First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Blot up as much as you can while it's wet, pressing a thick stack of paper towels onto the spot.
- Don't rub. Rubbing pushes urine deeper into the fibers and spreads it.
- Rinse the spot with clean, cool water and blot it dry before the full treatment.
Pet urine on clothes soaks in quickly, and as it dries it leaves both a stain and an odor that get more noticeable over time, which is why a fresh spot is much easier to lift than one that has set. Start with cool water right away rather than waiting for the item to dry, since the smell is what can keep a pet returning to the same spot. Heat can lock the stain and odor into man-made fibers, so skip the heat cycle until both have lifted.
A prewash stain remover stick worked into the spot before the wash is the first move for dog pee on white clothes. Dried dog urine often needs an oxygen bleach powder soaked in before washing. If the smell lingers after both, an enzyme laundry pretreater is the next thing to try.
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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- Cool running waterFlushes urine out without setting it into the fibers.
- Paper towels and a clean, damp towelBlot the urine first, then lift off the remover residue. (opens Amazon)
- Color-safe laundry stain removerPretreats the spot and goes in the wash for colored items. (opens Amazon)
- Laundry detergentWashes out the urine and any remaining residue. (opens Amazon)
- Laundry odor removerTargets the smell that can linger after the spot looks clean. (opens Amazon)
- Chlorine bleachOnly for white items the care label allows, used in its own wash. (opens Amazon)
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7 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 7
Rinse out as much urine
Hold the stained area under cool running water from the back of the fabric, so the urine flushes out instead of being pushed further in. Keep rinsing until most of the urine is gone. Then press the area between clean towels to blot out the wetness.
Careful. Don't use hot water on the stain before it is out, because heat can set the urine protein.
Step 2 of 7
Test and pretreat the spot
Test a hidden seam with the color-safe stain remover first, and watch for any color change. If the fabric holds up, pour the remover directly onto the stain or apply it with a clean towel until the stain is covered.
Careful. Test an inconspicuous area before any product touches the stain.
Step 3 of 75–10 minutes
Let the remover sit
Let the remover sit on the stain for 5–10 minutes so it can work into the fibers. Then blot with a clean, damp towel to lift off the product residue before you wash.
Step 4 of 7
Wash with detergent
Wash the item with your regular detergent at the hottest temperature the care label allows, since the stain is already pretreated. For colored items, add the color-safe stain remover along with the detergent. Keep bleach out of colored loads.
Step 5 of 7
Add odor remover to rinse
Pour the laundry odor remover into the fabric softener dispenser or directly into the rinse cycle. Odor can linger after the spot looks clean, so this step is needed on every item, colors and whites alike.
Careful. Rinse thoroughly between removers before any bleach goes in.
Step 6 of 7
Bleach white items
For white items the care label allows, wash with detergent and 1/3 cup of chlorine bleach in a separate wash, after everything else is rinsed out. Colors skip this wash, since bleach is only for white items.
Careful. Use chlorine bleach only on colorfast white items the care label allows; never on wool, silk, mohair, leather or spandex.
Step 7 of 7
Check before drying
Before the item goes near a dryer, check that the stain and the smell are both gone. If the smell is still there, wash it again instead of drying it, because heat makes lingering odor harder to remove.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for pet urine on clothes
Look for a color-safe laundry stain remover for colored items, a non-chlorine oxygen bleach for colorfast fabric, and a laundry odor remover that is made for pet smells. Check the label before buying, since not every product suits fabric.
Puracy Laundry Stain Remover
ECOS OXO Brite Stain & Odor Remover Pre-Wash Spray
Nature’s Miracle Dog Stain & Odor Remover, Enzymatic Cleaner, 32 oz
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 look and feel clean, with no dampness or discoloration left once the item is dry. The item should also smell neutral, with no trace of urine. If any smell is left after the final wash, hold off on the dryer and treat it again first.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your clothes
Smell and odor
For odor, the change is the odor remover in the rinse, and it has to go in on every wash until the item smells clean. Odor can flare up when the fabric is damp, so store the item only after it's dry and odor-free.
If the smell survives one wash, run the odor remover through another wash before drying. Don't skip the smell check just because the stain itself has faded.
White clothes and white shirts
White items are the only ones that get chlorine bleach, and only if the care label allows it. Use 1/3 cup in a wash with detergent, after the urine has been rinsed out and the spot has been pretreated.
If a white item doesn't allow bleach, skip the bleach and repeat the pretreatment instead. Then check the item again before it goes near the dryer.
Unknown care label or fabric
Without a care tag or with an unknown fiber, don't guess at the fabric. Keep every wash in cool water, skip the bleach, and use the color-safe remover only after a hidden-area test.
If the item is wool, silk or spandex, take it to a cleaner rather than pushing the stain with more products.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Older urine is harder to remove than a fresh spot, but it often comes out with a longer soak. Scrape or brush off any crusted matter first, then soak the item in cold water with an enzyme presoak that can be left overnight.
If the urine has dried, the soak may need several rounds before the stain is gone. On colorfast fabric, you can also run a non-chlorine oxygen bleach wash with 1 cup detergent plus 1 cup non-chlorine bleach, after testing a hidden area first.
Heat from the dryer sets an old stain, so don't dry the item until the stain is gone. If the stain and smell are still there after several rounds, take the item to a professional cleaner rather than pushing harder.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on pet urine on clothes?
Plenty of home remedies get suggested for pet urine on clothes. A few of these suit urine on clothes, and the rest aren't worth the trouble.
Helps1Skip5
Chemical safety
Never mix these
Some products in this guide react dangerously with each other. Use them one at a time and rinse with water in between.
Chlorine bleach + Oxygen bleach (OxiClean)
Both makers advise against combining them: OxiClean says not to mix it with chlorine bleach, and Clorox says the two bleaches cancel each other out.
Chlorine bleach + Fabric softener
Clorox says not to mix bleach with other household chemicals, and no maker says the two can be combined.
If they mix by accident: Don't use the mixture; ventilate the room and avoid breathing fumes or touching it; call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for disposal advice or if anyone feels unwell.
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't let it dry first
Urine that dries on fabric becomes harder to remove, and its stain and smell grow more noticeable over time. Treat it as soon as you can, even if the first step is only a quick rinse at the sink.
Don't dry or iron a stained item
Heat locks the stain in, and it can become impossible to remove. Keep the item away from the dryer and the iron until both the stain and the smell are gone.
Don't rub it with bar soap
Bar soap sets many stains, and rubbing pushes the urine deeper into the fabric. Use the detergent in the wash instead.
Don't use an ammonia cleaner
Ammonia smells like urine, and that can draw the pet back to the same spot. Mixing it with chlorine bleach can give off hazardous fumes, so keep the two apart.
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. Take washable items too 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 pee stain clothes?
Yes. Urine soaks into fabric and leaves a stain and an odor that become more noticeable as time goes on. Treat it while it's still wet, and it's much easier to remove.
Why does the smell come back after washing?
The smell comes from bacteria breaking down the urea in urine, and it keeps going as long as there is moisture. Make sure the item smells clean before it is dried or stored.
Can I use chlorine bleach on pet urine?
Only on white items the care label allows, and only after the urine is rinsed out and the stain is pretreated. Never use it on wool, silk, mohair, leather or spandex.
What if the clothes are dry-clean only?
Take them to a professional dry cleaner promptly, and tell them the fiber content and the stain. Don't try to wash dry-clean-only clothing at home.
Will cool water alone remove dog urine from clothes?
Cool water removes as much urine as it can, but the pretreatment and the wash are what lift the rest of the stain. Use the steps in order rather than stopping after the rinse.
Can I use vinegar on dog urine on clothes?
No, skip vinegar on clothes. It can weaken some fabrics and change colors, so the color-safe remover and detergent in the wash do the job instead.
How long can I wait before treating the stain?
Treat it as soon as possible. The longer urine sits, the more it soaks in and smells, and an older stain needs the soak and repeat rounds described in the old-stain section.
Pet Urine 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.