How to Remove Pet Urine Odor From Fabric
Pet urine odors are particularly strong smelling and are difficult to remove from fabrics because of the porous nature of these materials--urine clings to fabric's fibers. The components of urine that cause the odor are not easy to fully wash out of clothing using regular detergents, and any urine that remains will give off an odor. For best results, you should use cleaners that can neutralize the odor and not just mask it. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Enzymatic pet odor and stain detergent for fabric
- Sponges
- Washing machine
- Enzymatic pet stain and odor spray
- Baking soda
Instructions
-
How to Remove Pet Urine Odor From Washable Fabric
-
1
Test the pet odor and stain detergent cleaner on a small area of the fabric to make sure it won't fade the fabric. If it does not damage the fabric, apply the detergent directly to the urine-stained area. Scrub it into the fabric with a dry, clean sponge and leave the fabric alone for 15 minutes. If you don't know exactly where the urine is, or if the entire piece of fabric has been drenched with urine, skip this step (except for the testing for colorfastness) and go to Step 2.
-
2
Fill a sink or bathtub (for large items or large quantities of fabrics that must be treated) with warm water. Add the enzymatic pet odor and stain detergent to the sink or tub (follow directions on the bottle's label regarding the amount to use). Allow the fabric to soak in the warm water for half an hour.
-
-
3
Place the fabric in your washing machine. Add more of the enzymatic detergent for pet odors and stains. Run the item through a warm water wash cycle and then hang it to dry. If any urine smell remains after it is dry, soak it again in the detergent for another 30 minutes and re-wash.
How to Remove Pet Urine Odor From Unwashable Fabric
-
4
Lightly mist the urine area with enzymatic pet stain and odor spray. Allow it to dry and then do a sniff test.
-
5
Spray the item again if odor remains. Let it dry and then sniff it again.
-
6
Dust the fabric with a thin layer of baking soda if the odor persists. Leave the baking soda on the fabric for at least 24 hours before brushing it off. Baking soda neutralizes most foul odors, but you may have to repeat this procedure several times before the odor is gone.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
You can buy enzymatic pet odor and stain laundry detergent at many pet stores or from online retailers.
If you don't have the time or money to purchase the special detergent, try soaking washable fabrics in baking soda and water, as suggested by the Pet Comfort Products website. Use at least 1/2 cup of baking soda per gallon of warm water and leave the fabric to soak for 30 minutes; then launder as usual.
