Dirty Dogs And Carpet Stains
Known affectionately in the western world as a “man’s best friend”, dogs are loyal companions. Energetic, playful and in need of regular walks and interaction, dogs encourage their owners to stay active.
As wonderful as dogs are to own as pets, they have a unique habit of making a mess inside the home and, from time-to-time, can leave a trail of destruction on your carpet. Whether this is because they’ve brought the park inside with them or they’ve gotten a little over excited, even the most well-behaved dogs can cause nasty carpet stains.

Here’s a list of the three most common dog related carpet stains, and tips on how you can treat them quickly and effectively with Vanish.
- Mud stains
A difficult stain to remove all traces of, mud stains can have a big impact on the appearance of your home, especially if you have light coloured carpets or rugs.
With the help of an enthusiastic dog fresh from a walk on a rainy day, pet owners can quickly discover that their tidy home is suddenly covered in muddy paw prints.
Follow these steps to prevent stains from becoming embedded in your carpet:
Once mud has hardened take a brush and gently remove as many flakes as possible. Next, to combat the stain that’s left behind by mud, try Vanish Oxi Action Carpet and Upholstery Powerspray, which will work to remove tough stains from your carpet first time round.
It’s easy to use; spray the liquid onto your carpet stain, rub gently and leave for up to five minutes before washing as normal. If you have a particularly stubborn stain, repeat these steps until your stain disappears.
- Faeces and urine stains
How to remove urine stains? An unpleasant occurrence that’s particularly common is accidents inside the house, usually caused by puppies going to the toilet in places they shouldn’t!
When getting dog or cat urine out of your carpet, stains have to be treated as soon as possible. Start by removing anything that’s visible on the surface, and blot the affected area with a wet paper towel to prevent it from setting.
With the help of a spray such as the Power Spray for Pets you’ll be able to remove any residue and treat the stain. The formula even stops your dog fouling in the same place twice, so no more surprises left hidden behind the sofa!
- Hair
Just like humans, dogs moult and can often leave swathes of hair around the house. Particular breeds of dog such as German Shepherds, Border Collies, Golden Retrievers and Pugs tend to shed the most hair. While this isn’t so problematic on hardwood floors that are easily swept, on carpet it’s a different matter.
For a foolproof method of removing dog hair, firstly use a rubber broom. The rubber bristles will use static electricity to attract even the most stubborn hairs. If you can’t find a rubber broom, a stiff bristled brush or rug rake will work equally well.
Once all of the hair has been removed, it is important to treat the area with Vanish Powerfoam High Traffic Carpet Cleaner. Simply spray over the area that needs to be treated, working the foam into the carpet using a clean, damp cloth. Leave for approximately 2 hours and then vacuum as normal.
Even though dogs can make unpleasant stains or leave a mess on your carpet from time-to-time, with Vanish’s range of carpet cleaners it’s easy to forgive them.