We know how cute and adorable they are, and how much they make us laugh…
… Until we find fresh accidents! – That’s not funny.
But what is worse are the accidents that are invisible, the old dried urine stains we can’t find, that have been festering for ages.
The Pet Detective Ultraviolet (UV) Flashlight is a must for finding old dried stains. This tool uses UV light that reacts with the phosphorus in organic stains like urine, blood, saliva and more which makes it the home (and commercial) “search light” for detecting odors caused by our little darlings. Once you’ve identified where the odor is coming from, it is so much easier to rid the stench.
Carpet Stains
The main ingredient in urine is uric acid. It also contains yellow pigment, urea, cholesterol, enzymes, and small amounts of other chemicals. The uric acid begins to change immediately upon leaving the body. The warm acid state of the urine offers a perfect breeding ground for bacteria which also begin to flourish almost immediately. In this original acid state, the urine begins to oxidize and react with the carpet to create a color change which may become permanent if the urine is not properly removed from the carpet.
As urine begins to dry it forms crystalline salts, which take on an alkaline pH. When dried urine is remoistened it gives off an ammonia gas. One way to identify a problem area is by the odor. If smelled once, it is seldom forgotten. The source of odors associated with urine comes from two sources. The first comes from bacteria that grow abundantly in dark warm places with a never ending food source. The dog feeds the bacteria daily! This bacteria growth and breakdown of the urine creates amino acids. These complex organic compounds will often work deep into the fibers to a point of nearly becoming part of the fiber. This can present a challenging situation. The waste materials and gases from the decomposing urine create an unpleasant odor.
The second source of odor is a chemical odor that is present even when the bacteria has been killed. This explains the reason that more than disinfecting is necessary to neutralize odors from urine. Urine also presents additional odor problems when the relative humidity is high. The salts and crystals that are formed are hydrophilic and draw water to them. As the salts are reactivated by moisture they give off a greater proportion of odorous gases.
ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT – Adding the ultraviolet light works well and can quickly locate numerous spots and stains within a room. Urine residue will fluoresce or glow under UV light.
UV lights work best in a dark room. When necessary, black plastic sheeting can be used to cover windows. Another option is for the technician to drape a sheet or dark blanket over himself while he is making the inspection.