot in the future. For carpet, we recommend soaking up as much of the urine as quickly as possible. Stand on the towel to get any liquid that may have gone farther down into the carpet fibers. Then spray the area with a solution made of two cups vinegar, two cups warm water, and four tablespoons of baking soda. Let this soak into the area for 5-10 minutes before blotting up with a cloth.
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Vomit
Yet another stain that comes with a new puppy learning how to digest new foods. If you have hard floors, use the same steps as with urine. For carpet, try using a solution of half a cup of hydrogen peroxide and 1 teaspoon of dishwashing liquid. First pick up as much of the vomit as you can with a paper towel. Then sprinkle the area with baking soda. Pour the mixture over the baking soda, then scrub with a soft-bristle brush. Let soak into the carpet fibers for a few minutes. Then use a towel to dry the area and vacuum to remove any leftover baking soda.
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Laundry
Accidents happen, and they do not just happen on the floors. They also happen on clothes, blankets, even on the dog bed. If this occurs, spray the stain with cleaning vinegar then throw the soiled fabrics into the washing machine. The vinegar will help to eliminate the odor from the fabric. For really bad stains, you may need to repeat the steps above until the stain is no longer visible and the odor is completely gone.