First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Blot up as much as you can while it's wet, using paper towels topped with newspaper.
- Don't rub. Rubbing pushes urine deeper into the fibers.
- Rinse with clean, cool water and blot dry, without soaking the carpet.
- Saturate the spot with an enzymatic pet stain-and-odor cleaner.
Urine soaks deep into carpet fibers and porous materials, and as it dries it leaves both a stain and an odor that get more noticeable over time. The smell comes from bacteria breaking down the urea, which keeps going while there is moisture, so it can flare up on humid days or right after cleaning. Left alone, urine salts become highly alkaline and can bleach carpet dyes, so the sooner you act, the better.
Blot, don't rub, and work from the outside edge toward the middle so the urine doesn't spread deeper into the fibers. If you're trying to get pet urine smell out of carpet, expect it to take a few tries before it's gone. A carpet cleaner for dog pee helps most when the spot is fresh, so don't wait for it to dry.
8 items
What you'll need
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- Paper towelsAbsorb the urine as it comes up out of the carpet. (opens Amazon)
- NewspaperSits on top of the towels so you can press down on them.
- Enzymatic pet stain-and-odor cleanerTreats the urine in the fibers, pad and backing, where the odor lives. (opens Amazon)
- Clean, cool waterRinses out the surface urine before the cleaner goes on.
- Clean dry towelsCover old spots so they stay moist while the cleaner works.
- ChalkOutlines old spots so you can find them again.
- Black lightShows old urine stains in a dark room. (opens Amazon)
- VacuumLifts the fibers once the spot has dried.
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5 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 5
Blot up the fresh urine
Lay a thick layer of paper towels over the spot, top them with newspaper, and stand on it for about a minute. Replace the towels and repeat until the area is barely damp.
Tip. Work from the edge of the spot toward the center so the urine doesn't spread.
Careful. Don't rub. Rubbing pushes urine deeper into the fibers and spreads it.
Step 2 of 5
Rinse with clean, cool water
Pour a little clean, cool water on the spot, then blot it dry with paper towels. Keep the water light so the carpet only gets damp, not wet.
Careful. Don't soak the carpet with water. It's bad for the subfloor.
Step 3 of 5
Saturate with enzymatic pet cleaner
Saturate the spot with an enzyme product, specifically an enzymatic pet stain-and-odor cleaner, enough to reach as deep as the urine went. Let the product sit for the full dwell time on its label before you do anything else.
Step 4 of 5
Let the spot dry
Let the spot air-dry completely, and keep pets and foot traffic off it until it's dry. Once it's dry, vacuum the area to lift the fibers.
Step 5 of 5
Smell the spot to check
Check the dry spot by smell, since the odor is the part that comes back. If you can still smell urine, saturate the spot with the enzyme product again and let it dry.
Tip. Smell the spot when it's dry, not while it's still wet.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for pet urine
Choose an enzymatic pet stain-and-odor cleaner rather than a general carpet cleaner, and read its label for dwell time and which fabrics it suits.
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.
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 Urine on every material
No match. Try the main search for anything else.
How to tell it's working
The first round is working when the spot is barely damp after blotting and the rinse comes up clean. A spot that is dry and has no urine smell is done, while a smell that returns once it dries means the cleaner didn't reach deep enough yet.
What changes for yours
Adjust for where the stain is
Pet urine smell on carpet and rugs
The smell comes from bacteria breaking down the urea in urine, and it keeps going as long as the spot stays moist. That's why it can flare up on humid days or right after you clean the area.
Treat the smell the same way as the stain, with the enzymatic cleaner reaching as deep as the urine went. If the odor comes back, the cleaner didn't reach the deeper layers, so saturate the spot again.
Dog urine on carpet
Dog urine on carpet gets the same blot, rinse and enzymatic treatment as any pet urine, so follow the steps above without changes. Urine soaks deeper into carpet than the visible spot, so the cleaner has to reach the pad.
For a large spot, work from the outside edge toward the center so the urine doesn't spread. Blot in sections rather than all at once.
Dog urine on rugs
If you can, move the rug onto a hard floor or take it outside, then blot and rinse it with the same steps. The enzymatic cleaner has to reach the pad under the rug, so don't treat only the top of the pile.
Wool rugs are the exception, because the enzymatic cleaner isn't safe on wool. Blot a wool rug and stop there, then call a professional. If you can't tell what fiber the rug is, check the care tag, and if there's none, don't apply the enzyme product until you know it's safe.
Puppy urine on carpet
Puppy accidents clean up the same way as adult dog urine, with the blot, rinse and enzymatic steps. Clean each accident as soon as you see it, so the smell doesn't stick around.
Put the urine-soaked paper towel in the dog's designated bathroom area so the puppy learns where to go. Watch the puppy indoors, take it out at the first signs, and crate or tether it when you can't supervise. If accidents keep happening, have a vet rule out medical causes.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Old spots often show up by smell rather than sight, especially on a damp day. Darken the room and check with a black light to find them, then lightly outline each one with chalk.
Saturate each spot and the area around it with an enzymatic cleaner, enough to reach the backing and pad on carpet. Cover it with a damp towel so it stays moist for 24 to 48 hours, then uncover it, let it dry and vacuum.
If the smell or stain is still there once it's dry, repeat the treatment. For deep old stains, leave the product on for a couple of days before you let it dry. Old urine can bleach carpet dyes, so a faded patch may remain after the smell is gone.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on pet urine?
Plenty of home remedies are floating around for pet urine. Most of these don't suit urine, and a few should stay off carpet altogether.
Works1Skip4Avoid1
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't steam-clean urine out of carpet
Heat permanently sets the stain and odor by bonding the protein into man-made fibers. It also kills the biological enzymes and bacteria in pet products, so the cleaner stops working.
Don't use ammonia-based cleaners
Their smell resembles urine, and that can draw the pet back to the same spot. Use an enzymatic pet product instead.
Don't use chlorine bleach on fresh urine
Urine contains ammonia compounds, and mixing them with bleach can produce hazardous gases. Bleach doesn't remove urine odor anyway, so it has no place in this cleanup.
Don't use laundry detergent on carpet
Optical brighteners in detergent can dye the fiber, and leftover residue attracts soil. Stick to the enzymatic pet cleaner for carpet and rugs.
Don't put a washable item in the dryer yet
Heat makes lingering odor harder to remove, so wait until both stain and odor are gone. Air-dry the item and check the smell before it goes in the dryer.
When to call a professional
Call a professional cleaner if the odor keeps coming back after you've treated the spot fully, or if the urine has soaked through to the subfloor. A professional is also the right call for a wool rug, since the enzyme product isn't safe on wool.
Questions
What's the best way to clean dog urine from carpet and rugs?
Blot up as much as you can, rinse with clean, cool water, then saturate the spot with an enzymatic pet stain-and-odor cleaner. Let it sit for the dwell time on the label, then let it dry and vacuum. Rugs follow the same steps, with the wool exception covered above.
What should I use to clean dog urine?
Use an enzymatic pet stain-and-odor cleaner after you've blotted and rinsed the spot with cool water. It's the product type made for urine that has soaked into fibers, pad and backing.
Why does the pet urine smell come back?
The smell usually returns when the cleaner didn't reach as deep as the urine went, or when the spot gets moist again. Humid days and cleaning can bring it back, so treat the spot until the dry spot smells clean.
Which enzymatic cleaner should I buy for dog urine?
Look for an enzymatic pet stain-and-odor cleaner, since that is the product type this cleanup calls for. Check its label for the dwell time and whether it's safe on your carpet or rug.
Does a homemade cleaner work on dog pee?
Most homemade mixes aren't made for urine, so an enzymatic pet product is the one to use. Stick to an enzymatic pet product, which is made for the urine itself.
Can a regular carpet cleaner remove dog pee?
A general carpet cleaner isn't the right product for urine. An enzymatic pet stain-and-odor cleaner is made for this job, and its label tells you how to use it on your carpet.
Can dried dog urine still be removed?
Yes, but it usually takes more than one round. Saturate the spot and the area around it with an enzymatic cleaner, cover it with a damp towel for 24 to 48 hours, then uncover, dry and vacuum.
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.