How to Get Rid of Urine Smell in Carpets

If you have a cat or dog that has had an accident (or unfortunately more than one) here are some tips you can try to get the smell of urine out of the carpet.

1. Try White Vinegar

2. This is probably one of the most popular and actually cheapest options. Vinegar neutralizes the smell of urine. Simply mix one part vinegar and one part water. (How much you decide to mix depends on the size of the spot that needs to be cleaned.)

3. Pour it straight on the area and let it soak the carpet, the underlying pad and sub floor. Let is sit for at least 30 minutes. Then, if you have a small carpet machine (like the green machine) you can draw out the moisture. If not, use clean white paper towels or white bath towel and apply pressure to get the moisture up. (Do not use colored towels because you do not want to transfer any color to your rug. ) Get as much of the moisture up as possible. While the area might smell like vinegar for awhile, when it dissipates the smell of urine will be gone.

4. Buy an Enzyme Type Cleaner

5. Luckily many pet stores sell products made exactly for the purpose of getting the pet urine smell of out of carpets. One of the most popular seems to be a product called Nature's Miracle. Just about everyone I know who has used it swears by it. There are other products as well such as Out!, Kids n' Pets and Odo Ban that you can try.

6. Try Oxiclean

7. Another popular product to use is Oxiclean. Chances are you might even have this product in your house already. Simply follow the instructions on the container to ensure the proper cleaner/water ratio and apply to carpet. (It is very important however to try this particular product in a small unnoticeable spot because it has been known to slightly discolor carpets, so be sure to use on a test area first.)

8. Give Coffee Grounds a Shot

9. While this might sound like an unusual solution, many people swear that it works for them as well. Simply place dry, unused coffee grounds on the affected area and leave for about 12 hours. Vacuum up the grounds and take the smell away with it. If any remnant of smell still exists, repeat the process.

10. Try Listerine Mouthwash

11. Listerine is another household item you can try. Simply mix one part Listerine with two parts water and spray on the affected area. Let sit for about an hour and then soak up with clean paper towels or white bath towel. The spot might smell like Listerine for awhile, but that will clear up fairly quickly or you can try spraying Febreeze on it right after.

12. Get Your Carpets Steam Cleaned

13. Another thing to try is getting your carpet steam cleaned. Many professional steam cleaners have a solution that is made to help get out urine odors so if your problem is really severe, you might want to call in a professional.