CLEANING UP CAT BARF ON CARPET
One of the most common questions we get asked—and we get asked a LOT!—is "How do I get stains out of my carpet where my cat (or dog) barfed?"  This is something we've had plenty of experience with and we've come up with a method that never fails to work for us—even on off-white carpet (as pictured, which is in our bedroom).  I literally have videotape of the WORST cat barf on some of our off-white carpet—and I'm not talking about a little furball, I'm talking about real, copious vomit that left a stain 10" in diameter—and you can watch the stain disappear right before your eyes as I demonstrate this technique.  Trust me, this method will work for you.

If you don't want to use this method, you can also use DooDoo Voodoo, either by itself or with your carpet cleaning machine.  To read about the methodology we use, visit our Stain Removal page.
 

Disclaimer:
We are not chemists and can only relate to you our personal experiences using these two products together.  We disclaim any and all liability connected with your use of these products, either jointly or separately.  As the user, you shall assume total liability when using these products jointly or separately and you agree to hold harmless Four On The Floor Pet Products, Inc., its volunteers, founders, employees, agents or assigns with regard to any direct or consequential damages to persons, pets or property incurred by your use of these products.  We assume no liability whatsoever.  We're just trying to be helpful.

SUPPLIES NEEDED
Spot_Shot_Foamy_17_IR1.jpg (45252 bytes)You only need three things and, if you happen to live in a market where there is a Sam's Club, you're in luck; Sam's carries all three items.

• White, unprinted paper towels (Sam's Club's house brand works well and is a great value)
• Dow® brand Scrubbing Bubbles® "foamy-type" spray bathroom cleaner (also available at Sam's)
• Spot Shot® brand spray stain remover (rated #1 by a leading consumer magazine)

Click on the thumbnail picture to view a full-sized, full-resolution version of the image.

THE USUAL DISCLAIMERS—DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO
Be sure to test the two products on a hidden area of your carpet for 24 hours to make sure your carpet is colorfast and that they won't bleach out your carpet.  Wear gloves to protect your hands.  Use plenty of ventilation.  Keep people and pets away from the area until the carpet is dry to the touch.  Always wear your seatbelt (ok, this has nothing to do with cleaning up cat barf, but it's a good idea anyway).  Four On The Floor Pet Products, Inc., and anyone associated with it are not liable for incidental or consequential damages to people, pets or home furnishings.

IT'S ALL IN THE TECHNIQUE
It normally takes us less than 90 seconds to fully clean up a stain.

1.  Using a clean, white paper towel, first remove as much of the solid material & liquid as you can.  Don't be stingy with the paper towels—keep using clean ones so you don't just rub the stain into the carpet.

2.  Once you've removed as much of the solid and liquid as you can, spray the stain generously with the Scrubbing Bubbles ("foamy cleaner", we call it).  The cleaner will foam up.  Let it soak in for a few seconds or as long as a few minutes if you have the time.  If you have an old toothbrush, you can use it to work the foamy cleaner into the stain so the cleaner gets down deep into the fibers.  We never seem to need to do this, but it might help you.

3.  After you've let the cleaner soak in for as long as you'd like, wipe it up using clean paper towels.  If you're not afraid of trashing your fingernails, work the paper towel down into the carpet fibers by pushing it down in with your fingernails.  Keep throwing the soiled paper towels away and using clean ones until you can't get up any more stain.  At this point, you can proceed to the Spot Shot step or, if you like, you can do what I do and repeat steps 2 and 3.  If you're antsy about using your bare hand, put on a rubber glove.

4.  Once you've gotten up as much of the stain as you desire to, perhaps by repeating steps 2 and 3, spray the stain with Spot Shot until the entire stain—including a "margin" around the edge of the visible stain—is wet with Spot Shot.  Let it soak in for as little as 15 seconds or as much as 5 minutes depending on the severity of the stain.

5.  Using generous amounts of clean paper towels, wipe and blot up the Spot Shot.  If the stain isn't completely gone, repeat step 4, but chances are you won't have to 'cause this method really, really works.  Keep wiping and blotting with clean paper towels until you don't pick up any more moisture.

6.  DONE!

These products are not intended to be odor neutralizers, so if that's something you need, we suggest you check out our phenomenal, all-natural odor evaporator, DooDoo Voodoo.  It is highly affordable and incredibly effective, as shown on our Stain Removal page!