Inside: How to get dog pee out of carpet and prevent stains.
All pet owners will have to deal with accidents every now and then. In fact, just this morning I came down to find my dog had done a wee in his crate after drinking a tonne of water due to high temperatures here right now. It happens.
Dog urine, if left untreated can cause an unpleasant odour. But using a solution of vinegar, water and baking soda you can clean it up and be safe in the knowledge that your house will stay odour free.
Whether you have a puppy who is going through the potty training process, an older dog that has the odd accident or an elderly dog that is starting to lose control of their bladder, I hope this post will help you deal with accidents if, and when, they happen.
What you need to remove puppy pee
- Sponge or cloth
- Vacuum
- Spray bottle
- Toothbrush (for grooves of hardwood)
- White vinegar
- Baking soda
- Enzymatic cleaner (possibly)
How to remove puppy pee stains and odours
When a dog pees on the carpet, the urine soaks into the carpet fibers, and if left untreated will leave an unpleasant odor. Thankfully, with quick action and the use of cleaning products that use natural ingredients, you can prevent the foul odor from lingering and also prevent stains.
Of course, you can use ready-made products but these will often use harsh chemicals that may further stain your flooring – using natural ingredients is always the better option.
The first step is to soak up as much urine as possible using paper towels. The more you can soak up, the better as it will prevent the uric acid from attaching to the deepest fibers.
Next you want to rinse the area with cold water. As tempting as it may be to use warm or hot water, this is the worst thing you could do. Hot water will set in a stain rather than lift it so you must use cold water to rinse and dilute the urine. Soak up the water (and diluted urine) once again with paper towels until you are left with a damp patch.
Sprinkle some baking soda thinly and evenly over the area and leave overnight. This will absorb the remaining moisture and neutralise the acid.
Vacuum the area the next day to remove any remaining baking soda.
Alternative method
You can also use a simple solution of vinegar and baking soda to disinfect and neutralise the urine. As vinegar is an acid, it will also break down bacteria and viruses that may be present.
To make the solution, mix together one cup of distilled vinegar with one cup of water. Add in 2 teaspoons of baking soda and spray it onto the affected area (you may need to scale up the solution depending on the size of the area you are working on). Work it into the carpet with a sponge or damp cloth and then leave overnight.
As above, vacuum the area the next day to remove any remaining baking soda.
How to remove dried stains
If you don’t manage to catch your dog in the act, you may later notice a strong odor and realise that there is a dried urine spot somewhere in your home. All is not lost, you can still use an odor remover solution to neutralise and clean the area. Whatever you do, do not use a steam cleaner as this will set the stain in for good.
The first step is to soak it with cold water, either by soaking the area by hand or using a wet vac machine (on a cold setting). You can then blot with paper towels or use the vac to suck up as much liquid as you can. Repeat as many times necessary until the stain is literally pulled from the carpet.
Once again, you are going to use baking soda to remove any lingering odours and dry vacuum the next day to remove the baking soda.
Alternative method
If the process above doesn’t work and there is a stinky smell still lingering, it may be because excess moisture has soaked through the carpet to the underlay or floorboards below. The water element will have dried and evaporated, leaving behind dried uric acid crystals which will not break down using the methods above.
When you try and soak the water, you simply reactivate the bacteria that thrive on the crystals and make the smell worse.
What you would need here is an enzymatic cleanser. The enzymes break down the uric acid crystals fully and allow you to permanently remove them according to the instructions on the bottle.
How to remove set in stains
As with the above, you may come across a dried stain and try to rinse and remove it. However, if you’ve moved into a new house you may not know how the stain was originally treated. If the above methods don’t work it may be because the previous owners used hot water or steam cleaners on the area – setting the stain in.
The only solution here is to use an enzymatic cleaner which will break down the ammonia and proteins. This will lift out and neutralise the dried residue that, as well as being unsightly, may tempt your dog to re-scent again and again.
Removing urine from hardwood floors
If you find a puddle on your wooden floor you also need to act quickly. Although not as absorbent as carpet, the wood will still allow the urine to penetrate. Use absorbent towels to soak up as much as possible and then give the area a quick clean with cold water as normal.
If you are worried about odours you can always use baking powder – just sprinkle some onto the floor while damp and allow it to sit for a few hours. Then gently vacuum to remove the baking powder – leaving your floor clean and odour free.
How to clean dog poo from carpets
Sometimes it is not just a puddle of pee found on the floor. Puppies and older dogs are more prone to having accidents of all kinds and it is really unpleasant but it’s just something that comes along with owning a pet.
The first thing to do is to remove any solid waste, scooping it up in toilet roll and disposing of it down the toilet (do not flush paper towels down the toilet as you’ll cause a blockage). Once you have removed all of the solid waste, you can begin the clean up process to prevent any carpet stains.
Mix together a solution using one cup of distilled white vinegar, one cup of cool water and 2 teaspoons of baking soda. Spray or pour the vinegar solution onto the soiled area and use a damp sponge to remove any residual mess.
Add more solution as necessary until the stain has been removed – rinsing or changing cloths as you go to ensure you aren’t contaminating the clean area with a dirty cloth.
Once the stain and all signs of residue have been removed you can sprinkle on a thin layer of baking soda to help remove any lingering odor. Leave overnight and then vacuum.
Again, you may wish to use an enzyme cleaner here if you prefer.
How to remove dog vomit odour from carpets
I am adding this in as a handy extra as I had a terrible time trying to remove the smell of vomit from my home. It seems that vomit odours linger for days and days and days if you don’t do something about it. I tried everything – lemon juice, vinegar, baking soda and more besides – but only one thing worked!
The first thing to do is remove the vomit, using a vinegar, water and baking soda mix. Once the stain has gone you may also find the smell goes too. But if it doesn’t, don’t worry – I have you covered!
Fabric conditioner is the only thing that worked for me and now I tell everyone about it!
Mix 1 cup of fabric conditioner into 1 pint of water and spray onto the affected area. Or in my case I simply sprayed it on the whole of the downstairs flooring and gave everywhere a good mop and vacuum. I think I even sprayed some on my soft furnishings to be doubly sure!
The alkaline nature of the fabric conditioner neutralises the acidic properties of the vomit particles in your home, leaving your home smelling clean and fresh once again! You. are. welcome!
So, the next time your furry friend has an accident or you find a nasty smell lingering in your home, remember that a vinegar and baking soda mix (and even fabric conditioner) is your best friend!