Love your pets, but not the stains and odors they leave behind? Don’t call the professionals — save money with these do-it-yourself pet-odor eliminators and carpet-stain removers.

 First, find where your pet had an accident.

• Follow Your Nose: Pets have clever ways of hiding their accidents, so finding the stains right away can be difficult. Urine odor will usually lead you to the spot, but if a smell or puddle is not obvious, be sure to look under beds and behind sofas.
• Clean It Up: Use a cloth and soak up as much of the liquid as possible. A high-absorbency baby diaper works well, too.
• Move Quickly: Address cat urine immediately — the uric acid can crystallize with heat and bind itself to your carpet fibers. This makes it much more difficult for carpet and rug cleaners to do their job.
• Be Gentle: Don’t press too hard. Apply light pressure in stages to help remove as much urine as possible. Blot the outer edges of the pet stain and work inward.

• Read All Directions: Some carpets and rugs require special treatment.
• Pretest a Small Area: Avoid damaging and discoloring your rugs, carpet and upholstery. Apply a small amount of cleaning solution to the surface to be cleaned. Then, wait 24 hours. If you notice any damage or discoloration to the area, don’t use the cleaning solution.

The next stage of pet-stain removal is applying a liquid cleaner. These budget-friendly solutions will help you neutralize urine odor and counteract stains.

• Rubbing Alcohol: Remove odor and stains with bacteria-attacking rubbing alcohol.
• White Vinegar: Add 1 cup of vinegar to 2 cups of water. Carefully blot the area in stages and let dry.
• Ammonia: Mix with water and spray.
• Liquid Dishwashing Detergent: Select a non-bleach liquid dishwashing detergent with non-lanolin ingredients, combine with lukewarm water and blot the area. Don’t substitute with automatic dishwashing liquid or laundry detergent.
• Store-Bought Cleaner: For tough stains, try a store-bought carpet-stain remover. For best results, consider renting or purchasing a steam cleaner.

Your pets mean well, but accidents happen. Be ready with these pet-stain removers that won’t break your budget.