Homeowner Forum / Cleaning / August 2003

What are you cleaning up with them?  Hairball-vomit residue?  Long-haired
cat swiping his butt on the rug 'cuz something stuck to his fuzzy bottom?
(I assume you're not referring to a cat peeing somewhere, because a wipe
is not likely to clean that very well.)

An inexpensive carpet spray (not a foam) called Spot Shot, takes out
almost any kind of carpet spot, except soft drink dye, including old
unidentified ones.  I tried it on a recommendation in one of the "Queen
of Clean" books.  You spray it on the spot, rub it with a paper towel
or clean cloth, and then after the stain is gone, sponge it with a wet
cloth.

I use paper towels to pick up hairballs and wick up extra moisture.
Then I use the Spot Shot.  I sometimes let the cat barf dry out several
hours under the paper towel, so that it's confined to the tips of the
carpet pile, because if I tried to clean it up when it's wet, trying to
clean it would rub it in more.

If you have a long-haired cat, have a vet or groomer clip the hair on
his behind short every few months, and you'll have far less problems
with him trying to use the carpet as toilet paper.  (although any
cat or dog doing that should also be checked for worms.)