Pet stains are one of the more stubborn things steam cleaning deals with, because the issue usually isn't just on the surface. Urine in particular soaks through the carpet fibres into the underlay, which is exactly why a spray-and-blot approach at home often only masks the smell temporarily rather than fixing it.
Hot water extraction, combined with a pre-treatment targeted at the affected area, breaks down the residue at the source rather than just lifting what's visible. For older or heavily set-in stains, this may take more than one pass, and in some cases the underlay itself may need attention if the accident has been going on unnoticed for a while.
For everyday pet-related dirt and odour, a routine steam clean every 6 to 12 months keeps things well under control. For a specific, recent accident, the sooner it's treated the better the result, fresh stains lift far more easily than ones that have had weeks to set.
