Household Mold, Bad Dogs and Foul Odors
Most people love dogs and let them roam the house like buffalo on the Great Plains. But did you know that all it takes to give a house a permanent “mark of Cain” is to allow one bad dog to continuously urinate on the floor and the place is pretty much cursed for life? Dog urine contains a pheromone used for territorial marking. Once a dog has left his scent, any other dog that moves into the home (during or after you move out) will pick it up and urinate over the same spot. You can go out and buy the top carpet cleaning products, but the scent will still be noticeable to other dogs because the urine soaks down to the bottom of the carpet, through the pads and into the sub-flooring. People may not detect the odor, but to dogs it is like ringing the dinner bell to territorial urinating.
Some of the best water damage companies in San Diego have pulled up carpets and discovered a massive stain down to the sub-flooring testifying to 20+ years of disgusting dog behavior. If you catch Spot leaving his vile namesake on your carpets, don’t just roll your eyes and shampoo the rug because he will just continue the bad habit. And guess what—household mold thrives under carpets where dog urine has penetrated.
How to Prevent Mold Growth
We all know that leaking pipes, gaps in windows and door frames, and roof leaks can cause mold. But the good news is that these things can be easily avoided with some good old-fashioned routine maintenance. However, training a dog to stop peeing on your carpets with the goal to lower your chances of getting a mold infestation is tricky. Some people are too soft and let their dogs get away with way too much. If spoiling the dog is worth risking your family’s health with asthma, lung infections and respiratory complications, then knock yourself out. But if family (the two-legged variety) comes first, then it is clearly time for you to put your foot down on Fido’s fun.
No! Bad Dog!
Next time you see him lift a leg or squat on your carpets, give him a thorough spanking with a rolled up newspaper while verbally shaming him in front of other pets. Tell him he has the mannerisms of a barnyard goat, and the IQ of a doorstop. Remind him that his species prohibits him from opening up a bank account, driving a car and getting a paying job and therefore all he does is freeload all day while you work your butt off to buy him food and toys. Tell him the least he can do is not urinate on the floor, and conclude this mocking verbal action with one final smack to his backside with the newspaper. Then take him to an obedience school and have them inflict the fear of God into him so he will beg to go outdoors the next time he feels moved to take a number one. This should put an end to his “hobo behavior” and help prevent mold from spreading across your floors.
How do I know if my Dog Already Caused Mold?
The best thing to do is call a professional mold removal company that offers a free inspection. Make sure the company has a long-standing history of being in business within your community and that all technicians are licensed, insured and bonded. Mold removal professionals have sensitive equipment they use to test the air for floating spores and they can even detect mold under floors and within walls. If your dog has the manners of a rapscallion and the bladder of a 90 year-old, you may want to lift back your carpets and study the underside, padding and subfloor for black spots—a clear visual sign of mold. But because mold can exist in unseen states to the naked eye, it is best to call the pros.
What if my Dog Won’t Stop and I Fear Mold?
Keep the dog outside. He may bleach areas of your lawn with pee if he insists on repetitively going in the same place, but at least your home will have one less mold-risk to worry about. But if you insist he lives indoors, diaper him. One of two things will happen: you will either get tired of changing his diapers and will go buy a dog house and let him live outside, or you will allow him to continue using your carpets like it is the men’s urinal at Qualcomm Stadium. Either way, when you are ready for a free mold inspection followed by mold removal services offered an affordable price, give a good San Diego mold removal company a call before your kids start coughing like a bunch of little chain smokers.
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