Removing Skunk Odor From Furniture

Skunks are wonderful little creatures that have a big impact on the environments they live in. For the most part, these black and white critters go about their business, causing no one but known pests a problem. Unfortunately, they sometimes have run ins with people, pets or even living room furniture if they manage to get into a home personally.

When removing skunk odor from furniture is necessary, there are some tips that can help ensure the job results in success. The best ideas for handling skunk odor on furniture include:

Furniture

• Make sure the contaminated creature or the contaminating creature is isolated and cleaned or gone before proceeding. There is little point in trying to get skunk odors out of furniture if the cat or dog that rolled on a sofa is still skunk smelling and present. Clean up the creature or get the skunk out of the house and then proceed.
• Carefully inspect all furniture that may have come in contact with the skunk. The idea is to not have to clean more than is necessary without missing anything that is.
• Gently blot up any wet spots. If the spray is fresh or a wet dog or cat just rolled on the furniture, spreading the skunk smell around, blot it up. Do not scrub to avoid working it further into the fabrics.
• Get an extracting machine if possible. Go to a hardware or grocery store and rent an extraction machine for cleaning fabric furniture. This will help pull the odor-causing skunk spray out of the furniture rather than pushing it further into the fabric.
• If an extractor is not possible, consider getting a bag of clean rags or other cleaning cloths that can be tossed in the trash when the job is done.
• Select the solution. Whether it's an extraction machine with an upholstery wand or a hand clean up and blot job on tap, the right odor neutralizing agents are necessary. Some people prefer using baking soda and vinegar on furniture; others like the idea of using gentle sodas or professional cleaning agents. No matter the option, have plenty of the chosen solution on hand. Getting skunk smells out of furniture takes a bit of time and even several applications. If a trip to a store is in order, consider also picking up feminine cleaning products (these work well on skunk odors, too) and/or odor neutralizing sprays for fabrics for the follow up job.
• Clean, extract or soak and blot. This particular part of the process might take several applications and some time to work. With diligence and the right follow up neutralizer, it should pay off.

Removing Skunk Odor From Furniture

As you can see, removing skunk odor is a task that can be accomplished. With the right tools and a bit of elbow grease, a couch, chair or even entire living room can be salvaged.

Removing Skunk Odor From Furniture

Gretchen Messersmith is the owner of Skunk Odor Gone, the website that shows you step-by-step how to quickly and easily get rid of skunk odor for good. Because of her own personal experience in this area, she is passionate about helping people remove skunk smell safely, quickly and easily.

Cat sprayed by skunk? Find out some simple steps to remove skunk smell from your cat.

Tips On Removing Fleas From Your Carpet And Furnishings

If your dog or cat has fleas, you want the little insects out of your house fast. But getting rid of fleas means more than just treating your pet. You're going to have to work on cleaning your whole house to rid your home of fleas. Otherwise, fleas will hide in carpets and bedding or on your sofa and in all the places your pet likes to frequent. The life cycles of fleas can make it very hard to get rid of them unless you are very careful to remove them from your carpets. When eggs hidden in cloth fibers hatch they leap back on to your pet and the cycle starts all over again.

Your carpets and floor rugs will have to be washed. If you can toss them in your washing machine, go for it. Use soapy water, as the soap will kill the fleas. If your carpets are too big, vacuum them thoroughly and dispose of the vacuum bag properly by wrapping it in a plastic bag before throwing it away.

Furnishings

Have a carpet cleaner come in to wash your flooring. Steam cleaning will rid your carpet of eggs and larvae hiding in the fibers. Pest control professionals and some carpet cleaner experts can also treat your carpets for you. For those who can't afford steam cleaning or professional carpet cleaners, wash your carpets with insecticidal soap.

However, once an infestation has been brought under control by these methods, you can keep it under control simply by regular vacuum. Up to fifty percent of flea eggs can be eliminated with one vacuum. Dr Michael Drydon, Professor of Veterinary Parasitology at Kansas University conducted experiments on nylon carpets which showed that vacuuming controls fleas as well as permethrin at the pupal stage. Permethrin is a commonly used synthetic pesticide and therefore introduces a health risk into your home. In peak flea season, Dr Drydon recommends vacuuming very second day, paying particular attention to areas your pets frequent and remembering to clean underneath sofas and chairs. The vacuum bag should be removed at least weekly and thrown into an outdoor trash bin.

Even if you prefer to use a chemical solution to your flea problem, you will still need to clean the carpet. However, as a final touch to rid your carpets of fleas, you can spray your flooring with a flea-killing solution, paying special attention to the places your pet loves the most. You can pick up a few bottles of spray at most stores or your veterinarian. It is probably unnecessary though, and if you have little children (or even big children) who crawl, roll, lie or sit on your carpet, you will be exposing them to a pesticide which can be absorbed through the skin. Furthermore, the whole family will be breathing the vapor of the pesticide for some time. If it's not absolutely necessary, why do it?

Tips On Removing Fleas From Your Carpet And Furnishings

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