If your dog accidentally pees on your new carpet, you need to know how to get rid of the urine that's stuck to the carpet so it doesn't stink. You can use household appliances to clean dog urine stains, make your own odor-neutralizing product, or use over-the-counter cleaning products. See step one to learn more about how.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Using Household Appliances To Neutralize Bad Odors
Step 1. Clean the surface exposed to dog urine with a wet and dry vacuum cleaner
Wet and dry vacuum cleaners are vacuum cleaners that can be used, not only to suck up dry items but also liquids, such as spilled water. Use the vacuum cleaner to suck urine from the carpet or floor. This suction can prevent urine from soaking into the carpet or into the deeper layers of the floor (especially on carpeted or hardwood floors). Absorbed urine can produce an unpleasant odor that can be very difficult to get rid of.
You can also use a few pieces of newsprint or paper towels to soak up urine on the carpet or floor if you don't have a vacuum cleaner. It's a good idea to do a urine absorption as soon as you notice that your dog is urinating on your carpet or floor. Discard the newspaper or dry towel that has been wet and replace it with a new one. Continue until all the urine appears to have been absorbed. This can help prevent urine from sinking into the deeper layers of the carpet
Step 2. Use an ultraviolet light to look for traces of dog urine on the carpet or floor
If you don't have time to clean the urine immediately after your dog has urinated, and you don't know where the urine came from, use an ultraviolet light to look for surfaces or spots where your dog's urine has been exposed. There are many ultraviolet light producing devices that are sold in the market at low prices. Once you find traces of urine, mark the place by placing any object nearby so you don't forget the place.
Inexpensive ultraviolet light kits can generally be purchased at a home appliance depot or hardware store
Step 3. Use a solution of vinegar and water to clean the surface that is exposed to urine
Make this solution in a 50:50 ratio. For example, if you use 500 milliliters of water, then you should use 500 milliliters of vinegar. The amount of solution you make will depend on how much of the spot or surface your dog's urine has touched.
Step 4. Spray or splash a solution of vinegar and water on the surface where the dog's urine is exposed
You may need to use a sufficient amount of the solution to ensure that it absorbs into the deeper layers of the carpet and removes any unpleasant odors that cling to the layers. In addition to eradicating unpleasant odors, the solution can also smoothen back the layers that have hardened due to exposure to urine.
Step 5. Gently brush the urine-affected surface
Use a sponge or cloth to clean the surface. Make sure the surface that is exposed to urine has been given a solution of vinegar and water before brushing. This can help remove hardened urine, either on the carpet surface or in the deeper layers of the carpet or floor.
Step 6. Reuse the vacuum cleaner to clean the surface that was exposed to the urine
After you have finished cleaning and brushing the urine stained surface, clean the surface again using a vacuum cleaner so that the vinegar and water solution and the urine that has been removed can be sucked out.
Again, you can use paper towels or newsprint to absorb the vinegar and water solution and urine if you don't have a vacuum cleaner
Step 7. Sprinkle baking soda on the surface that is exposed to urine
Once the surface is dry, sprinkle baking soda on the surface. Make sure you sprinkle baking soda on the surface of the carpet or floor that is exposed to urine evenly. Baking soda can help neutralize bad odors on your carpet or floors.
Step 8. Make a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and dish soap
Mix 250 milliliters of liquid hydrogen peroxide (at a concentration of 3%) with 5 milliliters of dish soap in a spray bottle. Make sure that the liquid hydrogen peroxide you use has a concentration of 3%, as higher concentrations can actually damage your carpet or floors. You should also make sure that the dish soap you use does not contain bleach, as these substances can stain your carpet.
Step 9. Spray the hydrogen peroxide mixture on the urine-affected surface
Spray the mixture on the surface you previously sprinkled with baking soda. After you've sprayed the hydrogen peroxide mixture on the area, put on rubber gloves and re-brush the surface with a sponge or brush that you won't be using again (unless you intend to use it again to clean dog urine).
Step 10. Allow the surface to dry completely
This drying may take several hours. Once the surface doesn't feel wet when you touch it, use the vacuum again to remove any remaining baking soda that may not have mixed with the hydrogen peroxide mixture.
It's important to note that old urine stains may fade the color of your carpet
Method 2 of 3: Making Your Own Odor Neutralizing Product
This method of neutralizing unpleasant odors is most suitable for cleaning walls and floors that are exposed to dog urine. Although this method is also effective for cleaning urine from carpets, it is the most effective method for cleaning urine from walls or floors because usually the urine on the walls or floor has not dried.
Step 1. Purchase English salt (also known as Epsom salt) or alum (potassium alum)
You can get these two products at grocery stores or pharmacies. You are free to choose which product to use, English salt or alum, as both have the same effect on dog urine. These products can kill bacteria that can increase the unpleasant odor on the surface that is exposed to urine, as well as absorb the remnants of urine fluid.
Step 2. Make an odor-neutralizing mixture
Dissolve 200 grams of English salt or alum in 800 milliliters of water to produce 1 liter of odor neutralizing mixture. Transfer the solution to a spray bottle to make it easier to apply the solution to places where urine is exposed.
Step 3. Immediately clean the surface of the carpet or floor that is exposed to urine
If the urine looks fresh, immediately use paper towels, newsprint, or a wet and dry vacuum cleaner to absorb (suction) the urine. Once you've removed as much of the urine as possible, spray the odor-neutralizing solution on the surface. Leave it for a few minutes.
If the urine has dried long enough, spray the odor neutralizing solution on the surface that was exposed to the urine and allow the solution to soak into the surface for 30 minutes or more. The longer you allow the solution to soak, the more effectively it will work to destroy and absorb the urine that has dried on the carpet
Step 4. Dry the surface of the solution you have sprayed
After three or four minutes, clean the surface and use a paper towel or wet and dry vacuum cleaner to suck up the solution on the surface. Once the surface is dry enough, re-spray the odor neutralizing solution on the surface. This time, let the solution dry on its own. The drying solution will continue to kill the bacteria that are on the surface that is exposed to urine.
Method 3 of 3: Using Odor Neutralizing Products
Select the type of product you will use. There are two types of cleaning products that can be used to neutralize dog urine odors. These products are enzyme-based products and oxidizing products.
Step 1. Try using an enzyme-based deodorizing product
These products contain enzymes that can break down urine into small molecules that are then eaten by certain bacteria. These bacteria are contained in the product and can eradicate bad odors. Examples of enzyme products you can use are:
100% Natural Pet-Dog-Cat Urine and Stain Odor Remover (Nature's Secret Weapon™), Stink-Free™ Urine Odor Remover, Roco & Roxie Supply™ Pet Stain and Odor Remover, Best Carpet Enzyme Cleaner (Bubba's Rowdy Friends Pet) Supply Inc.), and Urine-Off™
Step 2. Try using an oxidizing product
These products can be directly sprayed on surfaces or places that have a urine odor. Oxidizing products can neutralize bad odors by killing odor-producing bacteria and preventing stains from being left behind. They also contain ingredients that stay on the surface you've sprayed on so they can continue to neutralize bad odors, bind to urine molecules, and prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi.
Examples of oxidizing products that you can use are Oxyfresh Pet Deodorizer with Oxygen and Shout Turbo Oxy Stain & Odor Remover
Step 3. Make sure you use the product in the right amount
When using odor-neutralizing products, whether they contain enzymes or oxidizing products, it's important that you use them in larger amounts than your dog excretes. Usually a medium-sized dog excretes about 125 milliliters of urine. Therefore, the amount of product you can use is approximately 250 milliliters.
Step 4. Apply the product on the surface that is exposed to urine
For this step, it's a good idea to read the instructions for use that are on the bottle or product box. However, almost all products are applied directly to the surface that is exposed to urine and allowed to soak on the surface for a certain duration. After the liquid has soaked on the surface (such as carpet), it's a good idea to suck the liquid using a vacuum cleaner, or absorb it with paper towels, newsprint, or cloth towels that are not used.
- When cleaning urine from concrete surfaces (such as walls), you will need to use three times as much odor neutralizing product. For example, if your dog excretes approximately 60 milliliters of urine, then the amount of product you should use is three times the amount of urine excreted (60 milliliters x 3 = 180 milliliters).
- To clean a carpet that has been exposed to dog urine several times, it's a good idea to lift the carpet and also clean the floor underneath. Otherwise, there is a chance that the bad smell will persist.
- If you clean your car seat from dog urine, use twice as much odor neutralizing product. You need to know that the foam in car seats can absorb more liquid than carpet or other floor coverings.
