Dogs and cats are beloved members of the household.
But what about accidents on your beloved rug?
Dogs
Blot up the urine as soon as possible. The easiest way is to dab it up with absorbent material like paper towels (you'll need a whole roll) or an absorbent terry cloth towel. Apply water to the area to further dilute the urine and re-blot it.
Finally, give the spot a good cleaning with soap and water. Dishwashing detergent works fine. Blot up the soapy water and clean rinse again. Told you you'd need a whole roll of paper towels!
The problem with dogs is that they tend to return to the same spot to urinate. If this happens, you'll soon be fighting a losing battle.
Canine feces should also be removed immediately and the location treated with soap and water. After drying, we recommend two products to further "dry clean" the area without damaging the color: Host or Capture. Sprinkle it in; let it dry; vacuum it up.
If you are satisfied that your dog and you have a complete understanding about its bodily functions, have the rug professionally cleaned. It's like starting all over again. No harm done.
Cats
The good news is that cats are rarely a problem. Keeping your cat in good health and the litter box clean almost guarantees an accident-free relationship. The bad news is that when cats do leave a calling card on the rug, it's really a problem.
You can try to blot it up if you catch it immediately. Use lots of soap and water. odor is the issue. You can probably diminish the smell to where it's undetectable by humans, but your cat can still smell it.
Some people like the product Knock Off. It's a mild repellant that keeps the cat off the rug.
But as far as odor is concerned, your rug is compromised. Not a few unhappy cat owners have had to throw away a beautiful rug because of that odor.
No reputable rug cleaner will claim to deodorize a rug that has been fouled with cat urine.
Hand-knotted, hand-dyed wool rugs have accommodated pets for thousands of years. Your pet peacefully napping on your rug is a memorable, treasured scene.
Accidents happen.
Harry
"No man can be condemned for owning a dog. As long as he has a dog, he has a friend; and the poorer he gets, the better friend he has." - Will Rogers