how to clean dog poop out of carpet

labrador with its muzzle on a white carpet

Their unconditional love, loyalty, sloppy kisses, and cuddles are just a few of the things we love most about our pet dogs; what we don't love, of course, is when they leave us stinky, unwanted gifts on the carpet!

If you haven't house trained your dog, or miss taking him/her out for a walk on time, you probably have to deal with pet stains on your carpet quite often. This is especially true when it comes to puppies who are yet to be toilet trained (or are currently being trained). They will scout out rugs and carpets to poop and pee on because dogs/pups prefer to 'go' on porous surfaces that simulate the texture of soil, sand, or grass. Nevertheless, regardless of how it got there, the more important question is 'how to remove dog poop from carpet?' Well, MaidForYou has got the answers that all pet owners and homeowners have been asking for for years!

Read on to learn the simplest method to clean dog faeces from carpeting, and how to remove dog poo stains and odour from your carpet.

The Correct Way to Pick Up Dog Poo From Carpet

yellow and white shibu inu with pink collar on a plush white rug

When you find that your furry friend has pooped on the carpet, the last thing you want to do is make it worse or cause the pet stain to spread and/or set in. Therefore, the first tip to remove dog poo from carpet is to act fast! The second most important tip is to use the right method.

Check out these tips for the best way(s) to pick up dog faeces from carpet:

Pooper Scooper – If you have one, this should be your go-to tool because it's quick, easy, and least messy

Spatula – An old spatula (or one designated for picking up dog poo) is another quick and effective way to pick up the faeces without spreading the stain

Hard Broom & Dustpan – The next best thing after a pooper scooper is a makeshift one in the form of a hard broom and dustpan; simply hold the pan right next to the poop and use the broom to push it in

The reason why the methods above are recommended over manually picking up the mess with paper towels or newspaper sheets is because there is no force or pressure applied to the poo which, in turn, pushes it deeper into the carpet fibres.

How to Remove Dog Poo Stains from Carpet

After you've removed the solid matter from the carpet, there will be a rather ugly stain leftover from the faeces. To get rid of dog poop carpet stains, you can try a DIY cleaning solution, or go straight to a commercial carpet stain remover which is 100% effective if used correctly.

Here is our tried and tested method to remove dog poop stains from carpet using a natural stain remover or a store-bought product.

Step 1

Spray the stain with a commercial carpet cleaning product and allow it to soak for 10 – 15 seconds. If you're going with a natural approach, mix equal parts of lukewarm water and white distilled vinegar; pour this mixture into a spray bottle and douse the stain with it. Leave it to soak for at least 5 minutes before proceeding to the next step.

Step 2

Use a white towel/absorbent cloth to blot the stain; use a fresh side as the stain begins to transfer onto the cloth. You might need a few of these as dabbing the stain with a dirty cloth defeats the purpose of lifting the carpet stain. As an alternative, paper towels can also be used, however, you will need a lot of them to really absorb the stain.

Step 3

Since the carpet will start to dry up as you blot the stain repeatedly, it will need to be sprayed again with your chosen product/cleaning solution; continue blotting thereafter. Depending on how deep into the carpet the stain has set, you will have to repeat the soaking and blotting process a few times until there is no trace of the stain left.

How to Get Rid of Dog Poop Odour from Carpet

beagle dog sitting on a grey carpet next to a red vacuum cleaner

Bad carpet odour can stink up the whole place which cannot and should not be covered up with scented cleaners and air fresheners. Instead, it's important to tackle the root cause of the odour, and freshen up your carpets to get rid of the bad smell.

If you're dealing with dog poo odour on your carpet even after cleaning up the matter and removing leftover stains, use Maid For You 's simple trick to get rid of this bad carpet smell:

Mild Odours

If the smell is only evident when standing in close proximity to the affected area, the following tip will get rid of the dog poo smell in your carpet:

Cover the smelly area with baking soda. Use a soft brush or gloved fingers to gently work it into the carpet; sprinkle more baking soda over the area so that you have an even layer of it covering the affected area.
Leave it overnight or for at least 12 hours to allow the powder to absorb the odour; if it looks patchy after a few hours, sprinkle more baking soda over the area to level out the layer.
At the end of 12 hours or the next morning, vacuum up the baking soda thoroughly. Check for a lingering smell and repeat the steps if needed.

Strong Odours

If there is a strong, persistent poo smell after you have picked and cleaned up dog faeces from your carpet, a combination of white vinegar and baking soda – both effective, natural neutralisers for bad carpet smells – will take care of it.

Follow the steps below to remove overbearing dog poo odours from carpet:

Spray undiluted white vinegar over the carpet; just enough to wet the fibres, not soak them.
Sprinkle baking soda over the vinegar and allow the ingredients to react. Together, they should start to foam unless the vinegar content isn't enough; if there is no foaming reaction, there is no need to add more vinegar as the primary purpose of using the ingredient is to neutralise the bad carpet odour and not to clean or remove stains.
Use a clean white towel or folded cloth to gently blot the carpet; this will help work the ingredients into the carpet for more efficacy.
Let the solution sit for about 6 hours or until the carpet is completely dry.
Finish off by vacuuming the carpet thoroughly to remove the baking soda.

Regardless of what you're dealing with, whether solid matter, stains, or odours, the results of the tips and cleaning guides above will make it seem like you never had dog poo on your carpet in the first place!