Pet hair removal from upholstery and carpets
To remove pet hair from fabric or upholstery, try a pet rake (a brush with crimped nylon bristles), velour brush, tape roller or even tape wrapped around your hand. Use light, even strokes to remove the hair. Another option is to try the rubber bottom on a clean tennis shoe or a slightly dampened sponge (as long as the dampness won't harm the upholstery).
To remove pet hair from carpet, use a vacuum with a good beater brush or brush roll. Plain vacuums don't generate enough lift to remove all the pet hair from the floor.
Another option for both upholstery and carpets - especially at the edges where pet hair tends to collect and vacuums have a hard time reaching - is a "pet sponge." These sponges, which are used dry, are available at pet supply stores.
Pet stain removal from carpets
First, blot up any liquid by putting towels or absorbent rags over the spot and stepping on them. Start with gentle pressure and increase it up to putting your full weight down. Change to fresh rags or towels, until no more liquid comes up.
For fresh stains, apply a bacteria/enzyme digester from a pet store, following the directions - it's the only way to deal effectively with both the stain and the odor. Bacteria/enzyme digesters work slowly, so leave the solution on as long as the directions say. Urine has probably penetrated into the carpet and pad, so use enough solution to reach as far down as the stain. Apply the solution, put plastic over it, and step on the spot several times until the area is well saturated. Then, leave the plastic on the whole time the digester is working to make sure the spot doesn't dry out.
Old or dry stains are hard - sometimes even impossible - to remove, but try the bacteria/enzyme digester. If it's a popular accident site, the bacteria may produce enough ammonia in the course of breaking down the stains to create a super-alkaline situation that interferes with its own action. In this case, you may need to neutralize the spot after the digester has been working for about four hours. Mix a solution of one cup of vinegar to a gallon of warm water. Rinse the area with this solution and apply a fresh batch of bacteria/enzyme solution.
If the stain or odor remains, call a professional deodorizing specialist. A complete cure will probably involve cleaning the entire carpet by extraction and replacing the pad underneath, if not replacing the carpet.
Candle wax removal from upholstery, wood or carpet
To remove the wax from carpet or upholstery, you will need a plain brown paper bag and a steam iron. Paper grocery bags work well.
1. Cut open the brown paper bag so it lays flat.
2. Lay the brown paper bag on the affected carpet., with any printing away from the carpet.
3. Set the steam iron on a moderate setting and plug it in. Allow it to warm up.
4. Once warmed up, place the steam iron on top of the brown paper bag over the wax spot. Move the iron back and forth over the wax spot. The iron should never come in direct contact with the carpet, only the paper bag. As the wax warms up it will begin to absorb into the paper bag.
5. When a dark spot appears on the bag, move a dry area of the bag over the wax spot and continue to move the steam iron over the area.
6. When no further wax absorbs into the bag, you have removed the wax.
To remove candle wax from wood, apply a plastic bag filled with ice to the spot, until the wax is brittle enough to crumble off. If some candle wax remains, place an ink blotter on the area and apply a hot pressing iron to the top of the blotter.
