First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Scrape up solids with a rounded spoon or dull edge, and don't push the mess deeper into the fibers or pile.
- Start with cold water. Never use hot water first.
- Blot, don't rub, working from the edges toward the center.
- Pretest any cleaning solution on a hidden spot.
Pet poop stains look worse than they are, and a little patience goes a long way on most washable fabric. Scrape up the solids first, before you touch the stain with any liquid, so nothing gets pushed deeper into the fibers. Work from the edges inward so the mark stays small and the smell doesn't spread across the rest of the item.
Once the solids are gone, a mild dish soap solution is the product to reach for next, mixed to match the cold water blot. Keep blotting with clean cloth until the color stops transferring, then let the item air-dry and check the spot once it's dry.
5 items
What you'll need
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- Rounded spoon or dull edgeLifts solid waste without pushing it into the fibers.
- Cold waterUsed for the first blotting, since hot water can set the stain.
- Clean white clothsFor blotting from the edges inward, with a fresh section as each one picks up the stain. (opens Amazon)
- Mild dish soapMakes the cleaning solution. Laundry detergent isn't safe on carpet. (opens Amazon)
- Measuring spoon and cupKeeps the solution at 1 teaspoon of dish detergent per cup of water.
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5 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 5
Scrape up the solids
Use a rounded spoon or a dull edge to lift away the solid waste. Work gently so you don't press the mess deeper into the fibers or pile. Stop once only the stain and its moisture are left.
Step 2 of 5
Blot with cold water first
Dampen a clean cloth with cold water and blot the spot, working from the edges toward the center so the stain doesn't spread. Switch to a fresh section of cloth as each one picks up color.
Careful. Never start with hot water, because it can set the stain.
Step 3 of 5
Mix a mild dish soap solution
Stir 1 teaspoon of dish detergent into 1 cup of cold water, so it matches the first blotting. Dampen a clean cloth in the solution, wring it out, and blot the spot with it.
Tip. Test the solution on a hidden spot before it touches the visible stain.
Step 4 of 5
Blot the stain clean
Keep blotting from the edges inward, rotating to clean cloth as the stain transfers to it. Then rinse the spot with cold water and blot it dry so no soap is left behind.
Step 5 of 5
Air-dry the spot
Let the item air-dry at room temperature, then check the spot once it's dry. If any stain remains, repeat the blotting before you move on.
Careful. Don't machine-dry the item until the stain is completely gone.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for pet poop
Look for an enzyme cleaner or enzyme pretreatment, since that's the product type made for protein stains like this one. Use it after the cold water blotting, and check the label for fabric safety first.
Nature’s Miracle Dog Stain & Odor Remover, Enzymatic Cleaner, 32 oz
Nature’s Miracle Advanced Dog Stain & Odor Eliminator, Severe Mess
OdoBan Odor Eliminator & Disinfectant Concentrate
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on these surfaces, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
See what to do for what you're seeing →If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →Pick what it is on
Pet Poop on every material
No match. Try the main search for anything else.
How to tell it's working
The spot is working when the cloth picks up color and the surface looks cleaner with each blot. If a mark is still there once the spot is dry, the stain is still present, so repeat the blotting before you try anything stronger.
What changes for yours
Adjust for where the stain is
Dog diarrhea
Diarrhea is liquid, so it spreads and soaks in faster than solid waste. Skip the scraping and blot the spill first with a dry cloth, working from the edges toward the center, before you start the cold water blotting.
Because it spreads quickly, keep your blotting tight and don't let it sit while you tend to the rest of the room. Once the spot is clean, follow the same dish soap solution and air-drying steps as for solid waste.
Dog poop in the yard
Grass and soil need a different approach, so keep the dish soap solution for fabric and carpet only. Scrape up the solids with a rounded spoon or dull edge, then rinse the area with cold water.
If the spot is on a driveway, patio or other hard surface, the Concrete, Brick & Driveways guide has the right method for it. Keep the steps here for fabric and carpet only.
Cat poop
Cat poop is a protein stain like dog poop, so the same method applies. Scrape up the solids, start with cold water and blot from the edges inward. Keep heat and steam off the spot, because they set the odor as well as the stain.
Use the same dish soap solution and blot with it the same way. If the stain has dried, the set-in options below are the next step.
Puppy poop
Puppy poop is a protein stain like any other pet waste, so the steps above apply as written. Keep the cold water and blotting technique, and avoid heat at every stage.
Keep the mild dish soap solution ready for carpet, and blot it on with a clean cloth. Puppy accidents can happen anywhere in the house, so keep a few clean cloths close by.
Old, dried or set-in stains
An old stain that has already been through a wash needs pretreating before the next one. For washable fabric, apply a spot stain remover that contains oxygen bleach to the front and back, wait 1 minute, then wash in heavy-duty liquid detergent with the same bleach.
A dried stain on washable fabric responds better to an enzyme pretreatment or soak first. After that, launder with chlorine bleach only if the fabric allows it, or use an oxygen bleach instead. Chlorine bleach always goes last, after everything else has been rinsed out.
If the stain is still there after the dryer, treat it again before you dry the item any further. Test oxygen bleach on an inconspicuous area first, and keep it off wool, silk, leather and colored fabric that isn't colorfast. A stain that has dried and been washed several times may fade rather than vanish completely.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on pet poop?
Most household remedies don't suit this stain, so cold water, blotting and a mild dish soap solution do the work. Never use hot water, and don't reach for anything harsher. Read the note before you reach for anything else.
Works1Helps1Skip3Avoid1
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't use steam or heat on pet messes
Steam cleaners and other heat can permanently set both the stain and the odor by bonding the protein into man-made fibers. If the spot is still there, go back to the cold water blotting instead of reaching for heat.
Don't use laundry detergent on carpet
Laundry detergent is the wrong product for carpet, so stick with the mild dish soap solution from the steps. Dish soap at strong concentration isn't safe on carpet either.
Don't mix chlorine bleach with other removers
Never mix chlorine bleach with ammonia, vinegar or alcohol. If you need more than one remover, rinse the fabric thoroughly between them.
Don't use ammonia on silk or wool
Ammonia damages silk and wool. If you must use it on these fibers, dilute it with an equal amount of water and use it sparingly.
Troubleshooting
If the stain is still there
Pick what you're seeing:
The stain is gone but the smell is not.
Odor means protein is still in the fibers. Humane World suggests a pet odor neutralizer once the area is clean and dry, and an enzyme pretreatment helps on washables.
A brown ring appears around the spot as it dries.
Too much water carried soil outward. Blot the ring from its outer edge toward the center with a barely damp cloth, then press dry.
The pet keeps returning to the same spot.
Humane World cautions that the smell of ammonia and vinegar may draw a pet back to the spot. Favor a pet odor neutralizer once the area is clean and dry.
When to call a professional
A professional cleaner can help if the stain or odor persists after several rounds. Tell them it's pet waste so they can choose the right treatment for the fabric.
Questions
How do you stop dog poop from smelling?
Keep heat and steam away from the spot, since they can permanently set the odor along with the stain. Clean it with cold water and blotting, then use the mild dish soap solution from the steps.
What enzyme cleaners and products help remove pet poop?
Enzyme pretreatments and soaks are the product type to use for protein stains like pet poop. They work best after the cold water blotting, and they belong in the set-in options when a stain has dried.
How soon should I clean up pet poop?
Clean it as soon as you can. Fresh spots are much easier to lift than dried ones, and a stain that has set needs the extra treatment in the set-in options.
Can I clean pet poop off shoes with this method?
Shoes have their own guide, the Shoes & Sneakers guide, which covers soles and uppers in detail. Use that guide for the cleaning itself, since shoes need a different approach than carpet.
Does this method work on car seats?
The cold water blotting start works on fabric car seats, but the Car Seats guide has the seat-specific steps. Leather seats need a different approach, so don't wipe them with a wet cloth.
Can I wash the item after cleaning the stain?
Washable fabric can go in the wash once the spot has been pretreated, using heavy-duty liquid detergent. The set-in options cover the stronger washing methods for stains that have dried.
Related
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.