How to Remove Dog Urine From Wood

If you have hardwood floors and a dog, there is always the chance that you'll have to deal with a urine spot or stain in your floors sometime. The worst is a dark stain in the wood in an area normally covered by a carpet, where the urine has seeped in and discolored the wood over time. You can attack urine stains with anything from a little vinegar and water to a do-it-yourself stain lightener for those badly damaged floors.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• hydrogen peroxide vinegar and water paper towels enzyme cleanser

1. For fresh stains, dilute the stained area with water, and wipe with a rag or paper towels.

2. Apply a 50/50 vinegar and water solution to the wood, wiping the affected area as well as a few inches around the stain.

3. For old stains that have turned the wood black, try dipping a piece of paper towel into hydrogen peroxide, and dabbing the towel onto the black-stained wood. Leave overnight. In the morning, check to see if the wood has regained a color that matches the rest of your floor.

4. Continue to apply peroxide a little at a time, slowly, over a series of nights to keep the peroxide usage at a minimum. Your stain should slowly lighten as you continue this process. Quit when the stain is once again the same color as the surrounding wood.

5. There are a variety of products to tackle the smell in old stains and in fresh puddles. Try these cleansers: Kids and Pets, Urine-Off, Simple Solution (enzyme cleanser).

Tips & Warnings

• Sanding and revarnishing or using bleach can be used as a last resort on a badly stained wood floor. Consult a flooring expert.