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• Bacteria
• Carpet And Rug Institute
• Carpet Cleaning
• Carpet Extractors
• Cleaning Strategy
• Cleaning Tips
• IICRC
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• Professional Carpet Cleaning
• Sanitizing
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The United States is home to some 68 million dog owners and 73 million cat owners, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association. That’s a lot of love—and a lot of carpet stains. Accidents on carpet require quick cleanup to remove bacteria and odor. The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) and The Housekeeping Channel have provided a Stain Removal Wizard to help you remove both pet and people stains. [Note: Ad links featured on this page are not affiliated with IICRC and should not be considered a recommendation or endorsement by IICRC.] IICRC also suggests that, along with other measures, you do the following:

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Seal the floor underneath. Treat under floors before installing carpet. Thoroughly clean, disinfect and seal concrete floors. With wood floors, cut out and replace wood rot. Disinfect any stained areas and apply wood sealer.

When you encounter a spot or spill that is beyond your skill level to remove:

Enlist a certified professional. Without specialized knowledge, training, chemicals and equipment available through certified technicians, homemakers and pet owners may not be able to completely remove stains from carpet, upholstery and other surfaces, or without risking damage to surfaces.

To find an IICRC-certified firm, visit www.certifiedcleaners.org or call 800-835-4624.

About IICRC

The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification (IICRC) is a non-profit certifying body for the floor and carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning and disaster restoration industry. Organized in 1972, the IICRC currently represents more than 5200 Certified Firms and more than 42,000 Certified Technicians in 33 countries. The IICRC sets consensus standards for inspection, cleaning and disaster restoration. Locate IICRC-Certified Firms at www.certifiedcleaners.org.