Pet odour in Tri-Cities family homes: where it hides and what it costs
The Tri-Cities are full of dogs and cats. Family houses on Westwood Plateau and Burke Mountain have yards, trails and rec rooms where the dog sleeps. Condos by Coquitlam Centre and Suter Brook have cats with one favourite corner. Townhouses in Port Coquitlam have a set of carpeted stairs that every pet in the house runs up and down all day. Each one ends up with a smell that you stop noticing until a guest walks in. Here’s where it usually hides, why it comes back, and what fixing it properly costs.
Where the smell hides in each kind of home
Hillside family houses. On Westwood Plateau, Burke Mountain and Heritage Mountain, the worst spots are usually the family room or rec room where the dog naps, the bottom of the stairs, and the hallway to the back door. Wet-dog smell after a rainy walk soaks into the carpet one day at a time, and a puppy that’s still learning leaves accidents in the corners nobody looks at.
New builds. Newer Burke Mountain houses often have fresh carpet with a thick underpad. That feels great underfoot, but an accident that soaks through reaches the pad quickly, and the smell sits under a surface that still looks clean.
Condos and towers. In Port Moody and Coquitlam Centre suites, cats tend to pick one spot: behind a door, beside the litter box, or the edge of the carpet by the balcony. A small suite traps the smell, and it’s often worst on a damp day with the windows shut.
Townhouses. Port Coquitlam and Citadel Heights townhouses usually have carpeted stairs and a hallway that take all the traffic. Pets sleep on the landing, and the stairs collect hair, drool and the odd accident.
Why the smell comes back
Urine doesn’t stay on top of the carpet. It runs into the backing and sometimes the underpad, and what’s left behind keeps breaking down long after the stain has faded. It also pulls moisture from the air, so on a wet Tri-Cities week, or when the furnace comes on in the fall, a spot you thought was gone starts to smell again.
That’s why sprays and powders only buy a day or two. They sit on the surface while the source stays underneath.
What not to do before we get there
- Skip vinegar, bleach and scented sprays. Vinegar can set the stain, bleach can strip the colour for good, and fragrance makes the spot harder to find.
- Don’t scrub. It pushes urine wider and frays the fibres. Blot with a white towel and cool water instead.
- Go easy with a rental machine. It can clean the surface, but it has far less suction than a truck-mounted unit, so urine in the backing often stays put.
How we treat pet odour
- Find every spot, not just the visible ones. The technician checks the room before anything gets wet.
- Enzyme pre-treatment on urine and vomit spots, so it breaks down what’s in the carpet rather than covering it.
- Truck-mounted hot water extraction across the whole room, which flushes the treatment and the residue out of the backing.
- Deodorizing where the smell lingers.
Plant-based solutions are available, and everything is rinsed out with hot water. Keep pets off the carpet until it’s dry, usually 3 to 6 hours. If a spot has gone through to the underpad, your technician shows you before doing anything extra. Read more about our pet stain and odour removal.
What it costs
Pet odour cleaning is priced like any carpet clean: $90 an area before the current promo, plus GST. An area is a room up to 150 sq ft, a hallway or a set of stairs. The minimum is $210, which covers up to 3 areas, and one area on its own is $150. The promo comes off jobs above the $210 minimum.
| Home | What gets cleaned | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Suter Brook condo | One cat spot, up to 5 spots in one 60 sq ft area | $125 (emergency spot clean) |
| Coquitlam Centre one-bedroom | Bedroom, living room and hallway | $210 (minimum) |
| Citadel Heights townhouse | Stairs, upper hallway and two bedrooms | $360 before the promo |
| Westwood Plateau house | Family room, stairs, hallway and the dog’s 3-seat sofa | $540 before the promo |
Most pet homes book the whole room rather than just the spot, because the smell spreads further than the stain. You pick your rooms, stairs and sofa seats in the booking form and see the total right away.
How to book
Pick your rooms in the booking form on our page for carpet cleaning in Coquitlam, which covers Coquitlam, Port Moody and Port Coquitlam. You’ll see the price before you book and choose a weekday time, Monday to Friday, 8:30 to 4.
Common questions
Will the smell come back? Not if the source is treated. It comes back when urine is left in the backing or underpad. Very old or repeated accidents that soaked the pad may need more, and we’ll tell you before we start.
Is it safe for my dog or cat? Yes. We use pet-safe solutions, plant-based on request, and rinse everything out. Keep pets off until the carpet is dry.
What if it isn’t right? Point it out at the final walkthrough. If anything isn’t right, we fix it, or you get your money back.
Ready to book? See carpet cleaning in Coquitlam, or call (604) 802-8500.