Even the most well-trained pet can have an accident in the home depending on the circumstances. If you own area rugs and pets, it’s important to understand the four different ways that urine can damage your rug as well as what you can do to protect your rug.

Urine can cause permanent fiber damage, and this damage isn’t always visible from the top. Urine salts attract moisture to the cotton foundation of the rug and this moist environment can cause the cotton foundation to rot and mildew. Bugs also use this environment as a food source and if left alone, will result in a hole in the rug. The ammonia in urine can damage dyes in the rug and ruin the ability for the rug to hold dye. This leads to bleeding colors and color loss, especially on silk rugs.

As the urine decomposes it releases an odor. We become accustomed to smells, and odors will increase over time. Commonly, rug owners don’t even realize that odor is as bad as it is. In order to eliminate the odor, all the urine salts and bacteria will need to be washed out of the foundation fibers of the rug.

Here are five things you can do to make living with pets easier.

1. Have a spot removal plan
2. Buy rugs that can be washed
3. Get a busy design to hide spots
4. Use pads to protect your floor
5. Apply fiber protector to suspend spills