Frequently Asked Questions

"Can you remove the urine from the carpet?"

 Answer:

 Once the carpet has been contaminated, it is impossible to remove all the urine from the carpet. This is because the urine penetrates the adhesive that binds the primary backing to the secondary backing of the carpet. You would have to remove all of the adhesive from the carpet which will cause the carpet to come apart. The only way to remove the contamination is by removing all the contaminated materials. This includes the carpet, pad & tack strip. It is also necessary to seal the affected subfloor. If there is no carpet to use as a donor piece for patching the carpet, there is an alternative method to help remove the odor from the carpet without cutting out the contaminated carpet. This entails applying a sealant to the back of the carpet where there is contamination. This will encapsulate the urine odor in the backing of the carpet. If the carpet is delaminating (primary backing coming apart from secondary backing) from the urine, we will apply an adhesive to the backing. This will encapsulate the odor as well as strengthen the adhesive that has been damaged from the urine contamination.

 "Is there something you can spray on the carpet to remove the urine odor?"

Answer:

In most cases the answer is no. This is due to the fact that the urine is in the adhesive and cannot be removed completely.  (SEE ABOVE) The odor is caused by the bacteria in the carpet from the contamination. As long as the bacteria exists, there will be an odor. The bacteria will exist as long as the urine contamination exists. That is why it is best to patch the affected carpet if possible.

"Why doesn’t the urine in the carpet backing ever dry out?"

Answer:

This is because urine is an acid on the ph. scale when the stain is new. Over time, the urine will change from an acid to an alkaline. Eventually, the alkaline will turn into alkaline salts. The salts will draw moisture out of the air and hold onto it in the carpet. This is why you can use a moisture detector to find urine contamination no matter how long it has been in the carpet. This change in ph. is the reason you would clean an old urine stain differently than you would a fresh urine stain. If the stain is fresh and has an acidic ph., you would use an alkaline like ammonia to clean it. If the stain is older and has converted to an alkaline, you would clean it with an acid like vinegar.

"Can Carpets by Chris remove urine stains

from carpet?"

Answer:

Yes! In most cases we are able to remove urine stains from the carpet through a chemical process rather than having to patch the carpet. In some cases, it is best to patch the carpet if there is a donor piece we can use. Carpets by Chris will assess your particular situation and provide our recommendation.