How To Clean Up Dog Vomit from Carpet & Hardwood

Your dog will experience tummy problems from time to time, which will lead to vomiting. However, it becomes a bigger problem if your dog threw up on your floor. While it’s not as gross as dog poop, it still needs work to remove the stains and smell. I’ve had a share of puke stories with my pet Sherlock, so I decided to share my knowledge about how to clean up dog vomit. Removing the vomit, cleaning, and disinfecting the surface are just some things you need to do.

How to get dog vomit out of carpet

Let’s start with the hardest to clean: carpet. For this, you need the following materials:

Materials

Trash bag
Disposable rubber gloves
Vinegar
Baking soda
Spray bottle
Enzyme cleaner
Paper towels

Procedure:

• Step 1. Remove the vomit

To start, put the gloves on and remove the bulk of the mess using paper towels. Place it inside a trash bag and seal it well before putting it in the trash. Keep blotting but avoid spreading the vomit on other areas of the carpet. You can also use a disposable spoon to remove the vomit fast before it sets deeper into the carpet.

• Step 2. Soak up

Once you’ve removed most of the dog vomit out of the carpet, mix baking soda and vinegar in a spray bottle. Spritz this solution all over the area where your dog vomited. Let the carpet soak for 15 minutes, then dab it with clean paper towels. Repeat this process until there are no longer bits of vomit remaining.

• Step 3. Use some baking soda

Next, sprinkle baking soda lavishly on the affected area and let it absorb the moisture for a few hours. After that, vacuum the baking soda. You can re-apply more baking soda if the carpet is still wet.

• Step 4. Apply the enzyme cleaner

Enzyme cleaners are your bosom buddies when it comes to dog poop, urine, vomit, and almost any discharge. Just make sure that the carpet is already dry before soaking it with an enzyme cleaner. This cleaner has alive enzymes that will eat the remaining protein on the dog vomit in your carpet. Let this sit overnight, then re-apply if there’s still vomit stains and smell. After that, there’s nothing else you need to do.

How to clean up vomit on hardwood

While wood floors are solid, dog vomit can still damage it if not cleaned properly. To avoid ruining your wood floor, here are the things you need:

Materials

Paper towels (lots of it)
Wood floor cleaner or enzyme cleaner
Toothbrush
Trash bags
Disposable rubber gloves

Procedure:

• Step 1. Remove all the solids

The first thing you need to do is to remove all the solids you can pick up. Make sure that you’re wearing gloves before doing this. Again, you can use a disposable spoon for this task. After that, wipe the liquids with paper towels and put them into the trash bag. Seal this well before tossing it to the garbage bin.

• Step 2. Apply the wood floor cleaner

Unlike the treatment we used for the carpet, you can’t apply baking soda and vinegar to wood. While this will clean the dog vomit, it will also fade the color and damage your floor’s seal. Instead, apply a wood floor cleaner that you’re using at home. please read here how far can a dog run into the woods

• Step 3. Scrub a little

If your dog’s vomit has been sitting on the floor for a few hours, it has seeped further through the wood grain. Armed with a used toothbrush, scrub the surface while it’s soaked with the cleaner. This will lift the vomit that’s stuck on the deeper layers of the wood. However, if your wood floor is laminated or has a non-permeable coating, you can skip this step.

Alternative cleaner: if you don’t have a dedicated wooden floor cleaner, I suggest getting a bottle of enzyme cleaner from a pet shop. This solution will penetrate deep into the wood to digest any remaining traces of the vomit. Enzyme cleaners also come handy for other mess your dog might do in the future.

Why is my dog vomiting?

Aside from cleaning your dog’s vomit, it’s also important to point out why your pooch threw up. If your pet keeps vomiting within 6 hours, you should rush it to the vet. Vomiting will dehydrate your dog, and there may be a severe condition behind it.

If you’re thinking of possible culprits, the following are the usual reasons why dogs vomit:

• Toxic substances. One of the notorious reasons for dog vomiting is poisoning. Your dog might have ingested a poisonous substance when you let it roam outdoors. Also, your dog might have gained access to toxic substances in your home, like cleaners and pesticides.
• Diet-related causes. Food allergy and intolerance can induce vomiting. With allergies, your dog’s body will perceive an ingredient as a threat. This results in vomiting, diarrhea, and a slew of other symptoms. Meanwhile, food intolerances occur when your dog can’t digest a food ingredient. This causes stomach irritation and then your dog to vomit. please read here why does my dog have diarrhea but is acting normal
• Foreign matter. You should also consider the possibility that your dog swallowed a foreign object, which causes the vomiting. It could be a small toy, pebbles, bones, and the likes.
• Heatstroke. Dogs that have been exposed to intense heat outdoors will experience heatstroke. Aside from panting and overheating, your dog will also vomit. Take note that heatstroke among dogs can be fatal in a matter of minutes if not addressed immediately.
• Motion sickness. Does your dog start vomiting after a car ride? Your pet might be experiencing motion sickness. This is the same effect on humans who are not used to car rides. Such a symptom should subside after your dog has taken a rest. Make sure that food and water are available so your dog can replenish the lost fluids and energy. please read here how to hel a dog with car sickness
• Serious health problems. Vomiting is a multi-faceted symptom. It can be anything from stomach irritation to kidney failure. If you suspect an underlying condition, bring your dog to the vet for immediate examination.

Is yellow dog vomit bad?

Yellow vomit isn’t normal and must be a cause of concern among dog owners. The yellow color is a sign that there’s too much bile on your dog’s vomit. Bile is a substance produced in the liver and stored in the dog’s gallbladder. It will be released to the small intestines during digestion.

However, if your dog’s stomach becomes empty, the bile will trigger stomach irritations. This will lead to a projectile of bile and vomiting.

But my dog just ate! If that’s the case, your dog’s diet probably lacks fiber. Low fiber intake can cause bilious vomiting syndrome, which is why your dog will produce yellowish vomit. Still, the veterinarian is the only person who could tell the real score why your dog’s vomit has a yellowish color.

Why is my dog eating his own vomit?

While this is gross, many dogs will eat their vomit back. According to vets, this is normal behavior, especially if there is undigested food on the vomit. Also, dogs have a strong sense of smell, which is why they gravitate toward their own vomit.

Eating their vomit is normal for dogs. In fact, mother canines in the wild will chew food then spit it out for the puppies. This is done by mother canines to wean their pups off from nursing. Many experts think that this behavior has primal roots, so don’t panic when the dog starts licking the gooey substance on your carpet.

Conclusion

Knowing how to clean up dog vomit will save you from the gross smell and stubborn stains. Whether your dog puked on the carpet or the wood floor, I discussed the steps above to fix the problem. You should also have your dog checked to identify what’s causing the vomiting. You might be surprised by the vet’s diagnosis.