As a dog owner, dealing with accidents on the carpet is an unfortunate reality. Dog urine can leave behind an unsightly stain or lingering odors if not properly cleaned up. The good news is that with the right cleaning methods and products, you can get dog pee out of the carpet completely.
This complete guide covers simple step-by-step instructions for removing dog urine from carpet. We’ll explain how to find all the urine, how to get dog pee out of carpet, what cleaning solutions work best, and how to use them correctly.
Step-by-Step Guide to Get Dog Pee Out of Carpet
Find All the Urine
The first step is finding all the urine. Sometimes it can spread out and soak deeper into the carpet’s backing and padding underneath. To locate all of it:
- Use a blacklight flashlight at night. The urine stains will glow brightly, showing you areas to target that you may have otherwise missed.
- Get down on your hands and knees and smell the living room carpet up close. Your nose can detect odors and help locate spots the eyes cannot see.
- Check along baseboards, behind doors, and around furniture legs. Male dogs often target vertical objects and corners when urinating inside.
Choose the Right Cleaning Solution
Certain cleaning agents work better than others at dissolving the urine crystals and biological components causing odors in dog urine. Here are the best solutions and when to use each:
- Plain water can often dilute fresh stains if extracted immediately before drying. Use lukewarm water to avoid setting in odors.
- White vinegar dissolves urine salts. Mix one part vinegar with one part water in a spray bottle for fresh stains. For set stains, pour vinegar directly onto the spot until saturated.
- Hydrogen peroxide is effective at breaking down old, dried urine spots through the carpet backing. Use 3% strength only. First test on an inconspicuous area.
- Enzymatic cleaners break down the bacteria in urine. They also digest the organic matter to fully remove odors. Enzyme-based pet stain removers work very well for challenging, lingering urine odors.
- Mild dish soap like Dawn contains degreasing agents that can help eliminate urine oils that cause smells. Mix a small squirt with warm water in a spray bottle. Rinse thoroughly after treatment.
The next section covers how to put these urine busting solutions to work removing dog pee from carpet.
Remove Wet Dog Urine from Carpet
Acting quickly when bedroom carpets are newly soiled improves success. Here are the basic steps for blotting up fresh dog urine before odors and stains have time to set:
- Blot up any excess urine pooled on top of the carpet by pressing firmly with paper towels or an old rag. Avoid rubbing, which can spread the mess around.
- Rinse the area with lukewarm water mixed with a small amount of dish soap if available.
- Place a few more dry towels over the carpet and stand on them to blot up as much liquid as possible after a couple minutes of dwell time. Weigh them down with books and allow the towels to absorb for 30 minutes. Flip over with fresh sections to continue wicking moisture.
- Spray on white vinegar after blotting if the stain persists. Let vinegar sit for 2-3 minutes before blotting again with more towels. The vinegar will neutralize the ammonia and dissolve urine salts.
- Sprinkle baking soda once the area begins drying. Leave baking soda for 10-15 minutes before vacuuming up. It will help absorb and reduce odors.
- Finish by shampoo cleaning the area to rinse away any residue that could attract dirt over time. Carpets should now look and smell fresh again.
Remove Old Dog Urine Stains from Carpet
For urine stains that have already dried into the carpet, a deeper cleaning process is needed:
- Create a water/vinegar or enzymatic cleaner solution specifically for pet stains. Apply onto old urine stains until thoroughly soaked. Let sit for 10-15 minutes. The vinegar and enzymes will go to work breaking down the urine compounds.
- Use an extractor machine to suck up excess moisture after dwelling. Commercial carpet cleaning machines work best, but small portable versions also do a decent job. Avoid household steam mops, as heat will set the stains in.
- Spray peroxide onto the urine stain to lift residue from sisal carpet backing and dissolve lingering bacteria. Let bubble and dwell for 2 minutes before blotting up the solution with white paper towels. Repeat as necessary for stubborn odors. Rinse with water on a final pass.
- Work baking soda into the carpet fibers with a scrub brush after peroxide treatment. Let dwell for 15 minutes before thoroughly vacuuming up baking soda. Baking soda neutralizes odors and brightens carpet fibers.
- Consider reapplying enzymatic cleaner and extracting it after a day or two if old urine odor lingers faintly. The enzymes digest rebuilding odor sources over time. With severe cases, replacement of affected padding and backing below carpet may ultimately be necessary.
Avoid future problems by sealing old urine stains left in padding with an odor blocking primer like Kilz. Train your dog to go outside more reliably by taking them out more often and rewarding them with treats when they go in the right spot. Place clear plastic carpet runners over previously soiled areas while retraining is underway. Consistency is key for potty training adult dogs to change bad peeing behaviors.
Conclusion
A bit of targeted cleaning effort provides hope for removing dog urine from carpets, even old set-in stains. So, how to get dog pee out of carpet when it’s done recently. Use fresh water and vinegar first before escalating to chemicals like peroxide or enzymes based on stain severity.
And most importantly – find and treat accidents as immediately as possible after they are created before they get out of hand. Commit these carpet cleaning procedures to memory and you’ll be armed to remedy inevitable dog urine mishaps down the road.
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