9 Tips for Getting Dog Pee Out of the Carpet

Our furry four-legged friends enrich our lives in more ways than we can ever articulate. However, being a dog parent is not all sunshine and roses. Much like children of humans, dogs need to be properly cared for, and, eventually, they will make a mistake or two. The difference is that your dog’s mistake has come in the form of expressing urine on your beautiful carpet. Thankfully, this is not an unsolvable problem – Here are 9 tips for getting dog pee out of the carpet.

Clean It ASAP – The Sooner, The Better

One of the most important things is to start the cleaning process as soon as you know there’s been an incident. The longer the urine sinks into the carpet and set, the harder it’s going to be clean. And, the more likely that there will be a lingering odor left behind.

Use a Homemade Cleaning Solution

If you are wary about using chemicals in your home or simply prefer a natural alternative, the following recipe should do the trick.

• Mix 2 cups vinegar, 2 cups warm water, and 4 TBSP baking soda, together in a spray bottle.
• Spray area well
• Allow soaking for about 10 minutes
• Blot well with cloth/towel/paper towels

If it is a heavier stain, you can use a stronger mixture, which is 50/50 vinegar and water. Allow it to soak for 5 to 10 minutes and blot.

Try Commercial Cleaning Products

Many popular commercial urine cleaning products have enzymes that can help to break down the ammonia in the dog pee. These enzymes also break down odor-causing molecules helping to not only remove the stain but also any strong smell.

Add Some Essential Oils to Your Homemade Cleaning Mixture

To speed up the odor-fighting, you could also add about ½ teaspoon of orange essential oil. It will combat the urine smell and might even discourage your dog from peeing in that area in the future.

Soak It Up

It might seem simple but the soaking part of the process is super important. Before treating the urine-stained area, soak up as much of the wetness as possible using paper towels or old newspapers. Make sure you apply enough pressure – the goal is to remove most, if not all, of the liquid.

Flush with Cold Water

Once you have soaked the area, cleaned the area, and blotted it again, flush it well with cold water. Let it sit for a few minutes, followed by blotting out as much of the wetness as possible. Urine, although starting as a strong acid, eventually begins crystalizing, becoming more and more alkaline as time passes. This extra flush will help remove more urine but can also neutralize it.

Flush with White Vinegar

AFTER you have done the above steps, you could flush the affected carpet area with white vinegar. This is an excellent way to combat any deep odors and can increase the chances of stain removal for larger, deeper stains. Added bonus: Most dogs DO NOT enjoy the smell of white vinegar so he will likely avoid the area.

Put Your Elbows Into It

Another crucial step in removing dog urine from carpeting is scrubbing. I don’t mean dainty, “I’m a Princess” scrubbing, I mean really put your elbows into it, scrubbing with all of your might. The key is to get deep down into the carpet fibers where most of the urine and odor are hiding.

Avoid Carpet Shampooing

You might want to jump right to shampooing the carpet, and who could blame you? However, you might want to save the deep, machine cleaning for the very last step. You want to remove as much of the dog pee as you can before using a carpet shampooer. This is because the deep cleaning could cause the ammonia and bacteria in the urine to reactivate and release any remaining odors.

Animals tend to be naturally decent. They are not spiteful. There is likely a very good reason for your dog urinating in the home. Especially if this is a new occurrence. It could indicate an underlying medical condition such as diabetes, a urinary issue like a UTI, or even behavioral issues. The point is that once the carpet cleaning is done, you should try to pinpoint the cause behind the incident. Whether your dog does this regularly or just started having accidents, it is a good idea to consult with your veterinarian.

You are certainly not the first pet owner that has dealt with this peepee issue, and you likely will not be the last. There are a variety of reasons for this behavior and it could be something as simple as a quirk of the breed. Regardless, the solution to most problems can usually be found within the situation. If your pooch is not spayed or neutered, do so as soon as possible. Not only are there health issues associated with non-sterilized animals, but it could very well be the reason that your carpet contains dog urine. Dogs, especially those not fixed, love nothing more than to mark their territory. Obedience training, extra potty breaks, or restriction of movement – something needs to be done to curb the behavior, it should be nipped in the bud. It isn’t healthy for you, or your pet, to live with urine.