We love our pets and treat them as members of the family. But why should we sacrifice the beauty of our carpeting just because we own cats and dogs? With pet ownership comes the headaches of shedding fur, dander, odor and accidental urine or waste stains. Carrying out some routine cleaning techniques will help keep your carpet or rug looking good despite the issues that come with pet ownership.

One of the most reported problems with having a pet is the amount of hair and fur that is shed and embedded into carpet fibers and upholstered furniture. While you can't stop your dog or cat from shedding, you can take some preventative steps to make sure the excess hair doesn't find its way into your rug. Make sure you brush your pet on a regular basis. Some pets, depending on the breed, shed more often and with a larger amount of hair. However, even shorthaired pets will shed, so be certain you are brushing them often as well. You should brush your pet outside or in an area with bare floors for easy cleanup.

While brushing will certainly diminish the amount of hair that gets embedded in your carpet, you cannot completely stop the fur from shedding. For that reason, you should try to contain where your pet sleeps or lies down. Try to train your dog or cat to relax in an area dedicated just for them. Put a pet bed in the corner of the room so they may have a designated place that they can use to relax. You'll notice the area with the most amount of shed hair will be in that area, so you can concentrate on cleaning and vacuuming in that specific spot instead of being overwhelmed with a room full of pet hair.

There are many vacuums on the market designed with picking up animal hair in mind. Not only can these strong vacuums suck up hair, they also pick up the dirt and dander that can get embedded into your carpet pile. You'll notice the most heavily traveled areas in a carpeted room - both by humans and pets - will become dirty and trampled more quickly. A good quality vacuum will make sure you're lifting the excess dirt, dust and dander from these heavily soiled areas.

Even well trained dogs and cats will eventually have accidents. The odors and stains that are associated with pet urine and waste can cause irreversible damage to your carpet. A good way to combat the odors and stains is by purchasing a enzyme cleaner designed to neutralize the acids and ammonia found in pet waste. Try to get to soiled spot quickly, soak up (dab the spot, do not rub) the excess with paper towels then use the enzyme cleaner as instructed on the bottle. Dish detergent and vinegar are also great home-remedy techniques for neutralizing odors in your carpet.

Of course, you should consult a professional carpet cleaning service to perform a routine carpet cleaning that will rid your carpet of contaminates and grime that consumer-grade carpet cleaning products can't. Regular carpet cleaning done by professionals will keep your carpet looking great for many years to come.