How to Remove Dog Urine From a Satin Evening Gown

Dog urine can stain your satin gown if not quickly removed.

Even the best-behaved dog has accidents on occasion, and the stains and smell associated with dog urine are not pleasant. Dogs are typically indiscriminate in choosing where they urinate and will go on anything from your freshly shampooed carpet to your expensive dress clothes. Removing dog urine from your cherished satin evening gown as soon as possible is essential to prevent it from being ruined and rendered unwearable.

Things You'll Need

• Water
• Towel
• Club soda
• Rags
• White vinegar
• Washer
• Laundry soap
• Hanger

Instructions

1. Rinse the urine from the evening gown as soon as possible with plenty of cool water. Washing the urine off quickly will help prevent it from spreading as it seeps through the satin.

2. Lay a clean white towel on a flat surface and spread the gown over the towel, centering the urine spot in the middle of the towel. Pour room-temperature club soda over the stain, adding enough liquid to completely soak the stain. The club soda helps to dilute any remaining dog urine in the fabric and pull it down into the towel. Blot the top of the stain gently with a clean rag to remove excess moisture from the gown.

3. Pour a cup of vinegar over the spot, rubbing the fabric of the gown together to work the vinegar into the spot. Vinegar has been a widely used remedy for stain removal for many years and can be safely used on most fabrics, including satin.

4. Fill your washing machine with cold water and add the appropriate amount of laundry soap according to your machine's directions. Place the gown in the water and run the machine on the gentle setting to keep from damaging the dress.

5. Place the satin gown on a hanger and hang it in a well-ventilated area to dry. Satin can shrink if placed in an electric dryer, so let it air-dry to avoid shrinkage. Check the spot as it dries to make sure no traces or urine remain. If any traces of the scent or stain linger in the material, run it through another wash cycle before allowing it to dry.

Tips & Warnings

• Check your gown for color fastness before adding vinegar to the spot. Vinegar is typically gentle and will not cause a disturbance in the color of your gown, but add a few drops of vinegar to the inside hem of the dress to check before pouring it over the gown.

• Don't allow the dress to dry fully before you've treated the stain. The proteins in the urine will set into the fiber and be extremely difficult to remove once the dress dries.

References

• Readers Digest: Extraordinary Uses for Vinegar
• Dog Chat: Dog Urine Removal