Oh, no! Not again!!! Your brand new rug is showing signs of home invasion. And you knew it from the minute you opened the door. Murphy’s in the corner hanging his head. Your other canine is nowhere to be found. Time for damage control and please watch where you step!

So, what’s the best way to remove dog poop from the carpet? First, get some rubber gloves (I highly recommend keeping the disposable latex ones handy) and remove the poop. Just grin and bear it! Or perhaps maybe another kind soul would be happy to do this for you? Use a scrubbing brush and paint scraper to pick up the last remnants of the deed. Carefully place in a dust pan and RUN! No wait, we’re not through here.

Dog Chat suggests you spray the evil spot with a pre-wash laundry stain remover. It must be one that has Oxi-Action or Oxi-scribed on its container. Fill a bucket with cold water, soap added, and with a cloth or scrubbing brush, scrub the stain. Be sure to rinse the wash rag a time or two. Keep applying until the stain is GONE!! Congratulate yourself, and then with a paper towel, blot the stain area until very little moisture remains. Here’s the BEST part: White vinegar! Examiner.com/pets say white vinegar not only kills bacteria, but deodorizes. Pour over the stain a 50/50 combo of vinegar and water. Usually about a half cup. Blot with paper towels. Keep repeating this regimen until excess moisture has been absorbed, and you start to sense victory! Now, that wasn’t too bad, was it?

Ok, what’s really worse than the aforementioned accident? You got it – cat urine!!! Especially unneutered male cat urine! One fateful night many moons ago, I left my car windows open overnight. And just how grossed out was I the next morning when I got in the driver’s seat and smelled cat urine? Folks, it simply does not get any worse. No matter how many times you roll down those car windows…So I sought a simple remedy: I made a spray of 15 ounces of hydrogen peroxide, two tablespoons of baking soda, and two splashes of liquid soap. Thoroughly mix in a bucket. Put liquid in a spray bottle and proceed to obliterate the unwanted scent. Dogster.com likes to add lemon juice to this solution. Cat World recommends using a vinegar solution as well, but also has some ideas as to how to prevent car urine and spray recurrences. First rule out any type of medical cause if the problem is excessive. Create “accident zones” by placing litter boxes in the area where your cat has fouled. Put out lemon scent and food, sandpaper, or plastic where the cat spraying has occurred. For some reason, cats will not urinate wherever these items are located. Cat Worldsays that if you’re not sure where your feline has sprayed, use a black fluorescent light (you can purchase at Lowe’s or Home Depot) to ferret out tell-tale evidence. Stains appear on walls, furniture and rugs as yellow spots. You can also place some of the soiled paper towels in your cat’s litter so as to cue and remind him about his territory.

    What about pooch urine? The Humane Society.org advises to soak up as much of the urine as you can with paper towels. Place a thick layer of towels on the “accident” and then cover with a heavy layer of newspapers. If you can, put newspaper underneath the soiled area, such as a rug, as well. Stand on the papers and remove the padding. Repeat, as needed. Rinse the stained area with cold water. Once the area is clean and dry you can use a pet deodorizer or baking soda.

Speaking of stains, what do you do about dog slobber? As a pet sitter, this is like a second outfit for me! But I’m not complaining; I guess that is categorized along with puppy breath and green horse drool? If you’re washing dog saliva from clothing or dog bedding, mix your own laundry detergent (one half cup) with one cup grated Fels Naptha soap, one half cup Borax. Use between one to two tablespoons of this nontoxic brew.

Good luck! You’ve done your work! Now go and get a latte!