How to Get Rid of Dog & Cat Urine Stains in Carpet & Upholstery
Quick Start Guide: Dog & Cat Pee Cleanup & Prevention 101
- How to clean new & old urine stains: Act quickly, remove as much liquid as possible, and use an enzyme cleaner to break down urine at the molecular level, not just mask the smell.
- What is an enzymatic cleaner? It’s a product formulated with enzymes that specifically work to get rid of organic stains (like pee and poop), making it the best pet urine stain remover.
- Why do dogs and cats pee in the house? Often dogs urinate inside due to age, stress, or health issues. For cats, it’s usually due to health issues or a litter box aversion.
- Pet urine stains are hard to clean because the scent is pungent and your pets’ habit of going where they shouldn’t can be hard to break since that smell attracts them back to the same spots.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Cleaning Pet Urine Stains on Carpet & Upholstery
Next time you come home to cat urine on the couch or notice your pet has had an accident in the house, rather than panicking or getting frustrated with your pet, follow these simple steps to getting rid of dog or cat urine stains on carpet and furniture.
Stay calm
As aggravating as frequent house soiling is, punishing your pet for doing it doesn’t generally work as intended. It doesn’t teach them where they should be going to the bathroom, and instead, it can teach them to hide and go to the bathroom out of your sight. Punishment may also cause them stress, potentially leading to more accidents in the house.
Act swiftly
As soon as you notice the stain, it’s time to take action. The longer the urine sits, the more it seeps into your carpet or furniture, and the harder it is to get out.
Mop, don’t scrub
Begin by soaking up as much of the liquid as you can with a towel. It’s important that you blot rather than scrub here, as scrubbing or smearing can actually make the problem worse by spreading the stain or pressing it deeper into your carpet or upholstery.
Use an enzyme (or enzymatic) cleaner
Use an enzyme cleaner, like Truly Free Home Enzyme Stain Remover, on the area and a couple inches surrounding it, as liquids have a tendency to spread under the surface. Enzyme cleaners are specifically formulated to tackle organic stains by breaking them down at the molecular level, making them the best choice for truly getting rid of urine stains. As with any cleaner, be sure to test a small amount of it in an inconspicuous spot before using it all over, so that you don’t accidentally damage your carpet or furniture.
Once tested—for fresh stains, let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then blot again with a damp towel, and allow the area to dry.
For older stains, apply the enzyme cleaner and let it sit, covered by a damp towel, for up to 24 hours to allow it to really work into the affected area. Then blot and let dry. If you can smell, but not see, where your pet has peed, you can try using a black light to find the spot.
Repeat if necessary.
If you find the odor is lingering, repeat step four. Until you're satisfied with your stain removal, avoid steam cleaning the area, since heat tends to set stains.
What Is an Enzymatic Cleaner & Why Does It Work?
Enzymatic cleaners are cleaners that contain enzymes that break down stains at the molecular level. Other stain and odor eliminators that don’t contain enzymes won’t fully remove the source of the odor. When it comes to cleaning products, the worst offenders merely mask odors with fragrance.
Fortunately, Truly Free Home Enzyme Stain Remover is formulated with multiple different enzymes that work for different types of organic stains, like grass, food, milk, or blood. When you use it to clean cat and dog urine, the main enzyme at play is protease. Protease breaks down proteins in stains to help remove it completely, not just cover it up.
Why Does My Pet Pee in the House?
There are multiple reasons why your dog could be having accidents. One of them is age. Dogs of all ages, from puppies and seniors, can have issues with this. Everyone knows puppies can struggle with house training, but even for adult dogs who were adopted or rescued, retraining is sometimes needed in their new homes. Meanwhile, some older dogs may not be able to control their bladders as well as they used to. Similarly, health issues are another common cause. Problems like urinary tract infections (UTIs), kidney issues, and certain medications are known to cause house soiling.
Even though most cats always go to the bathroom in the house, they don’t always choose the right place. If your cat is urinating outside of their litter box, like with dogs, the underlying cause may be health issues. Another reason, however, could be that your cat has an aversion to their litter box. This can happen if your cat doesn’t like the litter, litter box, or the location of the box.
Why Is Dog & Cat Pee So Hard to Clean?
For both dogs and cats, once they go somewhere in the house they’re not supposed to, unless the stain is sufficiently removed, the scent will attract them back to those same spots, making it especially difficult to clean. What we recognize as that distinct urine smell is thanks to the ammonia that’s released as the urine breaks down. This is why it’s important to avoid ammonia-based cleaners when aiming to remove pee stains and put an end to house soiling.
Any cat parent can tell you that cat urine odors are especially pungent. This is because cats have more concentrated urine compared to dogs. Intact (not neutered) male cats’ pee also smells even worse due to the hormones and pheromones in their urine that’s intended to mark territory and signal to potential mates. Furthermore, as cat pee decomposes, beyond the ammonia smell, it also produces mercaptans—the same compound that gives skunk spray its unmistakable odor.
Even though urine stains are notoriously some of the most stubborn, there are simple, proven methods for removing them. Just be sure to always have your go-to enzyme cleaner on hand, and you’re prepared for whatever your furry friend surprises you with.
