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No matter how well-trained your dog is, and how diligently you keep to your potty-break schedule, sometimes accidents happen. Whether on the carpet, hardwood floor, or anywhere else, prompt action is the best way to make sure that dog urine won’t leave a lasting impression and smell. Even if you come upon a dried urine puddle or stain, there are still things you can do to remove the odor.
In This Article
Cleaning Fresh Dog Urine Stains
Regardless of what your dog has peed on, your best course of action is to act fast. The sooner you get to it, the more likely you’ll be able to remove all traces of urine odor.
Aside from wanting your home to smell fresh and clean, you don’t want to leave any lingering traces of their accident for your dog to find, since they may decide it’s their new favorite spot to pee. If the urine smell lingers, an air purifier could help mask the scent.
New Urine Stains on Carpet or Fabric
Your dog just peed on the carpet. Now what? Luckily, you probably have the cleaning tools for the job. Place a thick layer of paper towels over the wet spot, and, if possible, under it. Cover that with a thick layer of newspaper. You can stand on the paper for a few minutes to help it absorb the urine more quickly, or leave it until most of the urine is soaked up. Then remove all the paper and rinse the area with cool water. Blot up all the water, either with towels or a wet vacuum.
Fair warning: the soggy towels will probably stink, but it’s a good thing. Smelly towels mean you’re drawing out as much urine and odor as possible.
Once you have blotted up most of the liquid, the next step is to remove the odor. A dog urine stain remover can help remove stains and odors from accidents. It sometimes contains ingredients you’d find at home, like vinegar, baking soda, or hydrogen peroxide.
New Urine Stains on Hardwood
For hardwood, you should try to act fast. Place a thick wad of paper towels or dish towels on the puddle. You can stand on the towels for a few minutes to speed up absorption. Use fresh towels to soak up the urine until a towel comes up dry. You can also use a specific hardwood urine stain remover. These specifically target hardwood floors or hard surfaces, which can help ensure there’s no mark on your floor.
Cleaning Dog Pee From Other Surfaces
If your dog pees in your home, they may not limit themselves to the carpet or hardwood floor. Your dog could have accidents in the car, on their dog bed, or on other furniture. Some of these dog pee stain removers will also work on these surfaces. Others might require a deeper clean. If your dog’s bed has a removable cover or if they have an accident in their crate, you could wash the cover with hot water and detergent.
Removing Dried Dog Urine Stains
Your dog isn’t always going to pee in front of you. Your dog also could’ve had an accident in another room or when you’re not home without you realizing. How do you clean a spot you didn’t notice until it’s dried out? While it’s harder to remove the smell from dried urine stains, there are several effective methods to try.
Dried Dog Urine on Fabric and Carpets
Start by rinsing the area thoroughly with plain water. Use a wet-dry vacuum cleaner and keep saturating and vacuuming the area until it’s clean. Do not use a steam cleaner, since the heat will permanently set the odor and the stain. If you don’t own a wet-dry vacuum, you can try wetting and blotting the spot repeatedly, using warm water and clean towels.
If this doesn’t get the smell out, use an enzymatic cleanser. These bio-based cleansers work on a molecular level to break down and remove odors and stains. Be sure to choose an enzyme-based cleanser made specifically for pet stains.
Removing Pee Odors From Hardwood
Removing odors from hardwood floors can be difficult because urine can saturate the wood. However, there are a few methods you can try. There are specific dog urine stain removers for hard surfaces, which can get soaked-in urine out of the wood.
DIY Dog Pee Cleaning Solutions
If you’re in a pinch and aren’t sure if the cleaning products you have on hand are safe to use around your dog, a few common household products can get the job done. Here are some of our favorite DIY pet-safe cleaning solutions.
DIY Carpet Cleaning Solutions
If you’re in a pinch and don’t have any dog stain remover, you can spread baking soda thinly and evenly across the damp spot. Be careful not to overdo it: about 1/4 cup or less is enough for most stains. Let the baking soda sit overnight, and then vacuum thoroughly. You may have to go over the area several times to vacuum up all the powder until the area feels clean to the touch.
Another method adds one more household staple: vinegar. In a clean spray bottle, mix 1 cup of distilled white vinegar with 1 cup of water and 2 teaspoons of baking soda. Shake the bottle to mix the ingredients, and then spray on the stain. Let it sit for a few minutes, then blot with towels until clean.
At-Home Hardwood Stain Removal for Dog Pee
The first is similar to what you’d use on carpet. Mix a one-to-one solution of white vinegar and water. Using a sponge, rub the solution onto the stain. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes, then wipe it up with a clean, dry towel. Some experts advise using a more diluted formulation of 1/2-cup of vinegar to one gallon of warm water. If you’re nervous about the effects of vinegar on your floors, try this more diluted version. Either way, test the solution on a small inconspicuous section of floor first.
If the odor lingers, sprinkle baking soda on the floor while it’s still damp, and let it sit for at least several hours or overnight. Then, vacuum it up with the soft brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner. As a final step, use an enzyme-based stain remover that’s safe for hardwood floors. Test it in a small area first, and then follow the directions on the product’s package. Once you completely remove the urine and its odor, clean the floor with whatever you usually use.
Finding Urine Spots
Sometimes dogs will pee in more secluded or hidden parts of the home, so it may not always be easy to locate where your dog peed if you didn’t see them do it. But oftentimes, you’ll be able to smell it, even if you don’t see it.
You may want to use a urine stain detector to help you find which areas need cleaning. Urine stain detectors help identify spots where your dog has peed, even if they’re not wet anymore. Most use LED UV light to detect urine stains on different surfaces, allowing you to clean more efficiently.
When to Call a Professional
If you have multiple dogs or frequent accidents, you might consider hiring a professional cleaner to do a deep clean of your carpet or floor. If you’ve moved to a new place and discovered that the carpet smells of dog urine, you may consider using a cleaning service.
If your dog has peed in the car, this could also be a good option to remove the deeper urine stains and odors from the fabric. If you want to do it yourself, consider using a steam cleaner to deep clean your car’s upholstery.
Preventing Future Accidents
Accidents happen, no matter how old your dog is. Sometimes, they just can’t hold it. It’s important to potty train your puppy, so they know how to control their bladder and alert you when they need to go outside. When potty training, things like dog crates and puppy pee pads can be helpful in creating a schedule. Puppy pee pads can also help dogs go when they need to, with much easier cleanup.
If your dog is housetrained, they could also be marking instead of peeing. Dog marking is not the same as peeing. It’s smaller amounts of urine, used to mark their territory for other dogs, or due to anxiety. If you think your dog is marking around the house, consider working with an animal behaviorist to troubleshoot the issue.
If your dog can’t control their bladder after being housetrained, it could also be a sign of a medical condition. If the problem persists, talk to your veterinarian.