First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Scrape up solids gently with a rounded spoon, without pushing them into the fabric.
- Blot liquids with white paper towels or a cloth, working from the edges toward the center.
- Don't rub, because rubbing spreads the stain.
- Rinse with cool water and blot before starting the full steps.
Pet stains on clothes leave a visible mark, but the smell is often what keeps your dog returning to the same spot. Pet accidents soak deep into fibers, and fresh spots come out much more readily than ones that have dried, since heat can bond the protein into man-made fabric. Odor needs as much attention as the stain itself.
Keep the item out of the dryer until the mark is gone, because heat is what locks it into man-made fabric. For dog smell in fabric or a dog anal gland smell, an enzyme laundry pretreater before the wash is the product to try. Test any oxygen-based stain remover on a hidden seam before you use it on the whole piece.
Before you start
What clothes can take
Safe to use3
- Water
- Soaking
- Enzyme cleaners
Use with care6
- Hot water
- Chlorine bleach
- Oxygen bleach
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
- Scrubbing and abrasives
Avoid1
- Heat, once the stain is out
6 items
What you'll need
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- Rounded spoonLifts solids off the fabric without pushing them in.
- White paper towels or a white clothBlots the spot so no color transfers onto the fabric. (opens Amazon)
- Basin or sinkHolds the cool water for the soak. (opens Amazon)
- Heavy-duty liquid detergentLoosens the protein in the soak. (opens Amazon)
- Enzymatic pet stain-and-odor cleanerTargets the odor that lingers after washing. (opens Amazon)
- White vinegarUsed only on a mark that stays after the wash, after a test. (opens Amazon)
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5 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 5
Rinse the spot in cool water
Take the item to a sink or basin and run cool water through the back of the stain, so the matter pushes out rather than deeper in. Keep the water cool, since heat can bond the protein into the fibers.
Step 2 of 5
Soak in cool detergent water
Fill a basin with cool water and stir in a heavy-duty liquid detergent. Submerge the stained area and leave it to soak, keeping the water cool the whole time.
Tip. Keep the item fully under water so the stain stays wet and in contact with the detergent.
Step 3 of 5
Launder in the hottest allowed water
Once the soak has lifted the stain, wash the item in the hottest water its care label recommends. Keep it separate from the rest of the load until you're sure the stain is gone.
Careful. Heat sets protein stains, so check the spot in good light first; if a mark is still visible, wash in cool water instead.
Step 4 of 5
Sponge the spot with vinegar
If a mark remains after the wash, test white vinegar on a hidden seam first. If the fabric holds its color, dab the vinegar onto the spot with a clean cloth, leave it briefly, and blot it.
Careful. White vinegar can change color or weaken some fibers, so never skip the hidden-spot test.
Step 5 of 5
Rinse out the vinegar and wash
Rinse the vinegar out with cool water, then wash the item again. Check the spot and the smell before anything else touches it.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for pet stains on clothes
Look for an enzymatic pet stain-and-odor cleaner, which is made for the protein and odor part of this stain. Test it on a hidden seam first and follow its label.
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
Shout Triple-Acting Laundry Stain Remover
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on clothes, 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 before using any heat. 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.
If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
The spot should be the same color as the fabric around it, and the item shouldn't smell of urine once it's dry. If the mark or odor still shows after the wash, don't dry it; repeat the soak and wash instead.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your clothes
Dog odor on fabric
Odor is what lingers after a stain looks gone, so the steps above need one addition. Once the wash is done and the item still smells, work an enzymatic pet stain-and-odor cleaner into the damp area, following its label, then rinse it out.
Let the item air dry and smell it once it's cool. If the odor is still there, repeat the cool soak and wash, and keep the item out of the dryer until it's gone.
Anal gland odor on fabric
Anal gland odor is handled with the same rinse and cool detergent soak as any pet accident, so start there. Wash in the water temperature the care label allows, and check the smell before any heat touches the item.
If the smell is still there, apply the enzymatic cleaner the same way and repeat the wash cycle instead of drying the item between tries.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Fresh stains come out far more easily than old ones, so the sooner you start, the better. A spot that was missed and has been through a wash is now an old stain, and it will need extra time.
For dried or old protein stains, first scrape or brush off any crusted matter. Then soak the item in cold water with a detergent or an enzyme presoak, which can run overnight if the care label allows it.
If the mark stays after a full soak and wash, take the item to a dry cleaner rather than trying harsher home chemicals. A dry cleaner can judge what the fabric will take far better than another round of home products.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on pet stains on clothes?
Most home remedies you'll see online don't fit a pet stain on clothes. Only white vinegar is worth using on clothes; the others are either unnecessary or risky on fabric.
Works1Skip5
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't dry or iron it yet
Heat sets the stain, and it can become impossible to remove. Keep the item out of the dryer and away from the iron until both the stain and the odor are gone.
Don't rub bar soap on a fresh stain
Rubbing bar soap into a fresh stain sets many stains in place. Use the liquid detergent soak instead.
Don't use ammonia on it
Ammonia-based cleaners smell like urine and can draw the pet back to the same spot. Stick with the cool soak, the vinegar test and an enzymatic cleaner.
Don't mix chlorine bleach with urine
Chlorine bleach on fresh urine can release hazardous gases, and it doesn't remove the odor anyway. Never mix it with ammonia or another remover, and rinse thoroughly between products.
Don't leave a pretreatment on too long
Leaving a liquid or aerosol pretreatment on longer than its label recommends can make unstable dyes change or fade. Follow the time on the product, then rinse thoroughly.
When to call a professional
Take dry-clean only items to a professional dry cleaner promptly, and tell them the fiber content and the stain. Even washable items should go to a dry cleaner if the stain covers a large area, the item is bulky, or the fabric is fragile. Suede, leather and fur trim need a cleaner who specializes in them.
Questions
Does dog saliva stain clothes?
It can, especially if it dries on, and the mark is easy to miss. Rinse it with cool water right away, then follow the same cool soak and wash steps as any pet stain.
Is oxygen-based stain remover safe for fabrics and pet odors?
On colorfast fabric it's the gentler choice, but test a hidden spot first. Keep it off wool, silk and leather, and off any item whose care label forbids bleach. For pet stains, though, the cool soak and detergent are the better route, so use those instead.
What if the smell is still there after washing?
Don't dry the item until the odor is gone. Repeat the cool soak and wash, and use an enzymatic pet stain-and-odor cleaner, which is made for that job.
Why does my dog keep going back to the same spot?
The scent stays there, and as long as your dog can smell its own accident, it may keep returning. Clean the whole area, not just the visible mark, so the odor is removed too.
What if the spot has dried on?
Scrape or brush off any crusted matter first, then soak the item in cold water with a detergent or enzyme presoak. Fresh stains come out far more easily, so a dried spot may need several rounds.
Should I take the item to a dry cleaner?
For dry-clean only items, yes, and do it promptly. Tell the cleaner the fiber content and what the stain is, and take even washable items there if the stain is large or the fabric is fragile.
Pet Stains on other materials
Other stains on clothes
Start from the bigger picture
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.