Cats are incredibly intelligent and self-sufficient pets! While our feline friends certainly bring us heaps of joy, they can unfortunately also bring extra work around the house, often targeting our carpets and similar upholstery.
As a cat owner, knowing how to keep carpets clean with cats is vital to maintaining a clean and healthy living environment. Cats love to play with many kitties showcasing a more destructive playstyle, especially while young.
As homeowners, this often means our carpets, sofas, and curtains are at high risk of damage and staining.
From urine stains to muddy paws, fur mounds to physical damage, and everything in between, it’s easy to see why so many pet owners are looking for more effective ways to maintain their upholstery.
In this guide, we will walk you through our top 10 tips for how to keep carpets clean with cats. These tips can also be used to care for your other precious household upholstery like sofas and curtains.
Why It’s Important to Keep Your Carpets, Sofa, and Curtains Clean with Cats
- Keeps your carpets looking clean, vibrant, and healthy
- Prolongs the lifespan of your carpets, curtains, and sofas
- Cats groom a lot more than dogs – meaning it’s more important to keep upholstery clean
- A clean carpet reduces allergies from stray hair around the house
- Cat claws can cause some serious damage to carpets and other valuable upholstery
- A good carpet clean will eliminate unpleasant odours and stains
How to Keep Carpets Clean with Cats: Our Top 10 Tips
1. Invest in the Right Carpets
Carpets are a big snag risk for your kitty’s claws, able to cause injury in some cases. Furthermore, the characteristics of your carpet will determine how severe accidents and stains affect the material. Rambunctious felines are known to knock over anything in their path so thinking ahead when picking your carpets will go a long way.
We recommend using carpets with a short, tight, cut, synthetic pile. These types of carpets are more durable, less likely to pull and snag, and far easier to clean than other materials. It will also help to choose a carpet colour that resembles your cat’s fur to make it less noticeable.
2. Keep Your Cat’s Claws Clipped
Cat claws grow quickly and our kitties aren’t shy to use them to scratch around the house. Keeping your cat’s claws trimmed will help to avoid serious damage to upholstery while protecting them from painful snags.
It can be a little daunting doing this at home with clippers, so feel free to chat with your local vet for grooming options.
3. Vacuum Regularly
This is probably one of the best strategies to implement when considering how to keep carpets clean with cats. We recommend vacuuming at least 2 to 3 times a week to pick up pet hair, dirt, dust mites and other miscellaneous debris.
Be sure to vacuum your tiles, sofa, curtains, and anything that is affected by your cat.
4. Spot Clean Stains ASAP
Accidents happen with all pets. Whether it’s pet urine stains, vomit, faeces, or coffee spills, stains can become a nuisance for upholstery if left untreated. Here is a tried and trusted way to combat stains when getting your carpet cleaned:
- Dab stains with an old damp towel or rag, removing as much as possible without spreading the excess moisture
- Mix one part vinegar with two parts water in a spray bottle and saturate the stain sufficiently
- Dab with a dry cloth to remove any excess moisture again
- Use a bleach-free dishwashing liquid and mix it with some water, then work the affected area with a blotting motion
- Rinse with clean tap water then blot again with a dry cloth or towel
- Leave to dry then finish with an enzyme cleaner spray or baking soda if you’d like
5. Get Your Carpets Professionally Deep-Cleaned
We strongly recommend getting your carpets, sofas, and curtains professionally cleaned at least twice a year to keep your upholstery looking its best. DIY cleaning solutions tend to only pick up about 80% of all dirt and grime, with the other 20% made up of deeply seated, hard-to-reach material that only professional cleaning products and equipment can combat effectively.
6. Place Towels or Rugs at Entrances
It may sound obvious, but placing old towels or rugs at your home entrances will massively limit how much mud and dirt makes it to your carpets and furniture from your pet’s paws! You can also keep pet paws clean by using paper towels.
(Refer to our guide on how to clean rugs to keep them looking fresh and vibrant.)
7. Avoid Using Products with Ammonia
Because cat urine contains a strong concentration of ammonia, using cleaning products with ammonia will only make your problems worse, often leading to more intense odours and even permanent damage to wool carpets and rugs.
8. Keep Your Cat Well Groomed and Entertained
By keeping your cat’s fur well groomed at all times, you will eliminate some of the build-up that can happen over the weeks and months. A scratching post from a pet store is also a fantastic way to keep your kitty entertained while keeping their nails less damaging to upholstery.
9. Be Sure to Clean Your Other Furniture Too
Apart from your carpets, regularly maintaining a good cleaning routine with your other furniture like your sofas, curtains, and rugs will ensure your home stays as clean as possible for you and your pets.
10. Keep Your Cat on a Good Diet
Pet foods with artificial colourants can make cleaning a messier affair than needed. Stains tend to be more stubborn and harder to eliminate so try to find kitty food without any added colouring for an easier clean.
When to Call a Professional Cleaning Service
While DIY cleaning solutions can help maintain healthy carpets and minimise damage, few can actually fully eliminate tough odours and stains.
At Myer Carpet Cleaning, we have the professional tools and expertise to deeply clean and remove all kinds of pet stains and odours from your carpets, sofas, curtains and much more!
We proudly service homes and businesses throughout Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, and Brisbane with an environmentally friendly and toxic-free approach. Book your next deep clean today by visiting our website for more information!
If you’re also a dog owner, our guide on How To Keep Carpet Clean With Dogs offers valuable insights for maintaining a tidy home.
With These Tips on How to Keep Carpets Clean with Cats, You’ll Maintain a Comfortable Home for Both You and Your Furry Friends
So, there you have it, our top 10 tips for how to keep carpets clean with cats.
For all your professional steam cleaning Australia-wide, be sure to contact Myer Carpet Cleaning today to keep your home looking its best without any hassle!