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How Do I Clean Pet Vomit From Clothing? A Step-by-Step Guide
Our pets vomit sometimes, just like we humans do. Unfortunately, that vomit can end up on our clothes. Luckily, there are a few things that you can do to get vomit stains out of clothing and make it wearable again. The steps that you can take to get rid of pet vomit are the same steps for getting rid of human vomit, so it's a win-win! Here is what you should do to remove human and pet vomit from your clothing.
The 5 Steps to Removing Pet Vomit From Clothing
1. Scrape Away the Solid Stuff
It might be tempting to throw your clothing in the washer right away. But doing so is sure to result in stains. It's important to scrape the vomit off the clothing first. Just hold the clothing over a garbage can, and use a gloved hand or a plastic butter knife to scrape off the vomit into the can. Remove the solid mass and as much of the liquid as possible.
2. Use Warm Water
After scraping as much vomit as possible off of your clothing, it is important to soak the material in warm or hot water, which tends to work well for vomit stains. After letting your clothing soak for 30 minutes or so, you can wring it out and prepare for the next step.
3. Add a Stain-Removing Solution
After soaking and wringing out your clothing, it is time to add a stain remover to the affected area to loosen the gunk that has been left behind. If you don’t see a stain on your clothing at this point, it is safe to skip this step. If some vomit is still visible, apply a layer of baking soda and vinegar that has been mixed to create a paste. Squeeze half a fresh lemon on the stain, and you should see the baking soda start to fizz up. Use a gloved hand or an old toothbrush to gently scrub the stain. Another great option is to use an enzymatic cleaner.
Our favorite enzyme cleaner for eliminating pet smells and stains is our very own Hepper Advanced Bio-Enzyme Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator Spray. It makes clean-up a breeze because it permanently removes even the very worst smells and stains (urine, feces, vomit, you name it!) from basically any surface you can imagine.
- ADVANCED ENZYMATIC CLEANER - Penetrates the most stubborn smells and stains at the deepest molecular levels to dissolve any pet mess you encounter and lift it away at the source.
- FOR ANY MESS, ON ANY SURFACE - This pet odor eliminator cleans your carpets, floors, furniture, fabrics, and more. Whether it's urine, feces, vomit, or drool, you can erase all foul spots and smells!
- FRESH, NATURAL ODOR - Our unique formulation doesn't rely on dangerous or unpleasant chemical fragrances to get the job done. We eradicate smells and stains, not just cover them up.
4. Head to the Washing Machine
Next, it is time to wash your clothing in hot water with nothing else. Use the highest water level and the most amount of detergent possible. If you can, choose the extra rinse and spin setting. You may have to wash the clothing more than once to get satisfactory results. Do a quick inspection with your eyes and nose when you take it out of the washing machine to ensure that you don’t see or smell any lingering vomit.
5. Finish in the Dryer
After you are satisfied with your stain-removal efforts, simply throw your garment in the dryer and let the machine do its thing. Once your piece of clothing has completely dried, you should not be able to tell that a pet has vomited on it. If you are still not happy with the results, you can try taking the piece to the dry cleaners to see if they have any advice.
In Conclusion
Pet vomit is never fun to deal with, especially when it gets on your clothes. Luckily, there are fairly simple steps that you can take to get rid of the stain and smell. Not all vomit stains will go away, but most should if you put in the time and effort.
Related Read: Are Tomato Plants Toxic to Cats? Keeping Your Cat Safe
Featured Image Credit: Fecundap stock, Shutterstock
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Rachael has been a freelance writer since 2000, in which time she has had an opportunity to research and write about many different topics while working to master the art of fusing high-quality content with effective content marketing strategies. She lives off the grid in Hawaii with her husband, her garden, and her rescue animals including 5 dogs, a cat, a goat, and dozens of chickens. She is an artist at heart and loves to read, paint, and make jewelry in her spare time. As a vegan, Rachael is obsessed with helping animals in need both in her community and anywhere in the world where she feels she can make a difference. Animals also happen to be her favorite topic to write about!
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