According to American Pet Products Association (APPA), approximately 71% of all households in the US have pets living in the home. According to Pew Research Center, approximately 72% of those pet-owning households have at least one dog and/or cat. With that many dogs and cats in US households, there are bound to be accidents when a pet gets sick. Cleaning up after a sick pet requires a methodical approach to ensure the safety of both humans and other animals in the home. You cannot simply clean up the mess; you must also disinfect the affected area. Cleaning removes dirt and some of the germs, but disinfecting kills the remaining germs to help prevent spread.

The first consideration is to be safe. Always wear disposable or rubber gloves when handling pet waste. This protects you from coming into direct contact with harmful pathogens. Keep pets and people away from the affected area until the whole cleaning and disinfecting process is complete and isolate your sick pet until it is better. Ideally, isolate the pet in an area that will be easy to clean while it is being kept there and easy to disinfect once the pet can leave. Make sure the contaminated area is well-ventilated, especially when using strong chemical disinfectants. Always follow the instructions on cleaning products and never mix different chemicals, which can produce toxic gases.

Once the area has been secured, the cleaning process can begin. The first and most critical step for cleaning is to physically remove as much of the vomit, feces, or other bodily fluids as possible. Use disposable materials like paper towels or a plastic dustpan to scoop up the mess. For solid waste, flush it down the toilet. For soft waste, use paper towels to absorb excess liquid. Place all materials that are not safe to flush down the toilet in a trash bag that can be tied off and removed from the home as soon as the contaminated materials are removed.

After removing the bulk of the mess, wash the area thoroughly with hot water and detergent or soap. This is necessary to remove the remaining organic matter which makes the area ready for the disinfecting step. This step is crucial because disinfectants are less effective on surfaces with visible dirt or organic matter.

The disinfecting step is where you kill the remaining germs. A common and effective household disinfectant is a diluted bleach solution which is 1/2 cup of bleach per gallon of water. There are other commercial disinfectants that also will be effective if used properly. Do NOT use bleach on carpet or upholstery! For disinfecting hard, non-porous surfaces like tile, linoleum and LVP/LVT, wipe the area down with the bleach solution. This is also good for anything else that is non-porous and was contaminated such as plastic or metal items. For softer, porous materials, such as carpets, upholstered furniture, and other soft items, steam cleaning can be highly effective if it is safe to use heat on those materials. When using a disinfectant, test a small, inconspicuous area first to ensure it won't damage the material. For some serious and/or persistent illnesses, like parvovirus, it may be safest to discard heavily soiled soft items like bedding.

For the disinfectant to be effective, it needs to remain on the surface for a specific amount of time. Check the product label for the recommended "contact time". Bleach solutions are typically at least 10 minutes, but all bottles including bleach have the recommended times on the labels. Everyone, humans and animals, should be out of this area while the chemicals are doing their work. After the disinfectant has done its job, rinse the area thoroughly with water to remove any chemical residue. Let the area air dry completely before allowing your pets or other family members back into the space.

While the area is drying after being cleaned, you can take the time to address the other pet items that may have been involved. For non-porous items like ceramic or metal bowls and hard plastic toys, wash them with soap and hot water. To disinfect these items, they can be soaked in a diluted bleach solution and thoroughly rinsed and dried before use. You can also run these items through a dishwasher at high temperature or use the sanitizing setting if your dishwasher has one. Porous items like blankets and beds can be washed in the clothes washing machine after you remove as much contaminant as possible. Use hot water and laundry detergent. To disinfect, you can add bleach (if the fabric allows) or run them through a hot dryer cycle for at least 30 minutes. After washing a load of contaminated material, wipe out the drum then use the cleaning cycle of the washing machine before you wash any of your regular laundry in that machine. Most cleaning cycles use bleach, so they help sanitize the drum before exposing other materials to the contaminants that were removed in the last wash. If the soft, porous materials are heavily soiled, consider throwing them away.

Some best practices when you are working with pet waste of any kind include handwashing, monitoring your pet, and cleaning the yard of any pet waste. Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling your sick pet or cleaning up after any biological contaminants deposited on surfaces in your home. Monitor your pet for signs of illness and follow your veterinarian's advice. Some illnesses, like parvovirus, can be shed for days or weeks after symptoms have resolved, so continued vigilance is important. For outdoor areas like lawns or gardens, remove all visible waste. This helps prevent your pet from being infected with worms, bacteria or a virus from either a sick pet in your home or some other animal that used your yard as their litter box. When cleaning your home, remember that sunlight and air drying can help, but for particularly contagious viruses, a pet-safe disinfectant might be necessary. Be aware that some products, including bleach, can kill plants.

For deeper cleaning of your flooring and furniture, remove as much pet waste as possible then have ServiceMaster of Gwinnett or ServiceMaster 5 Points clean. Our specialized equipment and cleaners will help kill and remove harmful pathogens more effectively than household cleaners. Since cleaning removes pet hair and dander as well as contaminants, it helps reduce allergens in the home and improves your air quality. Not only will our cleaning remove the stain but it will also address any related pet odor. Our extraction process removes pet mess that was absorbed deeper than a rented steam cleaner can reach which helps protect the carpet fibers and upholstery fabric, extending the life of your flooring and furniture. Most importantly, you will have peace of mind knowing that the correct cleaning method was used to protect the various materials while removing potentially harmful contaminants.