Clean Dog Urine From Carpet

Man's best friend is often the culprit in household messes, and knowing how to properly clean up after your dog will make pet ownership far more enjoyable. When a dog urinates on the carpet it should be attended to as quickly as possible to better the chances for complete stain removal and to make the job easier on you. Follow the advice here and you will be on your way to eliminating this dreaded mess.

  1. Soak and Dilute

    • The first step in cleaning urine out of the carpet is to dilute the urine with water, according to Paw-rescue.org. Pour warm water directly onto the carpet and use a towel to soak up all the combined liquid. Getting to the stain quickly will prevent the growth of bacteria that will make the smell more obvious.

      You may want to re-soak the spot once more and use another dry towel to make sure you have removed as much of the original urine as possible.

    Neutralizer

    • To neutralize any urine left behind, use a solution of half water and half white vinegar. Allow the solution to soak deep into the carpet and use a brush to work it into the stain. The vinegar will neutralize the ammonia in the dog urine. A shop vac or another type of wet/dry vacuum is best for sucking up all the remaining moisture.

      Wait for the spot to dry, then sprinkle baking soda onto the stain and add a small amount of hydrogen peroxide or a peroxide-based cleaner such as Oxy Clean to the baking soda, as well as a small squirt of dishwashing liquid. Use the brush to scrub the stain again, working the baking soda well into the carpet.

      Let it dry and vacuum the residue off the carpet. The baking soda should remove the urine smell from the carpet.

      Depending on the volume of urine, you may need to repeat this process to completely remove the stain and odor.

    The Last Resort

    • If the dilution and neutralizer process above does not appear to get rid of the urine stain, it might require a steam cleaner rental or professional services to remove completely. Most places that rent steam cleaners also sell solutions designed for pet stains and odors. Only major stains left to dry long before treating should require this last resort.

    Caution

    • A sure way for your dog (or another dog) to become a repeat offender is if you do not remove the smell entirely. If you can smell it, then a dog's superior sense of smell will surely detect the odor and be urged to use the same spot again and again.

      According to Paw-rescue.org, using ammonia or any ammonia-based cleaner could make the spot appealing for another soiling. There is ammonia in urine, and a dog may mistake the smell of ammonia for urine itself. That will make the dog more likely to use the same spot again.