Dog Urine Odor Removal

Having a pet dog at home is a huge responsibility, especially when it is still a puppy. The initial few months when the little puppy is being potty trained, it is likely that he will urinate all around the house. This may leave your carpet, cushions, sofas, beds and sometimes furniture too with urine stains. However, more than the stain, the odor of the dog urine is something that is really unbearable. Moreover, the dog is very good at catching smells and can go back to the same place to urinate again. Having pet dog urine odor can be quite frustrating and sometimes even embarrassing, especially when you have guests at home. In such a situation, finding a solution for removing dog urine odor is extremely crucial. Hence, let us take a look at some of the effective ways for odor removal.

Canine Urine Odor Removal
An important thing that all dog owners have to understand is that there is no simple and easy method when it comes to eliminating the strong stench that comes from dog urine. If you want to remove dog urine odor completely, the most important thing you need is patience. Though it may take some time to get rid of the foul smell completely, with some simple ingredients and little hard work, it is definitely possible. Here are some steps that you can follow for removing dog urine smell.

Step 1: Wetting the Area
Removing the odor from a freshly urinated area is said to be easier than the dried old ones. So, if the urine stain is still wet, you can skip this step and move towards the next. The problem with dog urine is that it continues to emit a foul odor, even when it has become old and dry. So, if you are able to smell the foul dog urine, but are not able to trace the stain, a black light can help you. Switch off all the lights in the room and turn on a black light lamp which is easily available in local stores. The black light makes the stain caused by dog urine to glow brightly. Mark all the areas with a chalk or a piece of yarn. Once you have spotted the problem area, wet the area with lots of cool water. You can also use a carpet cleaning machine to wet the area thoroughly.

Step 2: Absorbing Urine
This step is very important because even if the stains are completely removed, the dog may be able to smell the urine and come back to the same place, if traces of urine remain in the lower layers of the carpet. Hence, make use of newspapers or cloth to absorb the urine completely. Most people prefer newspapers over cloth because they are quite inexpensive and one need not waste much time washing clothes. One can also use the combination of newspapers and clothes too. Fold a piece of newspaper and place it on the urine stain. After this, one must stand over the newspaper to help it in soaking up the urine fully from that area. The process should be repeated till the area becomes completely dry.

Step 3: Cleaning the Stain
The next step will be to clean the stain caused by dog urine. You can clean the dog urine stain with the help of a commercial stain remover which is made of enzymes. This is very important because the enzymes have the ability to absorb the bacteria that emits the foul smell from the urine. Usually, the label of these commercial dog urine odor removers have directions according to which they should be used. However, most people find these commercial stain removers very expensive. If you are facing a similar problem, you can make use of some home remedies too.

White Vinegar
White vinegar is something that is found in every household. To remove the dog urine odor, combine 50% of white vinegar with 50% of water in a container. Pour this solution on the urine stain and scrub gently with a brush. Scrubbing is important because this will help the solution to penetrate to the lower fibers of the carpet. When this is done, blot the area in the same way as it was done in the above steps i.e. with newspapers or cloth. The vinegar aids in neutralizing the ammonia found in urine.

Hydrogen Peroxide and Baking Soda
A solution made of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda can also be helpful to remove the stain and the odor caused by dog urine. For this, take 4 ounces of 3% hydrogen peroxide and mix it with 4 ounces of baking soda. Add a teaspoon of liquid detergent or dish soap into it and mix by adding a quart of water. Before using this solution, it is necessary to wear hand gloves. You can pour this solution on the stain or spray it on the stain. With a brush, scrub the solution very gently. While the peroxide in the solution helps to clean the stain, the baking soda in it acts as a natural odor neutralizer. Air dry the area completely, followed by the use of a vacuum cleaner to get rid of the traces of baking soda.

There are many people who recommend the use of ammonia for this purpose. However, it should never be used because dog urine already has lots of ammonia in it and the additional ammonia may make your dog think it to be the appropriate place to urinate. Hence, it is better to use the methods that are given above. Apart from that, it is also important to let your pet know that urinating anywhere inside the house is wrong. You will have to be stern with your pet and re-train him to prevent him from urinating inside the house.