How to Remove Dog Urine From a Rug

Cleaning up after a new puppy or an old dog is an unpleasant task. But urine can be removed from your rug easily with products you may already have in your home--products that don't have any harsh chemicals, that are safe to use around your dog and that will clean up your pets' urine stains.

Things You'll Need

  • Distilled white vinegar
  • Baking soda
  • Mild liquid detergent
  • Paper towels
  • Old rags
  • Spray bottle
  • Carpet steam machine
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Instructions

  1. Large Area Rugs

    • 1

      Soak up all excess urine from the rug with old rags or paper towels.

    • 2

      Mix a solution of 1 cup distilled white vinegar and 2 cups hot water in a spray bottle. Test a small section of your rug with the solution to see if discoloration occurs. If fading doesn't occur, spray the solution on the stained portion of the rug. Vinegar has several benefits as a cleaning agent; it destroys bacteria and smells from stains. In addition, vinegar is inexpensive and safe to use around pets and children.

    • 3

      Cover the soaked areas on the rug with several layers of old rags or paper towels. Place a heavy object on top of the towels. Use an object that won't be damaged by the vinegar solution. The pressure of the object will speed up removal of the urine in your rug. Continue to replace the towels until the carpet is completely dry.

    • 4

      Remove any lingering dog urine from your rug with baking soda. Baking soda is another inexpensive cleaning agent that removes smells and bacteria. Sprinkle the baking soda on your rug. Let it soak into your rug for 30 minutes, then vacuum.

    • 5

      Use a heated carpet steam machine filled with a liquid detergent to give an overall freshness to your rug, if needed.

    • 6

      Hang your rug outside, if possible. Fresh air and sunshine can help eliminate smells from your rug while also helping it to dry quickly.

    Small Rugs

    • 7

      Remove as much of the dog urine from the rug as you can by using old rags or paper towels.

    • 8

      Machine wash your urine-stained rug if your rug is washable. Don't place any other items in the washer with your stained rug.

    • 9

      Fill the washer with water and a mild liquid detergent. Add a cup of distilled white vinegar to the wash. The vinegar will not only kill the bacteria from the dog urine but will help stop any discoloration caused by the stain.

    • 10

      Allow your rug to dry completely by placing it in the dryer or outside.