Even the most well-trained dogs can have accidents on carpets. Most of the time, the problem is that it’s more than just one accident. If you are a pet owner, you know that if a dog has urinated on a specific spot on the carpet, it may continue to return to that spot to urinate again and again.
Pet odors and spots from repeated urination are challenging but not impossible to get out of carpets. Depending on the severity of the urine, DIY methods can be effective. Still, professional carpet cleaning solutions are available for stubborn pee spots and odors that have saturated the carpet or are old.
With the right approach, your carpets can look and smell like new.
Before we get into the best practices on how to clean dog pee from carpets, let’s first discuss why pets urinate indoors in the first place.
Why Dogs Pee on the Carpet
The most common reasons dogs may pee on the carpet, or other indoor surfaces include marking territory, expressing anxiety, and medical issues.
Dogs mark their territory by urinating in areas they consider their own, such as on a rug or carpet they have claimed. This behavior is more common in male dogs, but female dogs may also urinate in the house. Anxiety is another common reason for dogs urinating in the house. If a dog is anxious or stressed, it may urinate indoors to express its distress. Lastly, medical issues such as urinary tract infections, bladder stones, and kidney disease can cause dogs to pee inside the house. If a dog exhibits these behaviors, it is essential to consult a veterinarian to ensure the animal is healthy and not in discomfort.
If your carpet needs a good cleaning due to an accident with your furry companion, you can take comfort in knowing that the task isn’t overly tricky when tackled correctly.
Top Cleaning Products for Pet Urine Removal
Ensure you have the following materials to clean your rug or carpet hygienically:
- Rubber gloves
- Carpet cleaners
- Enzymatic cleaners
- Paper towels
- Empty spray bottle
Check Carpet Cleaner Ingredients
Some cleaning products have ingredients that can ruin your carpet. Before you apply anything, conduct a colorfastness test in a small hidden area of the carpet, first. If the test is successful you can consider using the product on a larger scale. If you plan to use a store-bought cleaner, read the label carefully and use it as directed.
How To Clean Dog Pee From Carpet in 5 Easy Steps
When attempting to eliminate odors and stains caused by pet urine in carpeting, it is essential to sanitize and clean the area thoroughly as soon as possible. Over time, the presence of pet urine may cause the scent and spot to become increasingly more difficult to remove.
Here is a step-by-step process for treating dog pee on carpets and rugs:
- Remove Moisture
Use a thick paper towel to remove as much moisture as possible from the carpet. Next, apply cleaning agents to the pet urine stain as directed. Rinse the stained area with water and blot dry. You may also vacuum the mat for fast and thorough drying. This step will make the cleaning process easier for you.
- Remove the Stain
Many methods for removing urine stains from carpet are available. For example, some carpet cleaners are specially formulated to remove dog pee from carpets, which are readily available in nearly all supermarkets. However, if you don’t want to use chemicals, you can use items in your pantry as carpet cleaners. For example, vinegar is a powerful disinfectant that can be employed for cleaning many areas of the home and can be effective in cleaning dog pee.
Mix one cup of white vinegar and one cup of water in a container to make a solution. Then, pour the vinegar solution over the stained area and scrub gently.
- Get Rid of the Odor
If the urine is not adequately removed, the odor can linger. The smell of pet urine in carpets can be an unpleasant experience for the pet owner and guests. Therefore, removing the smell of pet urine is essential to maintaining a healthy, pleasant living environment.
Baking soda is an effective solution for eliminating persistent odors. For optimal results, sprinkle it on your rug or carpet and let it sit for a minimum of fifteen minutes.
- Let it Soak
Cleaning up dog urine immediately is the best way to prevent the odor from setting in and making it easier to remove the stain. If the urine spot has already dried up, the odor may linger and become more difficult to remove.
Leaving the baking soda overnight will yield the best results when dealing with pungent odors. Or you can use enzymatic cleansers: bio-based cleaning agents that work on a molecular level to break down and remove stubborn stains and odors. Repeat until the urine stains and odor are entirely removed from your carpets.
- Vacuum
Once the area has dried, carefully vacuum the carpet to remove any remaining baking soda. Then, inspect the stain to verify that it has been completely eliminated.
Do You Smell Pet Urine But Can’t Find It?
Dried urine is more challenging to find since the liquid has already soaked through the carpets. If you find it hard to locate the source of the odor, you can use a blacklight to track down the pee spots on your rug.
Switch off all lights and hold the blacklight approximately two feet from your carpet. Dog urine stains will be visible under the black light as a faint green or yellow. Unfortunately, you must do a sniff test to ensure that a dog’s pee truly causes the discoloration. Once confirmed, mark the stains with tape and apply the above pee removal strategies.
When To Call a Professional Carpet Cleaner like Carpet Tech
Sometimes, even the best DIY efforts are ineffective at removing pet stains and odors in the carpet. Even store-bought cleaners that claim to neutralize stains and odors are often ineffective and can leave a sticky residue. That’s when it’s time to bring in a professional carpet cleaner like Carpet Tech.
Carpet Tech uses a UV black light to illuminate hidden pet urine spots. New and/or highly concentrated spots will glow brightly under the light because of phosphorus salts in the urine. The blacklight allows technicians to pinpoint urine-contaminated areas and treat them with a neutralizing odor remover only where needed.
In most cases, the damage is more severe than the occasional spot and calls for an Odor Stain Remover (OSR) solution. OSR is a fragrance-free complete stain removal and non-allergenic formula. It works in 30 minutes, using the power of oxidation to remove both pet urine odors and stains.
Pet urine can cause discoloration and even weaken carpets fibers if not properly removed. Therefore, calling the experts to remove dog pee from your mats is crucial if your actions aren’t working.
Prevent Future Incidents
As long as your pet can detect its smell, it will still return to the “accident zone” to relieve itself. Therefore, removing all traces of urine from the problem area is essential to prevent future incidents. Once the carpet has been thoroughly cleaned, make the space unappealing or inaccessible to your pet.
In addition, monitor your dog when they are indoors for indications that they are considering urinating. When you cannot watch them, place your dog in a crate or attach it with a leash when you are preoccupied so you can spot signs immediately. This way, you can take them outside calmly and train them to pee properly. If your pet has constant accidents, have them inspected by a veterinarian to rule out medical causes.
Important Tips to Remember
Following these steps ensures you and your pet stay healthy and safe when cleaning dog pee from carpets.
- Wear protective clothing: Pet urine can cause odors and staining and contain harmful organisms that can cause health issues if ingested or inhaled. Therefore, you must wear protective clothing such as rubber gloves and a mask when cleaning pet urine to protect yourself from contracting the bacteria in pet urine.
- Separate your dog from the treated area: It’s crucial to separate the dog from the site where you apply the cleaning agent until the chemicals have completely dried. The chemicals from the cleaning agents may be toxic to your pet. Even if the product claims to be pet-safe, removing your pet from the treated area is safer to avoid potential risks.
- Consult experts: Although cleaning pet urine from carpets is achievable on your own, sometimes it’s best to let experts handle more strenuous jobs. Professionals know the best cleaning method based on the stain age and type of carpet you have. Some materials may be too delicate for specific cleaning solutions, so it is vital to consult an expert who can advise on the best course of action. When you consult a professional, you can ensure your home is cleaned effectively.
Carpet Tech Is Here To Help
If you have recurring pet stains and odors in the home, don’t put your pet out; get the stains put with Carpet Tech. Our IICRC-certified and trained technicians use powerful truck-mounted equipment to remove spots, contaminants, and odors- even pet odors from carpets and rugs.
If the spot is small, we use a topical spray that binds to pet urine and crystallizes. Then we can use our hot water extraction cleaning method to remove contaminants easily. Our Odor Stain Remover (OSR) is a professional-strength solution that removes pet urine odor and stains from carpets and upholstery. When using OSR, the Carpet Tech technician will typically saturate the affected area with the solution, ensuring that it comes in contact with all of the urine or other contaminants. The solution works by breaking down the proteins in the urine, feces, blood or other substances, changing their chemical composition and permanently eliminating the odor.
After applying the solution, we use a hot water extraction method to thoroughly rinse the carpet and remove any remaining solution and contaminants. This can help ensure that all urine and odor have been removed from the carpet or upholstery.
It’s important to note that OSR is a professional-strength solution and should be used cautiously. It’s always best to consult with a professional like Carpet Tech before attempting to remove pet urine stains and odors on your own. Additionally, it’s crucial to address pet urine stains as soon as possible, as prolonged exposure to urine can cause damage to the carpet or upholstery fibers and make the stain more difficult to remove.