This article was co-authored by Elisabeth Weiss. Elisabeth Weiss is a Professional Dog Trainer and owner of Dog Relations NYC, a dog training service in New York, New York. Elisabeth relies on science-based, force-free, and reward-based techniques. Elisabeth offers behavior training, puppy manners, body awareness and injury prevention, diet, exercise and dog nutrition services. Her work has been featured in New York Magazine and on the Dog Save the People podcast. She also trained all the dogs in the movie "Heart of a Dog" by Laurie Anderson that features Elisabeth's journey with Laurie Anderson's and Lou Reed's dog Lolabelle and how her passion for playing the keyboards played a significant role in improving her quality of life after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
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An unpleasant part of being a pet owner is cleaning up messes. Accidents inevitably happen from time to time, particularly while housetraining puppies. To clean urine off of bare floors, absorb it with paper towels, then disinfect with an enzyme cleaner. If your pet urinates on the carpet, blot the mess with a paper towel wet with water and a few drops of dish soap, then spray with a vinegar-based solution. To clean bedding or clothing that your dog has soiled, pretreat stains and soak in cold water; wash with vinegar and dry.
Steps
Cleaning Dog Urine From Bare Flooring
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1Absorb the mess. Tear several pieces of paper towel off the roll. Lightly place the paper towels over the spill. Let them soak up the urine; add more paper towels if necessary.[1]
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2Wipe up the urine. Put on rubber or plastic gloves. Pick up the wet paper towels. Place the paper towels in a thick, plastic bag and tie it shut to block out the odor of the urine. Throw the bag in the garbage.[2]Advertisement
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3Clean and disinfect the floor. Spray an enzyme cleaner on the part of the floor where you wiped up the urine. Using a damp cloth, wipe down the area thoroughly. Allow to air dry.[3]
- Do not use bleach to clean urine off of the floor; the combination of the ammonia in the urine and the bleach will give off harmful fumes.
Cleaning Dog Urine Out of the Carpet
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1Blot the area. To remove dog urine from the carpet, start by adding water and a few drops of dish soap to a thick cluster of paper towels. Place over the area of the carpet that your dog urinated on. Using your foot or a gloved hand, press down the mess lightly to absorb as much as possible.[4]
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2Make a cleaning solution. Mix one cup of white vinegar and one cup of water. Add a tablespoon of baking soda, stir and pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Spray a thick layer of the mixture onto the soiled area of the carpet and let it sit for 5-6 minutes.[5]
- You can also opt for a store-bought carpet cleaning spray, but avoid products containing chlorine, ammonia and sodium lauryl sulfate, which can be harmful to pets.
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3Pat down the area. With a fresh cloth, gently blot the area to absorb the solution. Let the carpet air dry. Keep pets away from the damp carpet while it dries.[6]
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4Rent a carpet cleaner. If the area is still stained, or if it still smells like urine after your first attempt to clean it, consider renting a carpet cleaner. Cleaners are usually available at local hardware stores or grocery stores for rental periods of 24 hours or more. Opt for a hot water extraction cleaner, the rates for which start at $20 a day for less expensive models.[7]
- Be sure to follow directions carefully when using a rented carpet cleaner.
Washing Dog Urine Out of Bedding or Clothes
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1Rinse thoroughly. Before washing, rinse the soiled items under cold water. Keep rinsing until you have flushed out as much of the urine as possible. Wring out excess water.[8]
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2Presoak the items. Pretreat urine stains with a liquid detergent that contains enzymes; look for enzymes commonly used in cleaning products (proteases, amylases, lipases, cellulases and mannanases) in the ingredients list on the product label.[9] Fill a sink or bathtub with cold water and soak the soiled bedding or clothing for 30 minutes. Remove the items and wring them out again.[10]
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3Load the washing machine. Place the items in the washing machine. Set a hot water wash cycle. Add detergent; if you are washing your dog's bedding, use a mild detergent that will not cause irritation to its skin.[11]
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4Add vinegar to the wash. Add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the softener dispenser of the machine. Start the wash cycle. If there is no softener dispenser in your machine, run it as usual and add the vinegar at the beginning of the final rinse cycle.[12]
- If the urine smell is too strong for these quantities, add a full cup of vinegar to the final rinse cycle.
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5Dry the items. Run items through the dryer. Alternatively (and if possible) hang the items on a clothesline to dry. The outdoor air will help neutralize the odor of urine and freshen the fabric.
- Avoid using dryer sheets, which may irritate your dog's skin.
Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow do I stop my dog urinating on everything?
Elisabeth WeissElisabeth Weiss is a Professional Dog Trainer and owner of Dog Relations NYC, a dog training service in New York, New York. Elisabeth relies on science-based, force-free, and reward-based techniques. Elisabeth offers behavior training, puppy manners, body awareness and injury prevention, diet, exercise and dog nutrition services. Her work has been featured in New York Magazine and on the Dog Save the People podcast. She also trained all the dogs in the movie "Heart of a Dog" by Laurie Anderson that features Elisabeth's journey with Laurie Anderson's and Lou Reed's dog Lolabelle and how her passion for playing the keyboards played a significant role in improving her quality of life after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Professional Dog TrainerMake sure that you're always watching or supervising your dog rather than letting them run around unattended. Most accidents tend to happen when your dog is unsupervised.
References
- ↑ http://www.thriftyfun.com/Removing-Pet-Urine-Odors-on-Floors.html
- ↑ http://www.thriftyfun.com/Removing-Pet-Urine-Odors-on-Floors.html
- ↑ http://www.thriftyfun.com/Removing-Pet-Urine-Odors-on-Floors.html
- ↑ http://www.petmd.com/dog/care/evr_dg_tips-for-removing-dog-urine-smell-from-carpet
- ↑ http://www.petmd.com/dog/care/evr_dg_tips-for-removing-dog-urine-smell-from-carpet
- ↑ http://www.petmd.com/dog/care/evr_dg_tips-for-removing-dog-urine-smell-from-carpet
- ↑ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/28/AR2005092800558.html
- ↑ http://www.stain-removal-101.com/urine-stain-removal.html
- ↑ http://www.aboutcleaningproducts.com/science/ezyme-science/
About This Article
The quicker you clean up your dog’s urine, the easier it will be to prevent any lingering odors. If your dog peed on a bare floor, lay down a pile of paper towels on top of the puddle to soak it up. Put on rubber gloves and wipe the mess away, then throw away the soaked towels in a sealed plastic bag. Spray the area with an enzyme cleaner and then wipe it clean with a damp cloth. Let the area air dry. If your dog peed on the carpet, dampen a bunch of paper towels with water and a few drops of dish soap, then blot the area to soak up as much of the mess as possible. Pat the carpet instead of rubbing it so you don’t force the urine down into the fibers. Use a carpet-safe enzyme cleaner or mix up a cleaning solution with equal parts vinegar and ammonia and about 1 teaspoon (4 g) of baking soda. Spray the cleaning solution on the stain and let it sit for about 5 minutes, then blot the area again with a clean, dry cloth. If the stain is still there, you may need to rent a carpet cleaner. To get dog urine out of clothes or bedding, rinse the stained item thoroughly in cold water, then soak it for 30 minutes in cold water with an enzyme-based pre-treatment product. Wash the items in your washing machine on the hottest setting that’s safe for the fabric. Use regular laundry detergent and add ½ cup (118 mL) to the softener dispenser. Dry the items as you normally would. To learn more from our Veterinarian co-author, like how to clean dog urine out of carpet or bedding, keep reading!
