First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Gently scrape up solids with a rounded spoon without pushing them into the pile.
- Blot liquids with white paper towels or cloth.
- For urine, layer paper towels and newspaper over the spot and stand on it until it's barely damp.
- Don't rub; work from the edges toward the center.
Pet stains are more than a mark, since urine, feces and vomit soak deep into carpet and upholstery and keep the odor alive. The smell is what brings a pet back to the same spot, so odor removal matters as much as the visible stain. Fresh accidents respond best to blotting and an enzymatic cleaner, while old spots may need to be found by smell or a black light and treated for a day or two.
Even a light lingering smell is best tackled with the enzymatic cleaner, since home mixes rarely finish a set-in mark. For a bigger area, a carpet shampooer or pet stain machine saves a lot of scrubbing. Pick an enzyme cleaner made for pet urine and feces so the odor actually lifts.
7 items
What you'll need
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- White paper towelsLift liquid up without spreading it across the fibers. (opens Amazon)
- NewspaperAdds layers under your weight to draw out urine.
- Rounded spoonLifts solids without pushing them deeper into the pile.
- Cool waterFor a light rinse once the bulk is blotted up.
- Enzymatic pet stain-and-odor cleanerTreats both the stain and the odor it leaves behind. (opens Amazon)
- Chalk and a black lightHelp you find and mark old spots. (opens Amazon)
- Damp towelKeeps set-in cleaner moist for 24-48 hours.
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5 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 5
Scrape up any solids
Lift solids with a rounded spoon, working from the edges in so nothing gets pushed deeper into the pile. Then press white paper towels or a cloth onto any liquid to pull it up.
Step 2 of 5
Draw urine up with towels
For urine, lay paper towels and newspaper over the spot and stand on it to press the liquid up. Swap in fresh layers as they soak, and keep going until the towels come up only barely damp.
Step 3 of 5
Rinse lightly and blot again
Pour a small amount of cool water on the spot to dilute what's left, then blot it up right away. The goal is to clear the residue, not to flush the spot.
Step 4 of 5
Apply the enzymatic cleaner
Apply an enzymatic pet stain-and-odor cleaner to the spot and the area around it, following its label for how much to use and how long to leave it. Work it in gently so it reaches the fibers where the urine went.
Step 5 of 5
Check for stain and odor when dry
Let the spot dry, then check it by sight and by smell. If either the mark or the odor is still there, repeat the enzymatic cleaner step before you move on.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for pet stains
Keep an enzymatic pet stain-and-odor cleaner on hand so you can start right away after an accident. Read its label before first use so you know how much to apply.
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 Stains on every material
Carpet & rugs1
Floors3
Furniture & upholstery2
Clothes & laundry1
Metal & glass1
Kitchen & bath1
No match. Try the main search for anything else.
How to tell it's working
The spot is done when it dries with no visible mark and no damp patch left behind. The real test is smell: put your nose close to the spot once it's dry, and if there's no urine odor, the job is finished.
What changes for yours
Adjust for where the stain is
Carpet shampooers and spot machines
A carpet shampooer or spot machine doesn't change the order of the steps. It's only a way to get the cool rinse and the enzymatic cleaner down into the carpet, so use it after the blotting, not in place of it.
Once the machine work is done, let the carpet dry completely before you judge the result, and check for odor then rather than while it's wet. For the full carpet process, see the Carpet & Rugs guide.
Poop, saliva and period blood
Solid waste follows the first step: lift it with a rounded spoon so it doesn't get pushed into the pile, then blot any liquid around it. Saliva and other body fluids are blotted from the edges toward the center, never rubbed.
Period blood and smegma are body-fluid stains, so the same first aid applies, followed by an enzymatic cleaner used as its label directs. If the spot has already dried, use the set-in method below.
Litter and waste on floors
Loose litter should be lifted or vacuumed off first, so you're treating only the stain and not working grit into the fibers. For a spot that has soaked into the pad, the set-in method is the next step.
Urine and waste on hard floors follow the same blotting and enzymatic steps. For the surface itself, see the Hardwood Floors or Laminate & Vinyl Floors guide.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Start by finding old spots, either by smell or with a black light in a dark room, and lightly outline each one with chalk. Saturate the spot and the area around it with an enzymatic cleaner, enough on carpet to reach the backing and pad. For deep old stains, leave the product on for a couple of days.
Cover the treated area with a damp towel so it stays moist for 24 to 48 hours. Then uncover it, let it dry and vacuum.
If the item already went through the dryer, heat can make the odor harder to remove, so run the full process again before drying. If the stain or smell is still there after one full round, repeat the process, since old stains usually take more than one pass.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on pet stains?
No home remedy is needed, because an enzymatic cleaner handles both the stain and the odor. Here's how each common remedy fits, along with the surfaces where it can do damage.
Skip5Avoid1
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't steam-clean urine out of carpet or upholstery
Heat permanently sets the stain and odor by bonding the protein into man-made fibers. Steam also kills the enzymes and bacteria in biological cleaners, so it undoes the work you'd do next.
Don't use ammonia-based cleaners
Their smell resembles urine, and that can draw your pet back to the same spot. Use the enzymatic cleaner instead, since it's made for this stain.
Don't mix chlorine bleach with fresh urine
Urine contains ammonia compounds, and mixing them can produce hazardous gases. Bleach doesn't remove urine odor anyway, so it adds risk without solving the smell.
Don't soak carpet with water
Soaking carries water down to the subfloor, which is bad for it. A light rinse followed by blotting clears the residue without that risk.
Don't use laundry detergent on carpet
Optical brighteners can dye the fiber. Leftover residue also attracts soil, so the spot ends up dirtier than before.
Don't put a washable item in the dryer early
Heat makes lingering odor harder to remove, so wait until both the stain and the smell are gone. Only then is the dryer safe to use.
Troubleshooting
If the stain is still there
Pick what you're seeing:
The odor comes back when the spot is damp
That suggests urine residue is still there. Clean again with an enzymatic pet stain-and-odor cleaner and follow its label; for an old spot, use the set-in method with a damp towel for 24-48 hours.
You can smell an old spot but cannot see it
In a dark room, use a black light to find it and lightly outline it with chalk. Saturate the spot and the area around it with enzymatic cleaner; on carpet, enough to reach the backing and pad. Cover with a damp towel for 24-48 hours, then uncover, dry, and vacuum.
The carpet dye has changed color
Alkaline urine salts can permanently bleach carpet dye. Re-dyeing or patching is the only fix; cleaning will not restore the color.
You want to use a carpet shampooer
Don't put enzyme products in a shampooer. Pretreat, wait overnight if possible, then shampoo.
When to call a professional
If the odor or stain is still there after the set-in method, or the spot has soaked through to the subfloor, a professional cleaner is the next step. Ask them to use an enzymatic treatment for urine rather than a steam-based approach.
Questions
How do I use a pet stain remover?
Blot up the liquid first, rinse lightly with cool water and blot again. Then apply an enzymatic pet stain-and-odor cleaner and follow its label for how much to use and how long to leave it. Choose by product type and look for enzymes in the formula, since those are what break down the odor.
Should I buy a spray or an enzyme cleaner?
Look for an enzymatic pet stain-and-odor cleaner, since that's the product type that works on this kind of stain. Check the label for enzymes before you buy, and pick the one whose directions you can follow.
Is pet stain remover safe around babies?
Baby safety depends on the product's own label, so read its safety directions before you use it around a baby. Keep the product and the treated spot out of a baby's reach until it has dried.
Does dog period blood stain, and does it come out?
Period blood is a body-fluid stain like the others here, so the same first aid applies: blot from the edges toward the center and don't rub. Then apply an enzymatic cleaner following its label, and repeat if the mark or smell remains.
Can I clean a pet accident out of clothes or bedding?
Washable items can be treated with the steps here, but keep them out of the dryer until the stain and odor are both gone. For fabric-specific care, the Clothes and Sheets guides cover what changes.
Will my pet keep going back to the same spot?
It can, because a pet that still smells its own scent there may return. That's why odor removal matters as much as the visible stain, so keep following the steps until both are gone.
Odor guides
Still smells?
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.