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Getting out stubborn odors from dog urine can be challenging. Whether you are dealing with a puppy, senior, or another dog with an incontinence problem, the issue is all too familiar. When your dog decides to do their business in your home, it can ruin some of your favorite fabrics.
Carpet and rugs can be pretty expensive—and who wants to replace them prematurely? Luckily, you can find a solution for even the most embedded smells. Here are six solutions, along with steps.
The 6 Tips on How to Get Dog Pee Smells Out of Carpets & Rugs
1. Enzymatic Cleaners
One of the easiest and most efficient strategies for getting rid of old, lingering urine smells is to use an enzymatic cleaner. These cleaners are designed to break down the molecules that make pet urine stink. There are many options available, so make sure you do your research and find one that works best for the household surface that you’re working on.
Our favorite enzyme cleaner is the Hepper Advanced Bio-Enzyme Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator Spray because it permanently removes even the very worst pet stains and smells you can imagine (and makes clean-up a breeze). They even offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee! Click here to order a bottle and freshen up your home today.
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2. Baking Soda & Vinegar Solution
If you want to use something you already have on hand, a baking soda and vinegar solution is an easy, cheap fix for fresh stains. This option is best for the areas that are still wet. Following just a few steps, you can remove waste and the odors associated with them.
Vinegar and baking soda work together nicely without damaging the quality of your carpet. It’s a wonderful natural option as opposed to harsh chemicals.
Step 1. Blot Carpet Dry
Before you start extensively cleaning, it’s best to transfer as much of the liquid out of the carpet as you can. Take a scrap towel, cloth, or paper towel to draw the urine or waste from the carpet.
Step 2. Apply Vinegar Solution
Next, make a vinegar solution with equal parts white vinegar and water. Generously apply the mixture to the area to remove stains and neutralize smells.
Step 3. Sprinkle Baking Soda on the Stain
While the vinegar solution is still saturated on the carpet, sprinkle baking soda on top. You might notice this combination fizz—just take it as a sign it’s doing its job. This concoction will both eliminate odors and remove stains.
Step 4. Vacuum Area
Once the area is completely dry, you can vacuum it up and you should find your fabric is as good as new.
3. Use a Wet Vac
Older stains have had more time to set and are much harder to remove. When it comes to flooring and furniture, one of the best tools for removing these deep stains is a wet vacuum. You can even add enzymatic cleaners to the vacuum to break down the compounds even further.
4. Baking Soda, Vinegar, Hydrogen Peroxide, & Dish Detergent Solution
If you have an area with dried urine that’s been there for a questionable amount of time, you might try this solution instead. It gets deep into the fabrics or surfaces to remove those unpleasant odors. This is extremely similar to our number one method but with an extra odor-reducing twist.
You will need four total supplies:
Again, this works best on dried spots. Have a try.
Step 1. Blot Carpet Dry
Before you start to clean, you need the carpet to be completely dry. Check the moisture by touching the carpet or rug with a paper towel.
Step 2. Apply Vinegar Solution
Once the carpet is blotted dry, it’s time to make your vinegar solution. In a bowl or glass, take equal portions of vinegar and water to dilute the potency slightly.
Once you have your combination, apply the vinegar directly to the area to saturate the spot. Gently scrub the entire spot for several minutes with clean, absorbent material until it mostly dries.
Step 3. Apply Baking Soda
Once the area is mostly dry, it’s time to apply the baking soda powder. This part is to neutralize the odors associated with pet waste.
You should generously sprinkle the baking soda on the affected area. Wait 24 hours before continuing.
Step 4. Vacuum Area
Once the area is totally dry, you can vacuum up the solution with your vacuum. If you have one, it might be easier to use a handheld vacuum for this part. Either way, it might take several passes to get the solution up.
5. Use a Carpet Cleaner
If you have a carpet cleaner on hand, this might make your life easy breezy. They make solutions specifically for carpet cleaners to remove stains and smells from our beloved pets’ messes.
To preserve your carpet fibers, always use a recommended carpet cleaner that is compatible with the fabric. Next, you’ll want to make sure you do a quick sweep over warnings and ingredients to ensure it’s safe for both human and furry friends in your home.
Some cleaners are quite potent until dry, so you might have to close off a room until it completely airs out. Use all instructions that come with your particular carpet cleaner.
If you don’t yet own a carpet cleaner, you can rent them at several locations potentially near you. Also, you can buy a pet-specific carpet cleaner for all your needs—if it’s in your budget, of course.
6. Hire a Professional
Professional cleaners have access to stronger equipment and chemicals that the average person might not be able to get their hands on. Not only that, but they usually have a few dog urine-neutralizing tricks up their sleeves that you might not know about!
What Neutralizes Dog Urine Smells?
There are two major directions you can go when neutralizing dog urine smells: commercial products and simple home remedies.
Enzymatic cleaners are specially designed to break down the odor-causing molecules in pet urine. They contain a certain kind of bacteria that speeds up the decomposition of the natural matter (in this case, what’s left of your dog’s pee). If that sounds complicated, don’t worry: it isn’t! All you have to do is spray on the cleaner and wait about 15 minutes. You’ll have to invest a little bit of money, but this is the most effective (and easiest) way to actually get rid of the odor. It’s worth noting that this is the kind of cleaning solution most professionals use.
If you want to try a home remedy, white vinegar can be fairly effective and highly affordable. Acidic molecules in vinegar bond with volatile, odor-causing molecules in the carpet, effectively neutralizing the cause of the lingering smell. In essence, white vinegar also helps break down dog pee smells.
Common Causes of Accidents in the Home
If your dog is going to the potty in the house, there’s usually a logical and easy-to-identify reason this is happening. You can be proactive, enforcing good habits or putting precautions in place to eliminate rug or carpet accidents.
Potty Training Accidents
Your pup has their first introduction to the world—they’re going to make mistakes. Puppy pads are a momentary aid in training, but you should really limit the amount of time you use them.
Sometimes, with the overuse of puppy pads, your dog might prefer fabrics to grasses, especially when no other option is available. To eliminate this issue, try only to use puppy pads when no other option is available.
It can take something like going to the potty in the house no time to become a habit. Use your best judgment and try to keep your puppy on a set schedule. When you can’t, that’s when it’s time to prepare the reinforcements.
Dog Marking
If your dog has reached sexual maturity but remains intact, your male might have a problem with marking. Marking is very distinctive, as males use the tactic to let a potential lady friend know that they are around.
Now, granted, you might wonder who they are trying to attract in the living room with no other dogs around—but we digress. It’s part of their natural instincts.
The best way to end marking issues is to opt for neuter surgery. Prices for this surgery range and there are plenty of affordable options to keep your pets from reproducing.
Here are some options along with average costs:
Dog Incontinence
As our pooches age, incontinence can be an all-too-common issue for seniors. Many health problems can cause incontinence issues, but so can normal old age wear and tear on the body.
As your dog ages, it’s time to get creative on how to help them manage. Some dogs are highly active until the day they cross the rainbow bridge. Others run into more health issues along the way than most which can cause complications.
Not only can you buy puppy pads for fabric protection, but you can also check out some diaper options your dogs can wear.
Final Thoughts
Dog pee doesn’t have to give you any trouble. You can safely neutralize dog urine smells with all-natural options or opt for highly effective enzyme cleaners that can help. Whether you clean up by hand or rely on a carpet cleaner, you can get out even the most stubborn smells with enough effort.
And if you just can’t fully get rid of that smell in your rug, consider a pet-friendly upgrade!
Featured Image Credit: New Africa, Shutterstock
