Accidents happen. Even the best-behaved dogs have the occasional mishap. But when your furry friend makes a mess, it can be tempting to lose your shit. After all, you’ve just spent ages cleaning your house, and now you have to start all over again. Damn dogs.

But take a deep breath, scream out your rage with a single ‘Whhhhyyyy’. But alas there’s no need to panic. With a little planning and prep, you can clean up any doggy disaster without breaking a sweat.

Here are a few tips:

1. Act quickly. The faster you clean up a mess, the easier it will be to remove. So as soon as you see your dog having an accident, or you discover a mess after the fact, take action immediately.

2. Have a cleanup kit on hand. Keep some carpet wipes, some kitchen roll, and a carpet cleaner in a central location in your house, so you can grab them quickly when you need them.

3. Start by containing the mess. Dogs out straight away. Block off the area around the mess.

4. Clean up the solid waste. Use a paper towel or toilet paper to pick up any solid waste. Dispose of it in the outside bin or flush it down the toilet.

5. Clean up the liquid mess. Use kitchen roll to soak up as much of the liquid as possible. Then, use a decent carpet cleaner/wipe to disinfect the area.

6. Let the area dry completely. Once you’ve cleaned up the mess, be sure to let the area dry completely before allowing your dog back into the room. This will help to prevent the spread of bacteria. Cannot stress the drying it. We use a hair dryer. Otherwise you’ll be walking in puddles with your socks a few days after the event.

Here are a few additional tips to help you keep your cool while cleaning up a doggy disaster:

• Remember that it’s just an accident. Dogs don’t mess on the floor to laugh at you. They usually have a good reason for doing it, such as illness, stress, or anxiety.
• Don’t punish your dog. Punishing your dog for having an accident will only make them more anxious and stressed, which can lead to more accidents. Instead, focus on positive reinforcement and training.
• Take a break if you need it. If you’re starting to feel overwhelmed, take a break and come back to the mess later. There’s no need to rush. Or you know, fuel and matches work too. Make sure to remove all living creatures before doing this.

Cleaning up a doggy disaster is never fun, but it doesn’t have to be stressful. By following these tips, you can clean up any mess without losing your cool.