Repair Pet Damage Before Moving - Tips & Tricks
...

How to Repair Pet Damage Before Moving

Repair pet damage before you sell your home.  Your pets complete your life in many ways. At their best, they’re a source of endless amusement and unconditional love, but at their worst, they can be a constant terror on your home. Whether you rent or own, you need to know how to repair pet damage as it occurs and before moving.

Clean Up Your Carpeting

If you have fresh stains on your carpet, then acting fast does wonders, especially if you use an all-natural solution that’s friendly to your pets. Blot the urine-soaked area with some paper towels. Then, apply a homemade mixture of water and vinegar in a 1:1 ratio. 

Let it soak and then scrub to get deep into the fibers. Use pure vinegar for the worst stains before adding some baking soda to let it dry. In general, vinegar is a great at hiding all sorts of smells.

Depending on the amount of carpeting in your house, the soil level and your budget you may want to consider hiring a professional carpet cleaning service to get your carpets ready for an open house and other viewings. 

Hardwood Floor Odors

Even without visible stains, hardwood materials can absorb odors. Hardwood floors can be damaged by harsh cleaning agents, so you need to be gentle. Hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and vinegar all work well against odors, but don’t leave them on too long and apply carefully. You don’t want to bleach the spot or weaken any sealant.

Hardwood Floor Scratches

Just use a stain-filled marker for surface-level scratches. Deeper gouges or scratches might need wood filler and sanding. If you need to restain the floor, do so with the lightest one you can. Let it dry fully, and then decide if you need to stain it darker.

Repainted Walls

Enthusiastic animals can damage walls even when just being playful. Wallpaper is nearly impossible to repair without redoing it, but paneling or sheetrock is easier to handle. Sand down damaged areas for an even surface before using spackle to fill any holes. 

Let every layer dry before applying a new one. Use a hairdryer to speed things up. Sand down the final spackle to an even layer and then prime and paint it. Be sure to keep your furry friends at bay after painting to prevent a bigger mess. 

Your Yard

You might be used to your dogs using the backyard as their bathroom, but their waste can have nitrogen content that hurts the lawn. Water the area regularly, and remove any droppings that remain. If you find sick patches, sprinkle in some grass seed and add compost.

Sell Your Home The Easy Way

Selling your home through the conventional route can take up to a year to do, and you’d have to clean up from your pets before every single showing. If you want to make things easier for yourself, consider getting a no-obligation quote for your home. 

You can have a cash offer for your home and sell it within days to weeks, letting you and your pets enjoy your new home that much faster without the headache of repairs.