There is one trick to removing pet stains that can save you tons of aggravation. It's pretty easy when you think about it. But most pet owners just don't get it.

Here's the biggest mistake you can make. When Fido has a little tinkle or when Killer makes a huge puddle, the first course of action should NOT be towels or paper towels. This only mashes the urine down into the padding. It makes the urine harder to get out. Sure, some of the urine is absorbed in the towel, but not nearly all of it.

The second biggest mistake is grabbing for the spot remover bottle first. Think about what you are doing. If you have urine in your carpet and spray some spot remover on the urine, you now have a puddle of urine with spot remover in it. This does NOT equal clean. The spot remover doesn't make the urine evaporate. Sure, it may make it smell a little better, but the urine is still there and in a big way.

Here's an important concept you should know: Spot remover is made to remove what left behind after you clean up the bulk of the mess. It isn't designed to make urine evaporate. So having said that, what do you use to remove the bulk of the urine before treating with a spot remover?

Here's the trick: Use a wet vacuum or a shop vacuum as soon as you find urine on your carpet or rug. You can get one at any hardware store and most department stores. When used on a fresh urine spot, the wet vacuum will remove a majority of the urine. Then whip out your favorite spot remover and treat the remaining urine left behind.

It's really that easy. If you use this tip you can save your carpet, rugs, and your relationship with your pet.