How to Clean Dog Urine From a Laminate Floor

The best way to clean dog pee off hardwood floors or laminate like linoleum is to clean it as soon as possible after the mess is made. The first thing to do if your dog has an accident on your laminate or vinyl floor is to mop up the mess. You can do this using paper towels or an old rag. It's best to clean up using a blotting motion as opposed to a rubbing action with something disposable so you can fully eliminate the scent from the house. Any trace of his own urine in the house could encourage your dog to mark the same spot again.

Laminate and vinyl flooring are both mostly non-absorbent — although neither is entirely impenetrable — so you should be able to remove the vast majority of the liquid. Once you've soaked up as much liquid from the laminate or vinyl floor, it's time to focus on removing the stain. Scrub the affected area with an enzymatic cleaner — both laminate and vinyl flooring are resistant to scratches, so don't worry about damaging your floors. The enzymes in the cleaner contain safe bacteria which will eat up the remaining urine.

Baking soda is an effective natural alternative to an enzymatic cleaner. To use baking soda on a urine stain, pour on a small amount so the stained area is covered, leave it to stand for two hours, then vacuum it up. Vinegar mixed half-and-half with water is also an effective deodorizing and stain-removing remedy.

If you can't get rid of the stain or smell, the convenience of laminate and vinyl really comes into its own. Unlike with a carpet, where a complete replacement would be necessary, a professional will be able to replace any stained pieces of laminate or vinyl flooring, leaving undamaged ones in place. This is especially helpful for people living in rented homes, as stubborn stains can result in landlords withholding part or all of the deposit to cover cleaning. Once the cleanup is handled, you could place baby gates around your home to prevent dogs from being able to soil the floor again.

The best way to clean dog pee off hardwood floors is by quickly tackling it with an enzyme cleaner. The best floor cleaner for pet urine is any enzyme cleaner for laminate floors. Enzyme cleaners work to break down urine molecules to completely eradicate odors and stains so there's no underlying urine marking that will tempt your dog to mark the area again. You can find an enzyme cleaner designed for pets at any home improvement store.

If you spot your dog preparing to urinate on the floor, call his name, make a sound or otherwise distract him. Then gently and calmly guide him to the door and into the yard so he can do his business in an appropriate spot. Monitor his behavior so you know when he is likely to need to urinate and then make sure he's near the door at those times. House training your dog with positive reinforcement will typically solve the problem. But if your canine is having regular accidents, or if you suspect that your canine is dealing with a medical condition causing them to urinate frequently, contact your veterinarian.