How to Get Dried Dog Urine Out of Carpet

You can get dried dog urine out of carpet.

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Are you wondering how to get dried dog pee out of carpet? There's good news: You don't need chemical-laden products to get the job done. However, removing dog urine from carpet may take several attempts to completely eliminate the stain and odor. The DIY solution uses common household products, but you can also purchase enzymatic cleaners or a carpet cleaner.

How to Get Fresh Urine Out of Carpet

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Step 1: Blot Excess Urine

Using a stack of paper towels or a thick towel, blot as much of the urine as possible. For best results, stand on top of the towel. The extra pressure compresses the towel and helps the liquid wick up into its fibers more efficiently.

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Use as many towels as necessary until little to no liquid gets absorbed into the towel. Remember to pay attention to the edges of the urine spot too, as the liquid spreads out in every direction. Alternatively, you can use a wet shop vacuum to remove the fresh urine.

Step 2: Make a Vinegar and Water Solution

In a spray bottle, combine one part white vinegar with one part water to make an odor remover. This is a simple but effective solution because the acetic acid in vinegar will neutralize the ammonia responsible for that strong urine smell. The ammonia converts to a solid called ammonium acetate, which then dissolves in the water.

Step 3: Apply the Vinegar and Water Solution

Spray the vinegar and water solution on and around the entire urine spot. Although you don't want to form a puddle of liquid, the carpet fibers should be saturated.

Step 4: Scrub the Carpet With a Bristle Brush

Using a soft-bristle brush and working from the outside in, scrub the carpet to ensure the vinegar and water solution reaches deep into the carpet fibers.

Step 5: Allow the Carpet to Dry

Wait for the carpet to dry before continuing. You can speed up this process by aiming a fan at the wet spot.

Step 6: Sprinkle Baking Soda on the Carpet

To eliminate any lingering odors, shake a generous amount of baking soda over the smelly area. Rub the carpet fibers back and forth with your fingers to help the powder settle in deeper. Let the baking soda stay on the carpet for about 24 hours.

If you're wondering how to get old dog urine smell out of carpet with baking soda, know that it works because baking soda emits a small amount of gaseous particles that react with other gases in the air. The end result is salt compound that doesn't give off much gas and therefore doesn't have much of a smell.

Step 7: Vacuum the Baking Soda

After 24 hours, vacuum the baking soda from the carpet.

Step 8: Make and Apply a Hydrogen Peroxide Solution

If any odor remains, mix together one part water, one part 3 percent hydrogen peroxide and a drop or two of dish soap. Spray this solution on the carpet and scrub it in gently. The hydrogen peroxide and dish soap will help eliminate any odor-causing bacteria lingering in the carpet. Finish by blotting the carpet dry.

Removing Dog Urine With Enzymes

Instead of going the DIY route, you can purchase a special enzymatic carpet cleaner to remove tough urine stains and smells. Enzymatic cleaners contain protease, which breaks down the proteins. Bioenzymatic cleaners contain microbes that essentially eat the various compounds in urine. The microbes need some time to do their job, so the only drawback to this type of cleaner is that it may take up to three days for the urine odor to dissipate.

For best results, blot as much of the urine as possible before spraying an enzymatic cleaner. If using a bioenzymatic cleaner, place a moist paper towel over the sprayed area to help keep the microbes alive. Re-wet the paper towel whenever it dries. After 12 to 72 hours, you can blot or dry-vacuum the carpet or use a carpet cleaner to rinse it with clean water.

Popular enzymatic carpet cleaners include:

Removing Urine Smell With Carpet Cleaner

You can also use a carpet cleaner to deeply penetrate the soiled area and lift stain- and odor-causing particles. Do not use a steam cleaner because heat causes the proteins in dog pee to clump and bind to the carpet fibers, making the urine smell more difficult to remove.

If you do not own a carpet cleaner, you can rent one from Lowe's, Home Depot, local hardware stores and even from some larger grocery store chains, like Kroger and Walmart.

For best results, purchase a cleaning solution that matches the machine's brand. For example, if you rent a Bissell carpet cleaner, purchase a Bissell cleaning solution. You can also achieve good results by using a spray treatment and rinsing the carpet with clean water inside the carpet cleaner's tank.

Step 1: Rinse the Urine Stain With Water

Fill the carpet cleaner's "clean water" tank with fresh, room-temperature water. Do not put a cleaning solution in the tank at this time. Spray the clean water over the area on a forward pass and suction it up on a backward pass. Repeat several times.

Step 2: Apply an Enzymatic Spray

Spray the entire stain with an enzyme-based cleaner. The product label should specify how long to let the spray sit on the stain before continuing with the cleaning process.

Step 3: Dry Vacuum the Urine Stain

Use a dry vacuum to clean up the enzymatic cleaner and any loose particles.

Step 4: Rinse With Water Again

Fill the clean water tank in the carpet cleaner with fresh water. Rinse the stained area again.

Step 5: Apply Odor-Reducing Carpet Cleaner

Following the machine's instructions, add an odor-reducing carpet cleaner to the appropriate tank. Apply the carpet cleaning solution in a forward pass and vacuum it in a backward pass. Allow the area to dry.

Step 6: Take Further Action if Necessary

If the odor continues to persist after the stained area has dried, the urine may have penetrated to the carpet pad or to the subfloor. Both of these areas remain out of the reach of commercial carpet cleaners and DIY cleaning solutions. The next step involves cutting out and replacing the offending section of carpet, carpet pad and subfloor.