How To Clean A Rug Soiled With Dog Urine

How to Clean Pet Urine From the Carpet

Cleaning urine from your carpet incorrectly can lead to permanent stains, foul odors, and repeat accidents. Follow these simple steps to keep your floors looking and smelling fresh later on your pet has an unexpected accident.

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No matter how well potty trained your pet might exist, accidents happen—and by and large, they happen on rugs and carpets. These easy steps volition teach yous how to clean pet pee from your floors and share safe and effective cleaning products you should be using to do so. Plus, learn how you tin can piece of work with your pet to avoid echo accidents in the time to come.

Why Is My Dog or Cat Peeing on the Carpeting?

At that place are a number of reasons why your pet might be having accidents inside. If you're all the same in the process of potty training your kitten or puppy, inconvenient urination shouldn't come as a complete surprise. House training is something that takes time and requires a lot of patience. That said, if it'due south becoming an uncontrollable issue, it'due south best to accomplish out to a certified trainer or veterinary behaviorist for communication.

Some pets also suffer from bladder inconsistency as they age. For instance, dogs with dementia may simply forget their house training and recall your carpet is just as skilful every bit peeing outside. But, if your immature, potty-trained pet keeps having accidents on the carpet, something else might be at play. Be sure to check with your vet to rule out whatsoever underlying medical weather condition like diabetes, urinary tract issues, kidney illness, or Cushing's syndrome—all of which tin lead to bladder incontinence.

Finally, if your pet keeps peeing on the same spot on your carpet, information technology's likely that you didn't entirely remove the smell from previous incidents. If your pooch or kitty is still able to smell their own scent, you're risking a repeat accident. Then you must be sure that the odor is gone.

If you find yourself needing to clean upward a dog or cat pee stain from your rug though, luckily it'southward not a very difficult job when done correctly.

Pet Stain Cleaning Tools You'll Demand to Get Started

Before y'all outset scrubbing, make sure you have all the cleaning supplies you need to clean your rug or carpet while keeping proper hygiene in mind.

Safety gloves
Paper towel
Distilled white vinegar
Empty spray bottle
Baking soda
Dish sponge
Trash can nearby

scarlet cockapoo looks up at camera

Credit: Sally Anscombe / Getty

5 Steps to Make clean Pet Urine Stains from Carpet and Rugs

"With whatsoever stain, it'due south best to tend to it and treat information technology as soon as possible for the best results," says Chris Albers, Marketing Manager at Carbona, a stain-removal production visitor.

The post-obit steps will aid you clean pee stains from the rug effectively then that you don't accept any leftover residue:

one. Soak Upward the Urine

Using a thick layer of paper towel, blot the stain to remove as much moisture as possible.

2. Utilise Distilled White Vinegar and Water

Distilled white vinegar is the get-to household particular to become rid of pet urine stains. "Dilute vinegar with h2o for a ane:1 ratio and spray on the stain," recommends Caitlin Sole, senior associate dwelling house editor for Better Homes and Gardens online. To make sure the vinegar is safe on your surface area rug or carpet, starting time spot-exam on a modest corner or discreet expanse, Sole adds.

3. Let It Sit

Once applied, allow the vinegar sit for a few minutes before blotting dry. Repeat as necessary to remove odors.

4. Ensure That All Odors Are Gone

Baking soda is an excellent ingredient to help eliminate stubborn odors for good. "Sprinkle information technology on your rug or carpet every bit needed, and let it sit for at least 15 minutes or longer for set-in odors," Sole says. The editor, who owns a Dandy Pyrenees, will sometimes let the baking soda sit overnight for best results.

5. Vacuum

In one case the area is dry, thoroughly vacuum the carpet to remove any backlog baking soda and check the stain to make sure information technology's really gone.

How to Handle Old or Seriously Stubborn Pee Stains

In an platonic world, you'd grab your pet in action, simply in that location are times when information technology takes days to discover a pee stain on your carpet. In that example, yous might need to level up and use an over-the-counter enzyme-based cleaner.

Carbona's Oxy-Powered Pet Stain & Scent Remover, for instance, is an enzyme-based cleaner that removes cat and domestic dog pee stains and neutralizes odors to keep pets from returning to the scene for repeat accidents. Rocco & Roxie's Stain and Odor Eliminator is besides a popular option amid pet parents to remove urine stains and smells.

For safety purposes, when it comes to using whatever carpet cleaning product, the key is to let the carpet to dry completely before allowing your pet to return to the area. "This will assistance to forestall the risk of skin irritation or gastrointestinal upset," says Tina Wismer, DVM, Senior Director, ASPCA Brute Poison Control Center.

"Proper use of rug deodorizing products should not cause significant impairment or injury to pets," she adds. "Should your pet accidentally come in contact with the freshly applied production, we recommend washing the paws with mild soap and water to avoid minor pare irritation."

If your dog or true cat inhales rug cleaner, information technology could effect in a mild upset stomach and minor respiratory irritation, which could lead to sneezing, coughing, or a runny nose, Wismer says. "That'south why information technology's a skilful idea to keep pets out of the room until later you have vacuumed upwards all of the product," she explains.

For persistent urine smells, you might fifty-fifty want to consider treating your carpet with a wet/dry vac, Sole says. These can come in handy, specially when information technology comes to cat urine, which can be particularly hard to make clean. If you cull to become the vacuum route, in that location are several pet-specific models available, but Sole swears by the Hoover SmartWash+ PET Complete Automatic Carpet Cleaner. If you lot're non virtually the hefty price tag, yous tin also hire 1 of these vacs for the occasional major mishap. They are highly effective in removing deep pet pee stains and smells, says Sole.