How to eliminate dog urine stains and odor from carpets
No matter how much you love your dog, a urine-soaked carpet is a foul-smelling annoyance. Dogs urinate inside for a variety of reasons, ranging from territory marking and anxiety to medical conditions and age. Your dog cannot hold its bladder until after 3 months of age, and then only one hour per month of age, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). When you are faced with cleaning a pet accident on the carpet, follow a few steps to minimize immediate absorption and break down the unwelcome sight and smell. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- 1 qt. enzymatic cleaner
- Bristled cleaning brush
- Paper towels
- Wet vacuum (optional)
- Black light
Instructions
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Soak up the excess urine with paper towels. If you have a wet vacuum, set the machine on suction only and remove as much of the urine from your carpet as possible. You can often rent a wet vacuum from a grocery store. The more urine you remove with paper towels or the vacuum, the less odor will remain in your carpet.
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Use a black light for older urine spots or if you're having trouble detecting the source of the smell. A black light highlights urine, vomit and feces with a neon-green glow. Carefully move the black light approximately 6 inches above the carpet, looking for any patches of green tint.
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Pour the enzymatic cleaner around the periphery of the urine stain, then saturate the entire stained area with the cleaning solution. You may need to use an entire quart of cleaning solution to properly saturate an extra-large urine spot. Urine can also soak through the carpet to a pad underneath. To fully remove the stain and the odor, you must either lift the carpet and clean the pad as well or apply extra cleaner to the carpet to ensure complete saturation through both layers. Let the enzymatic cleaner sit for five to 10 minutes on a fresh stain and for several hours for an older stain.
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Scrub the carpet using a stiff-bristled brush. Scrubbing breaks down the odor-causing protein compounds and ammonia. Reach all the fibers of plusher, thicker carpeting by scrubbing more vigorously.
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Allow the area to dry. Depending on room temperature and air circulation, some spots may take up to a week to completely dry.
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Reapply and repeat the procedure if the odor and stain still linger. Older stains may require multiple applications to completely neutralize the urine.
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Tips & Warnings
Avoid using any carpet-cleaning chemicals or hot water, both of which can set the stain and the scent, making them more difficult to remove.
Avoid cleaning products containing vinegar or ammonia. These products will remove the stain, but not the smell. The odor could encourage the dog to remark the spot.
Never hit or yell at your dog for having an accident in the house. Dogs can't equate the accident, which may have happened two hours ago, with your anger. If you catch your dog in the act, clap your hands loudly to stop its urination and immediately take it outside. Shower your dog with praise and affection when it correctly eliminates outside.
References
- Photo Credit dog image by Mat Hayward from Fotolia.com
