Pets are definitely some of the loveliest creatures on the planet, but they’re both a joy and a responsibility in equal measure. If you own a four-legged friend at home, odds are that you have an idea about accidental pet urine stains. Pet urine (or even vomit) on carpet is one of the worst nightmares for pet owners.
In all honesty, cleaning dog urine immediately it happens is pretty easy, but sometimes your furry friend may pee while you’re not home. The longer the pet urine sits on the carpet, the more it seeps deep into the fibers, leading to a yellow stain and disgusting odor that won’t vanish. In this guide, we explore some of the best ways on how to remove old urine stains from carpet.
Table of Contents
The Dish Soap Method
- Place a cotton cloth or a few layers of paper towels on the affected spot in order to soak up the urine stains. Press the paper towels firmly into the stain with an old shoe (or anything disposable) so as to push the towels deep into the carpet fibers and absorb as much urine stains as possible. You can also use a shop-vac to extract any remaining urine from the fibers.
- Pour 1 cup of warm water into a spray bottle and mix it with ½ teaspoon of dish soap. Stir or swirl the mixture to blend, or until the water becomes sudsy
- Spray a generous amount of the mixture directly onto the stain. Be sure that the dish soap solution coves the entire spot. The main aim is to soak the affected area with the mixture.
- Blot the urine stains with a paper towel. You should aim at soaking up as much of the liquid from the soap mixture as possible with the paper towel. If it gets harder to extract the excess liquid from the soap mixture, you can vacuum over the affected area to make work easier.
- Re-apply the dish soap and repeat the blotting steps until all the stain disappears. To remove any leftover soap, rinse the stained area with lukewarm water. Finally, air dry the affected spot or dry it with paper towel to expedite the process.
Baking Soda, Vinegar & Peroxide Method
- Fold a cotton cloth or towel and press it firmly on the stain to soak up the urine stain and absorb as much of it as possible. Be sure to blot the urine stain thoroughly to absorb any remaining urine stain. Extract even more stain by vacuuming the soiled area with a shop-vac.
- Next, mix together 2 cups of warm water with 2 cups of white vinegar. Make sure the solution is enough to fully soak the affected area. Transfer the mixture into a clean spray bottle.
- Spritz the vinegar solution liberally on the soiled area and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Now, blot the stain with a soft cloth or rag soaked in the vinegar solution. While blotting, press the stain firmly with the rag so that the vinegar solution can get worked deep down into the stain. Avoid rubbing the stain, though.
- Spray the remaining vinegar solution generously onto the stained spot. Get the entire stain soaked up with the solution, but be careful not to pour the solution onto unstained areas of the carpet.
- Using a scrub brush, rub the solution into the stain. Firmly press down the scrub brush and rub the solution in back and forth motions across the stained surface. An old toothbrush can be a great substitute for a scrub brush.
- Dry up the stained area by blotting with a paper towel. You can use more or less paper towels depending on how fast the area dries.
- Sprinkle some baking soda over the soiled area. By the way, even regular store-bought baking soda can do a fantastic job. Leave a thin baking soda layer over the entire surface of the stain.
- In a spray bottle, mix together 1 teaspoon of dish soap with ½ cup of hydrogen peroxide. Shake the mixture thoroughly to blend fully. Note: Use 3% hydrogen peroxide.
- Pour a small amount of hydrogen peroxide solution directly onto the urine stain and work it in by scrubbing. Do the scrubbing in back and forth motions. Press the scrub brush firmly down on the soiled area to help work the peroxide solution and baking soda deep into the urine stain.
- Finally, dry the affected area of the carpet using a paper towel. Make sure to dry the stain as much as possible to remove any leftover solution on the carpet. If you have a lightweight vacuum cleaner, run it over the area to suck up any leftover liquid.
Expert Tip: Carpet cleaning professionals recommend cleaning the affected area first with warm water and dish soap mixture. Then, grab a clean white rag and scrub the area meticulously. Rinse the area, ensuring that all of the dish soap has disappeared. Dry the carpet as much as possible, and then repeat the process with a mixture of 1 part water and 1 part vinegar to help neutralize any lingering odors. Dry the carpet once more, and then sprinkle baking soda generously over the entire stain. Let the carpet dry for about an hour before vacuuming it away.
Commercial Pet-urine Remover Method
If the above two methods failed to remove old urine stain from carpet, we recommend buying a commercial pet-urine remover at your local store. Commercial stain removal products normally consist of built in enzymes for eliminating urine stains and the accompanying odors. Pet enzymes prove effective when it comes to cutting through the bacteria thus removing both urine stain and odor.
Look for products that are labeled “green” or “all natural”, because such products are unlikely to affect your pet’s or family’s health. You can easily find commercial pet-urine removers in stores that sell pet or heavy-duty cleaning products. Spray the enzyme-based urine stain remover directly onto the stain, and follow the instructions provided on the label to confirm the application procedure and waiting time.
Wrap-Up
Hopefully, these methods will help you remove pesky stains from carpet successfully and improve your home’s hygiene. If these methods aren’t enough, you might want to contact a professional carpet cleaner. Professional cleaners use specialized treatment systems to shampoo and condition urine stains for easy removal without damaging the carpet.
