Vomit Cleanup

I hate the sound of retching. It means carpet vomit cleanup. Dog throw up being highly acidic means the sooner the better and its one of my favorite baking soda uses. Cheap and easy, here’s how to do it.

It’s awful when the dog gets sick and I’m sure you worry as much as I do.

What I like most about my method for cleanup is that you can do part now and part later if you absolutely have to. (But not a week later for heaven’s sake!)

I discovered this by trial and error. Having used dozens (seems like hundreds) of soaps, cleaners, and specialized pet products in a 40 year span of dog ownership, the light bulb went on. (The one in my head.)

Dog vomit is very acidic. After all, it comes from an area full of stomach acids to break down the food right? And that's also the reason it stains the carpet so badly. Baking soda is very alkaline. Most cleaners I believe have a neutral PH, so unless you get every bit of liquid, that acidic whatever-it-is, will still stain the carpet.

Dog Vomit Cleanup Recipe

• 1/4 cup baking soda
• 1 cup warm or hot tap water

Stir. That's it! (By the way, I use it for dog diarrhea too.)

Using hot water will dissolve the soda a bit more but it works either way.

You may have to experiment a little to see what works best for you. (Now I know its no picnic, but get those chunks up first!)

Usually I stir it, dip a rag in it and scrub away at the nasty puke deposit. It may take some scrubbing but the results are fabulous. Not only will it get out the dog vomit, but it removes all the odor as well.

If I've got ten things going on at once and need to run out the door, I have been known to pour the whole cup of mixture on the mess. I think it keeps it from staining or drying out so I can attend to it the minute I get back.

For a tough one that's been sitting awhile you can use less water and make your cleaning solution more of a paste. Just be sure to use some plain wet rags to get up excess paste. After the carpet dries, if you have a bit of white residue, it should vacuum up.

I used to keep dog enzyme cleaner, carpet cleaners and stain removers under my kitchen sink for dog cleanup time. Now I just keep a very big box of baking soda. Its the best and cheapest cleaner I've ever found!

For more ideas, including urine odor control, see Baking Soda Uses.

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