How to Remove Dog Urine Stains From Carpeting

Puppies and newly adopted dogs may soil indoors, and older pets occasionally have "accidents" in the house. These usually happen wherever the dog finds carpeting, because of its similarity in texture to grass and the way liquid soaks away into the fibers. This makes it harder to clean, however, and after it dries it may stain the carpet and leave an odor. Once the carpet smells of urine, the dog is more likely to soil it again as it is drawn to the odor. Rejuvenate your stained carpet and get rid of odors in your home using practical home remedies.

Things You'll Need

  • Chalk
  • 1/4 cup of white vinegar
  • 1/4 cup of pet odor shampoo (any kind)
  • 1/3 cup Simply Green all purpose liquid soap
  • ¼ cup of baking soda
  • 1 gallon of water
  • Scrubbing brush
  • Carpet cleaner, extractor or wet vac
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Instructions

    • 1

      Purchase a black light from your local hardware store. Turn out all the lights and use the black light to find the stains; it will reveal even old stains. Outline the stains with chalk so you know where to apply your cleaning products.

    • 2

      Mix the vinegar, pet odor shampoo, baking soda and Simply Green with the water. The vinegar attacks the marks on the carpet, the baking soda neutralizes the urine smell, the Simply Green provides a soapy base to lift out the dirt and the pet odor shampoo provides a pleasant scent.

    • 3

      Spread the solution over the stained areas. Scrub the stains vigorously with the scrubbing brush, and leave it 20 minutes so the cleaning agents can soak into the fibers of the carpet.

    • 4

      Use the carpet cleaner to shampoo the mixture into the carpet, and the extractor or wet vac to draw out all the cleaning agents and excess water.

    • 5

      Allow the carpet to dry completely and vacuum it to restore the pile. If the stains have been excessive, you may need to repeat the process a week later to get results.

    • 6

      Avoid future accidents by spraying the area with a solution of citronella essential oil mixed with water. This provides a citrus scent that is pleasant for humans but repels dogs, and may help prevent the dog from using your carpet to potty. If incidents do occur, deal with them immediately.

    • 7

      Prevent stains by addressing any fresh urine spots as soon as they happen. Blot up the urine using an old towel or absorbent tissue. Use the scrubbing brush and Simply Green to clean the patch, pour clean water over it to rinse, blot again and allow it to dry; follow this with a thorough vacuuming to remove any last traces.