What are enzymatic cleaners and why is everyone with pets talking about them

Pets can bring untold joy into your life; however, they can also create some wear and tear on your home. Muddy paw prints and bathroom accidents are some of the usual suspects, but you needn’t worry too much when you have enzymatic cleaners on your side.

But what are enzymatic cleaners and why is everyone with pets talking about them? We’ve written this handy guide to provide you with all the information you need about enzyme cleaning products.

What exactly are enzymatic cleaners?

Enzymatic cleaners are any cleaning products that use enzymes in their formulas to help break down stains. Enzymes are macromolecular biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions; this usually occurs in the body, but in the case of enzymatic cleaners, the process is used for a different purpose. In a nutshell, different enzymes break down different types of stains. Lipolases work on fats or oil-based stains, proteases break down protein-based stains, and amylases tackle carbohydrates and starches.

The enzymatic cleaners we recommend:

The Rocco & Roxie Professional Strength Stain & Odor Eliminator is an excellent all-around option that’s highly effective at removing pet urine from carpets and rugs but can be used on all kinds of other surfaces, too. Another great option is the TriNova Natural Pet Stain and Odor Remover Eliminator. With its all-natural formula, this cleaner is ideal for upholstery, carpets, and hard floors.

How might pet owners use enzymatic cleaners?

Maybe you’re still wondering why pet parents should be particularly interested in enzymatic cleaners. Probably the most common use of enzymatic cleaners is to deal with urine and feces, particularly on carpeted floors.

Puppies, kittens, senior pets, and smaller pets that might share your house, such as rabbits or rats, don’t always reliably make it to the correct spot to do their business. This can lead to stains and bad smells. What’s more, animals are habitual beings, so once they’ve started using one particular spot as a bathroom, the familiar scent may encourage them to keep doing so.

Enzymatic cleaners can break down both stains and odors, really getting rid of smells rather than simply covering them, which can help break bad bathroom habits. However, it’s not just waste-related problems that enzymatic cleaners are good for. They’re also highly effective at removing stains from soil and mud on carpets and hard floors.

In fact, enzymatic cleaners make light work of any pet stain with a biological component.

The supplies you need to clean up after your pets:

Cleaning cloths: Usage instructions vary with enzymatic cleaners, but you generally need to blot, rub, or dry the area at some point in the cleaning process, so it’s wise to have some quality cloths on hand. Microfiber Cleaning Cloths come in a multipack for a reasonable price. They don’t transfer their color, and you can wash and reuse them numerous times, which is great for your wallet and for the environment.

Absorbent door mat: Sometimes prevention is better than cure. If you’re struggling to keep up with cleaning all those muddy paw prints your four-legged friend tracks in, try placing an absorbent mat just inside the door, such as the My Doggy Place Ultra Absorbent Microfiber Dog Door Mat. This can prevent the worst of the stains, which equals less cleaning overall — who can argue with that?

What types of enzymatic cleaners are useful for people with pets?

People often discuss enzymatic cleaners as though they’re just one type of product, but you’ll find a wide range of different cleaning products that contain enzymes, including but not limited to laundry detergent, drain cleaners, carpet cleaner, and upholstery cleaner, but which types do people with pets need?

If you only intend to buy a single enzymatic cleaning product, we’d recommend a multipurpose option, which you can use for cleaning most home surfaces. The Rocco & Roxie Professional Strength Stain & Odor Eliminator is our favorite product that does it all.

Mainly trying to deal with stains on your carpet? Choose an enzymatic carpet cleaner, like Simple Solution. It will be specially formulated to tackle stained or smelly carpets and is likely to do a better job on them than an all-around enzyme cleaner.

Pet owners might also find enzymatic upholstery cleaner, like the TriNova Natural Pet Stain and Odor Remover Eliminator, useful for pets who aren’t above getting muddy stains on the couch.

Lauren Corona is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money. BestReviews never accepts free products from manufacturers and purchases every product it reviews with its own funds.

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