Not pleasant, but straightforward if you're methodical and hygienic: remove the solids carefully, disinfect, and treat the mark and the smell. Gloves on, and bin everything afterwards.
Glove up. Lift the solids with a piece of card without pressing them in. If it's soft, harden it first with a bagged ice cube, then it lifts more cleanly.
- Disposable gloves
- Kitchen roll / cloths
- Washing-up liquid
- White vinegar
- An enzyme cleaner (ideal)
- Cool water
Step by step (carpet)
- Remove solids carefully with card; harden first with ice if needed.
- Blot any residue with cool water and kitchen roll.
- Clean with a teaspoon of washing-up liquid and a tablespoon of white vinegar in 250ml of cool water; dab and blot.
- Treat the smell with an enzyme cleaner, which breaks down both odour and bacteria.
- Dry fully and bin all cloths and gloves.
An enzyme cleaner is well worth it here — it deals with the bacteria and smell at source rather than just masking it.
By surface
🛋️ Sofas & upholstery
Check the cushion's cleaning code first: W or W/S means the method above is fine used sparingly; S means solvent-clean only, so leave that to a professional. Use less water than on carpet and blot, don't soak.
🧶 Wool & delicate rugs
Use cool water and a gentle touch — wool can ‘brown’ if over-wet and some rug dyes run. Test a hidden corner first, and for an antique, hand-knotted or silk rug, don't gamble — leave it to us.
🛏️ Mattresses
Remove solids, clean with an enzyme product and dry fully — never soak. You can't rinse a mattress, so go light: blot, treat sparingly, then use bicarbonate of soda to absorb the rest. Never soak it — trapped moisture leads to mould and smells.
✅ Do
- Wear gloves and bin everything
- Remove solids before cleaning
- Use an enzyme cleaner
- Dry fully before judging
🚫 Don't
- Press solids into the pile
- Use hot water
- Mix bleach with other cleaners
- Over-wet the area
Tried it and the faeces mark is still there — or it's a wool rug, a mattress or something you'd hate to ruin? Don't keep scrubbing; that's how a stain turns permanent. We can often draw out what's left with professional hot-water extraction, and we'll tell you honestly what we expect to get up before we start. Watford family business, 25 years, fully insured — the quote's free.
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