First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Scrape up solids with a rounded spoon, without pushing them into the pile.
- Blot liquids with white paper towels or cloth.
- For urine, lay paper towels and newspaper over the spot and stand on them until it's barely damp.
Pet stains on concrete carry an odor, because urine sinks into the pores and the smell can outlast the mark. Since the stain and the odor both work into the slab, a quick wipe rarely finishes the job. Fresh urine lifts far more easily than old urine, and an older mark may only lighten over several rounds.
Skip the big wet mop, which only spreads the odor over more of the slab. For dog smell that stays in concrete, a pet enzyme stain and odor remover is the product to try first. Cat smell in concrete follows the same plan, and the enzymatic cleaner in the last step is the one to reach for once the mark has set.
Before you start
What concrete, brick & driveways can take
Safe to use3
- Water
- Hot water
- Soaking
Use with care5
- Chlorine bleach
- Oxygen bleach
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
- Scrubbing and abrasives
7 items
What you'll need
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- Rounded spoonLifts solids without smearing them across the concrete.
- White paper towels or clothBlots up liquid from the surface. (opens Amazon)
- NewspaperSits under the paper towels to soak up urine.
- Sponge and warm, sudsy waterFor the wash step. (opens Amazon)
- Absorbent pads and 70% isopropyl or 90% denatured alcoholThe alcohol pad that treats what's left of the stain. (opens Amazon)
- Enzymatic pet stain-and-odor cleanerTargets the odor that keeps a pet returning. (opens Amazon)
- Soft clothDries the area at the end. (opens Amazon)
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7 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 7
Lift off the solids and blot
Scrape up any solids with a rounded spoon, without pushing them into the pile. Then blot the liquid with white paper towels or cloth, working from the edges toward the center.
Step 2 of 7
Stack paper towels and newspaper
For urine, lay paper towels and newspaper over the spot and stand on them. Swap in fresh layers as they soak through, and repeat until the spot is barely damp.
Step 3 of 7
Rinse with cool water
Rinse the spot with cool water, then blot it with fresh paper towels or cloth. Keep blotting until nothing more comes up.
Step 4 of 7
Wash with warm, sudsy water
Wipe the stain with a sponge dipped in warm, sudsy water, and work gently at the spot. Rinse well, then wipe the area dry.
Step 5 of 75 minutes
Apply the rubbing alcohol pad
Soak an absorbent pad in rubbing alcohol and wring it out as dry as you can. Lay the pad on the stain and leave it there for 5 minutes, then lift it off.
Tip. If the stain is still showing, repeat with a fresh pad.
Careful. Pretest a hidden spot before the alcohol pad, since alcohol can affect some dyes.
Step 6 of 7
Wipe with water and dry
Wipe the area with a cloth dampened in water to pick up any alcohol. Finish by drying it with a soft cloth.
Step 7 of 7
Finish with an enzymatic cleaner
Apply an enzymatic pet stain-and-odor cleaner to the spot, following the label. Let it work for the time the label gives before you move on.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for pet stains on concrete, brick & driveways
Choose an enzymatic pet stain-and-odor cleaner, since the odor is what brings a pet back to the spot. Use it on the stain and the area around it.
Nature’s Miracle Dog Stain & Odor Remover, Enzymatic Cleaner, 32 oz
Nature’s Miracle Advanced Dog Stain & Odor Eliminator, Severe Mess
Skout's Honor Odor Eliminator
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on concrete, brick & driveways, 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.
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
Each alcohol pad should pull a little grime or color from the mark, so the spot gets lighter from one pass to the next. Give the patio time to dry fully before you decide, since a damp area can look darker than it really is. If the mark hasn't moved after two full rounds, it has dried in and belongs in the old-stain section.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your concrete, brick & driveways
Dog on concrete
Dog urine follows the same steps as any pet urine, so start with the solids and blotting, then the paper towel layers. Dogs tend to return to a spot they can still smell, so don't skip the odor step even if the stain looks light.
Check the edges of the area too, since the mark can run wider than the visible stain. Once it's dry, sniff the spot again, and repeat the wash and alcohol pad only if the stain is still visible.
Pet on a concrete patio
On a patio, blot up as much as you can before the urine soaks deeper into the slab. Keep the wash water and alcohol on the stained area rather than flooding the patio.
Check where the urine may have run off the edge. If it reached a rug or carpet, use the Carpet & Rugs guide for that part.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Old pet spots are found by smell, or with a black light in a dark room, and then lightly outlined with chalk. Saturate the spot and the area around it with an enzymatic pet stain-and-odor cleaner so it soaks into the concrete. Cover it with a damp towel so it stays moist for 24 to 48 hours, then uncover it and let it dry.
If the spot dries out before the smell is gone, saturate it again and cover it for another soak. Check by smell only once the spot is fully dry.
For a deep, localized stain that still shows, a poultice can help: spread a paste of talc, whiting, fuller's earth, diatomaceous earth or clay mixed with a solvent suited to the stain, at least 1/8 inch thick. Cover it with plastic for 24 hours, let it dry, then scrape or brush it off, and repeat as needed. Proprietary stain-specific cleaners are a better choice than homemade mixes, and an older stain that has built up needs stronger methods with more risk to the concrete, so a professional may be worth calling for that.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on pet stains on concrete, brick & driveways?
Most home remedies suggested for pet stains aren't needed. On concrete, warm sudsy water and an enzymatic cleaner do the work, so most other remedies can stay in the cupboard.
Works1Skip5
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't use ammonia on the spot
Household ammonia smells like urine, so it can draw the pet straight back to the same spot. Leave it out of the cleaning entirely.
Don't put bleach on fresh urine
Urine contains ammonia compounds, and mixing them with chlorine bleach can give off hazardous gases. Bleach doesn't remove urine odor anyway, so it adds risk without fixing the smell.
Don't stop once the stain looks gone
The stain can look clean while the odor is still there, and the odor is what draws a pet back. Finish with the enzymatic cleaner even after the visible mark is gone.
Don't pour alcohol straight onto the slab
Soak an absorbent pad and wring it as dry as you can before it touches the mark. A damp pad keeps the alcohol where the urine is and away from the rest of the patio.
Don't leave alcohol residue behind
After each alcohol pad, wipe the area with a cloth dampened in water so none of it is left on the surface. Dry it with a soft cloth before you decide whether the mark has lifted.
When to call a professional
Get a restoration specialist's opinion if the patio is historic, has a water repellent on it, or the mark has resisted the steps here. Tell them it's pet urine on concrete, how long it has been there, and which cleaners you've already tried. If the mark can't be identified, a testing lab can analyze a sample before anything stronger goes on.
Questions
Why does my dog's pee stain the pavement?
Urine soaks into porous materials like concrete, and the mark and odor settle in with it. Start cleaning soon after the accident so the spot doesn't stay wet for long.
What if it's vomit or feces, not urine?
Scrape up the solids with a rounded spoon first, without pushing them into the pile. Then blot any liquid and follow the same wash and alcohol steps.
Why use a pad instead of pouring alcohol on the spot?
A pad keeps the alcohol on the stain, and wringing it out first stops it from running across the concrete. Lay it on the spot and leave it for 5 minutes rather than pouring and mopping.
What do I do if the smell is still there after one round?
Give the spot another round of enzymatic cleaner, using the longer soak from the old-spot section. Check the smell again once it's dry, and repeat if it's still there.
Does cat urine need different treatment on concrete?
No, the steps are the same, since cat urine is still urine soaking into porous concrete. Follow the blotting, alcohol pad and enzymatic cleaner steps, and give an old spot the longer soak.
Can I pressure wash the patio to lift the urine?
A pressure washer is a poor match for this job, because force doesn't lift urine residue the way the pad and suds do. Anything over 800 psi can erode masonry, so keep any spraying gentle if you use one at all. Warm, sudsy water and the alcohol pad will do more for this stain than pressure will.
Is warm water safe to use on concrete?
Yes, warm water with a mild sudsy solution is the first step in this method, and the surface can take it. Use a sponge rather than a brush, and rinse well so the suds don't dry on the concrete. Keep the pressure low and the water moving, and you'll have a cleaner result with less effort.
How long should the patio dry before my dog walks on it?
The steps don't give a set time, so wait until the area is fully dry before your dog goes back on it. Rinse off any leftover cleaner first, since cleaner should never be left to dry on the surface. Check that the spot looks even in good light before you let your pet back in.
Pet Stains on other materials
Other stains on concrete, brick & driveways
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.