Pet & Animal: How to Get Rid of Dog Urine Smell

Monday, 3 August 2015

How to Get Rid of Dog Urine Smell

Pet urine can fill a house with the smell of ammonia and other strong scents. Although you may get used to the scent, the longer you go without treating the stain and smell, the harder it will be to remove from your walls, carpet, clothes and furniture. You can get rid of dog urine smells whether they are new or old.

Steps

Prepare your Home

Ensure your dog is no longer urinating inside the house. It will be impossible to remove all of the smell if it is an ongoing problem. If the dog is not house trained, make this your first priority.
- If your dog is grown but still has problems, let the dog outside more frequently. When he urinates outside, reward him with praise and a treat. Alternatively, consider installing a dog door.
- Place the dog in an area that has uncarpeted floors and absorbent training pads when they are in the house. However, be careful with hardwood floors because if they don't use the pee pad, the urine can stain the wooden floors so bad you may have to have the floors refinished.
Remove clothing and other messes from the floor. The urine smell can be caused by pillows, rugs and other items that are best cleaned or thrown away to get rid of the smell.
- Clean affected clothes and bed sheets with an enzymatic cleaner. You can also use a large dose of baking soda added into the laundry along with your regular detergent.
Consider replacing the pad underneath if you believe the stains have soaked through to the carpet pad. You will not be able to clean, rinse and dry the pad, so it will hold pet urine odors until it is replaced.

Buy Materials

Buy a hand held black light. You can find this on the Internet or at a large pet store. It will allow you to see old urine stains and target your work.
Buy an enzymatic cleaner. This is best used with fresh stains that haven't previously been cleaned; however, it can be applied to all stains. You can find these cleaners in supermarkets, pet stores and on the Internet.
Buy baking soda. This natural deodorizer is safe for furniture as well.
Rent a wet vacuum from a home improvement store. If you have soiled carpets, this will be the best way to get a deeper clean.

Clean Fresh Urine Stains

Soak up as much of the urine as possible with paper towels. Try to get to the accident as soon as possible to limit the amount of urine that soaks through to the carpet pad.
Spray the area with an enzymatic cleaner, if the urine is on the carpet. Cover it as thoroughly as possible. Let it sit according to package directions while the product neutralizes the odor.
Spray clean water on top of the stain. Use a wet vacuum to extract the dirty water. If you do not have a wet vac, use paper towels to soak up the dirty water.
- Do not use too much water on the stain. A large puddle of fresh water can create problem spots in the carpet where mold can grow beneath the carpet.
Sprinkle the area with baking soda for extra odor neutralizing power.
Allow the spot to dry. Ventilate the room for faster drying and odor removal, if possible.
Vacuum up the baking soda after it is dry. Repeat these steps as necessary if the stain persists.

Clean Old Urine Stains

Turn on your hand held black light. Grab a few pieces of paper, so that you can mark the spots that have stains.
Turn off all the lights in your house. It is best to do this part at night, so you can see the stains more easily.
Mark the places where you see white urine stains in the black light. Turn on the lights and return to your spots 1 by 1 to clean and remove odors.
Remove furniture so that you can access all wall and carpet stains. You can clean urine-covered furniture outside with a mixture of baking soda and water.
Spray areas that have not been cleaned previously with an enzymatic cleaner. With old stains, this is most likely the stains you could not locate.
Spray areas that have been cleaned with a layer of distilled white vinegar. This method is best if you no longer have a dog that is urinating. Strong ammonia smells can encourage your dog to mark the spot again.
Apply a mixture of 2 parts water and 1 part hydrogen peroxide, if your stain is on a white rug or carpet. Hydrogen peroxide can discolor colored carpet.
Blot up the vinegar, peroxide mixture or enzymatic cleaner with paper towels. Use a wet vac to pull up as much of the dirty moisture as possible.
Spray the area with water to rinse it. Use paper towels or a wet vac to rinse and remove further dirt and water.
Sprinkle a layer of baking soda on the area. Allow it to sit and dry for several hours.
Vacuum up the baking soda. Continue to sprinkle baking soda in any areas that continue to emit odor.

Clean Walls

Identify urine stains on the walls or hard wood floors with a black light.
Test an enzymatic pet cleaner on a hidden spot, to see if it discolors your paint or floor boards.
Spray enzymatic cleaner or white vinegar on the wall and/or floor. Allow it to sit for a few minutes.
Wash the floor and walls with a mild detergent and clean water on a rag or paper towel. If your walls didn't respond well to the enzymatic cleaner, you can start with this method.
Rinse the wall or floor with a paper towel covered in clean water. Wipe the area dry to reduce water damage.
Open your windows and doors frequently to air out your house.