How to Remove Pet Urine from Carpet

If you are a pet owner, you know that accidents are unavoidable. Whether it’s a new puppy learning the ropes, or an old friend unable to control himself, it happens. For that reason, pet owners should know how to remove pet urine, as well as when to call in a professional carpet cleaner.

DIY Pet Urine Removal

Most accidents produce two separate issues – an odor and a stain. Consequently, there are two steps you must take to spot clean an accident.

1. Neutralize the smell.

If your puppy gets excited and gives a little squirt, there is really no need to call the carpet cleaners. For small accidents, keep a mixture of 1 cup water and 2 tbsp white vinegar in a spray bottle. Blot the urine with a paper towel and lightly spray the area with the diluted vinegar. Don’t go crazy or your carpet will smell like pickles instead of urine. After the diluted vinegar dries, the urine smell should disappear.

You can also soak the area for up to 15 minutes with a mixture of dishwashing soap and warm water. Rinse the soap with more warm water and pat dry.

There are other methods of neutralizing the smell, such as baking soda and hydrogen peroxide or one tablespoon of ammonia mixed with a cup of water. However, these applications could discolor your carpet so always test on a sample first.

The best option for removing the smell of pet urine is an enzyme spray. Enzyme sprays attack and remove pet urine from carpet, which also eliminates the smell.

2. Remove the stain.

Neutralizing the smell is only part of the treatment. You also need to treat the stain. Even if do not see a spot right after the accident, one can develop over time. Urine has a bleaching effect. If you do not remove pet urine from the carpet, it will cause fading.

Soak up as much of the liquid as possible. Use a commercial spot cleaner (found at the store with the cleaning supplies) to treat the area. Follow the directions from the manufacturer carefully. You can test a small section of carpet in an out of the way place, like a closet. Once the spot has been cleaned, don’t forget to spray your enzyme cleaner. Without extraction, there is no way to remove all the pet urine from the carpet.

Tips for pet urine stain removal:

• Clean it up quickly. The longer you wait, the deeper the stain sets, and the more difficult it will be to remove.
• Don’t scrub with water. Water often helps spread the stain instead of halting it. Instead, gently blot the excess with a towel and go in with a solution. Then, rinse with warm water.
• Don’t assume a pet urine stain is permanent. Call a professional for an evaluation.

When Should You Have a Professional Clean Your Carpet?

A puppy’s small accident is nothing compared to cat spraying or a full-grown dog losing it on your carpet. Unfortunately, cats and dogs both like to mark their territory. Your cat can be completely housebroken and still decide to mark your carpet just for the fun of it. Adult animal urine smells, and there is usually a lot of it.

Enzyme sprays help but cannot completely eliminate the odor. Rather, hot water extraction is considered the best treatment for removing pet urine from the carpet. A professional carpet cleaning company has the equipment to perform hot water extraction and clean your carpet from the top, all the way to the padding underneath.

It is best to have your carpet professionally cleaned once or twice a year, and more if your pets require it.

For homeowners living near Bristol IN, call Spectrum Carpet & Upholstery Company for pet urine removal. Our carpet cleaning service technicians are certified and trained, each with over 20 years of experience.