What Removes the Smell of Dog Urine?

When house training your dog or puppy, it may have accidents in your home. Some dogs, when under stress, will also mark their territory by depositing a small amount of urine in different locations in the home, according to the Humane Society of the U.S. Remove the unpleasant odor of your dog's urine by cleaning the area with natural ingredients to keep your home smelling fresh and prevent your dog from remarking the area.

  1. Baking Soda

    • Baking soda, also called sodium bicarbonate, neutralizes the acidic pH of dog urine and its odor. After blotting up as much of the dog urine as you can with paper towels, douse the area with water or club soda to wash away the urine. After blotting again, sprinkle baking soda on the area to absorb the liquid and eliminate the odor. Leave the baking soda overnight and vacuum it up the next day. For stubborn odors, make a paste of the baking soda with water or hydrogen peroxide, let it dry, then vacuum. Place washable items in the washing machine with 1/2 cup baking soda and laundry detergent to remove dog urine odors.

    Enzymatic Urine Cleaners

    • Found in specialty pet stores, enzymatic urine cleaners contain enzymes to break down the components of dog urine and beneficial bacteria that absorb these components. These cleaners completely eliminate the urine and its odor. You can use these cleaners safely around your dog and on a variety of surfaces. Before using these cleaners, blot up the urine and rinse the area with water or club soda. Spray the cleaner on upholstery or carpet to completely saturate the area and allow it to dry naturally. Stubborn stains and odors may require a second treatment. These cleaners require no rinsing.

    Vinegar

    • You can make an all-purpose cleaner from combining equal parts vinegar and water together. This solution will neutralize the odor of dog urine on solid and fabric surfaces in your home. In addition, vinegar will kill any odor-causing bacteria that has formed in the damp dog urine. Blot and rinse away the dog urine and follow up by spraying the vinegar solution onto the surface of the area of carpet, upholstery, tile or wood. Allow the solution to dry naturally and the smell of the vinegar will dissipate overnight. The vinegar smell will also discourage your dog from urinating on the area again and leaves no residue to rinse away.

    Essential Oils

    • Essential oils are concentrated scent oils, naturally derived from plants. These oils not only smell good but have antibacterial properties to eliminate the smell of dog urine. Add five to 10 drops of essential oil to 1 cup of water and put it in a spray bottle. After blotting and rinsing away dog urine, shake the spray bottle and saturate the area with the solution. The oils will eliminate the dog urine odor and leave a pleasant scent behind. Some essential oils like eucalyptus, cinnamon or sour apple will deter your dog from revisiting the spot to urinate on again, according to Vetinfo.