Having a dog and a carpet forces you to memorize all the steps necessary to remove the little accidents left by your companion on your precious rug. What’s worse is that dried dog pee stains are harder to remove, as is the smell of urine-soaked into carpet fibers.
Fortunately, with a little elbow grease, common household products, easy-to-find commercial products, and this guide, you can get rid of those unsightly, stubborn, and foul-smelling stains.
Before You Start: Gather Your Materials
Image Credit: Africa Studio, Shutterstock
White vinegar
Clean cloth
Water
Baking soda
Dish Soap
Vacuum
Enzymatic cleaner (optional)
How To Get Dried Dog Pee Out of a Carpet (4 Ways)
1. Use a Mixture of Vinegar and Water
Vinegar is the enemy of dog urine stains, whether fresh or dry. Its acidic properties attack the alkaline residues contained in dry dog urine, helping to eliminate lingering odors.
To remove old pee stains, just soak the spot with diluted vinegar and blot it all up with a clean cloth:
Mix equal parts white vinegar and water. Ideally, you should use enough to prepare the solution to soak the entire stained area.
Pour a small amount of the mixture directly onto the dried urine stain. Be careful not to spread the vinegar on clean areas of the carpet.
Allow the solution to sit for 5 minutes so that it penetrates deep into the fibers.
Blot the stain with a clean cloth or paper towels. Do this until the area is dry. Do not rub the stain with a brush, otherwise, you risk damaging the fibers of your carpet.
Repeat the previous steps if necessary. Some very old stains may require you to leave the diluted vinegar treatment on for at least 24 hours to neutralize odors.
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2. Use Dish Detergent
You can also use simple dish soap mixed in water to remove the dog pee stain. This mild product will not harm your carpet fibers but is not as effective as vinegar in neutralizing odors.
Mix half a teaspoon of dish soap in 1 cup of warm water. Stir everything until foam forms.
Cover the entire stain with the mixture. The area to be treated must be completely soaked.
Blot the area with a paper towel or clean rag. Finish with a paper towel to absorb as much dishwashing liquid as possible.
Repeat the previous steps until the stain disappears.
Pour clean water over the spot where the stain was so that no traces of detergent are left behind.
Dry the entire area with a paper towel.
3. Apply Baking Soda
Baking soda is an effective solution for eliminating stubborn pee odors. In fact, vinegar and baking soda make a great team of inexpensive yet powerful household products!
Sprinkle the dry pee stain with baking soda.
Let it rest for about 10 minutes.
Vacuum to remove residue.
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4. Mix All Methods
To put the odds on your side, you can mix all the previous methods:
Clean the area with lukewarm water and dish soap.
Blot gently with a white cloth. Rinse, making sure to remove all the washing-up liquid, then dry the carpet well.
Repeat the previous steps but with diluted vinegar to neutralize odors.
Dry the carpet completely. Then, sprinkle the pee stain with baking soda. Leave the treatment to act for at least 1 hour.
Vacuum to remove any residue.
What If All Fails?
If the previous methods failed, you have two choices:
Buy an enzymatic cleaner. Enzymatic cleaners contain, as the name suggests, enzymes that help remove stubborn urine stains and odors.
Call a professional carpet cleaner. This solution is the most expensive but also the most effective because this carpet cleaning specialist has the machines and products necessary to remove all traces of the existence of dog pee. And all this without damaging your beautiful carpet.
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FAQ: How To Get Dried Dog Pee Out of a Carpet
How to get fresh dog pee out of a carpet?
Blot up as much urine as possible with paper towels. Spray the stain with an enzymatic cleaner or diluted vinegar. Let rest and blot the area with a paper towel until it is entirely dry.
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To remove any pet stains out of your carpet, use a solution of ½ cup vinegar, 2 cups water, and 1 tablespoon dish detergent. Apply this solution to the stained area with a sponge. Blot with a dry towel and repeat the process if necessary.
Conclusion
You’ll find it easier to get your dog’s pee stain off the carpet if it’s still fresh, but you might not be home when the accident occurs. Fortunately, you can remove old, dried-on urine stains with common household products such as dish soap, vinegar, and baking soda. If that doesn’t work, you can try using an enzymatic cleaner or call a professional.
Genevieve is a biologist and science writer. Her deep love for capuchin monkeys, pumas, and kangaroos has taken her worldwide to work and volunteer for several wildlife rehabilitation centers in Bolivia, Guatemala, Canada, and Australia. As a Canadian expat, Genevieve now lives in Argentina, where she wakes up every morning to horses and cows saying hello from the vast plain next to her home office window. She is the proud mom of three rescued dogs, Lemmy, Nala, and Pochi, and a frisky kitten, Furiosa. Having the privilege of sharing her knowledge and passion for animals of all kinds is what makes her fulfilled and happy....Read more