6 Ways to Get the Dog Pee Smell Out of Your Carpet

Pet ownership can be a joy—there’s nothing like the love of a dog to warm your heart and provide unconditional love and companionship. Unfortunately, despite your best house training efforts, you may find that your furry friend has left you a surprise on the carpet in the form of a puddle of pee. Learn how to get urine smell out of carpet, so your home smells fresh and clean for you and your fur baby.

Why You Should Act Quickly to Remove Pee Smells

As most pet owners know, accidents happen. And often, those accidents involve your canine sidekick leaving their mark somewhere in your home. It’s always good to know how to get rid of bad smells in your home, but with animal urine, it’s even more important. Dog pee can be particularly pungent, and, in addition to that, if the smell remains, dogs will often revisit the spot of a previous accident and re-mark it, leading to a bigger, stinkier problem in the future. 

A dog’s sense of smell is far more sensitive than a human’s, so even if you think you’ve thoroughly cleaned up the mess, there may be a lingering smell your pet can pick up on. Fortunately, there are methods you can use to remove dog pee smell from carpet–so even the most sensitive canine sniffer can’t find it again.

How to Get Pee Smells and Stains Out of Your Carpet

While cleaning pet urine from hardwood floors can be as straightforward as mopping it up as soon as you see it, removing Fido’s accident from your living room carpet is a little more challenging. But don’t panic, because you can teach an old dog new tricks. Learn how to get rid of dog pee smells in carpet for good, and never have to deal with the lingering odor of a pet accident again. Before getting started, begin by soaking up as much of the urine as possible by blotting it with paper towels, then use one of the following methods to treat the remaining stained area.

Enzymatic Cleanser

Cleaners that contain enzymes have long been the gold standard for cleaning up pet messes. These cleaners contain biological compounds that break down the components of urine that cause smells and stains and eliminate them for good. Be sure to use an enzymatic cleaner that’s specifically formulated for pet messes, since you need specific enzymes that target biological stains and odors.

Vinegar

Vinegar can be an effective cleaner for pet urine due to its deodorizing properties and acidity. After blotting up as much urine as possible, saturate the area with a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water. Let the spot air dry—the vinegar will smell strong but as it evaporates, the smell will dissipate, along with the smell of pee.

Baking Soda

If you can still detect a lingering odor, make a paste of baking soda and water and apply it to the soiled spot. Let the paste dry overnight or until the baking soda is back to its powdered form. Vacuum the spot thoroughly to remove the baking soda. This method is also great for other removal scenarios, like removing pee smell from a mattress.

Detergent

Household detergents can also prove to be a useful tool in your battle against pet urine odors, especially when accidents are caught and cleaned up right away. Detergents can be a good option for removing pee stains from couches and other upholstered items—just remember to do a patch test on the fabric first!

Laundry Detergent

Of course, laundry detergent does its best work in the washing machine, removing smells from clothes, bedding, and other washable fabrics. (Just don’t dry any items until you’re sure the smell is gone! The heat from the dryer can set in stains and odors for good.) You can also mix a little laundry detergent with water and brush or blot it into carpet or upholstery to remove fresh pet stains. Once you’re done, blot the area with clean water and press dry with clean paper towels or cloths.

Dish Detergent

Dish detergent can also be good in a pinch to deal with pet messes. Make a soapy solution with lukewarm water and a small amount of dish soap and blot or brush it on the area. Blot with clean water and press dry.

Hydrogen Peroxide

When mixed with water and a little dish detergent, hydrogen peroxide can also be an effective pet pee cleaner. Use caution with this method, though, since peroxide can bleach carpets and other fabric. Always do a patch test first to avoid permanently discoloring your carpet.

Removing Dried Urine Stains

Unfortunately, you can’t always get to pet messes as quickly as you’d like. Urine stains that have dried and set in can be much tougher to remove than fresh stains. Start by wetting and blotting the stain with plain water to remove as much of the original material as possible. You can also use a wet/dry vacuum cleaner to pull up residue from the original stain (but stay away from steam cleaners—the heat will set the stain and odor).

Once you’ve re-wet the area and removed as much of the dried urine as you can, use one of the above methods to treat the area and reapply as needed until the smell is gone.

Tips for Cleaning Urine Smells

Even infrequent pet accidents can cause long-lasting odors that never seem to go away. Remember these tips for a pee-free home that smells clean and fresh:

• Clean up pet accidents as soon as possible. Dried urine smells stronger and is more difficult to clean and neutralize.

• Avoid heat. Applying heat to a soiled area can set the stain and smell in for good, making it nearly impossible to eliminate.

• Use a blacklight. Can’t find the source of the pee smell? A handheld blacklight will cause the proteins in urine to glow, making it easy to track down even an old mess.

• Patch test fabrics. Before using any cleaner on your carpet, test a small amount in an inconspicuous area to ensure your carpet won’t fade or stain from the cleaner.

Popular Carpet Cleaning Methods

Based on the responses of 67,100 Angi customers, steam cleaning and shampoo cleaning are popular choices for tackling dog urine stains and odors. Steam cleaning uses high heat to break down stains and neutralize odors deep in the carpet fibers, while shampoo cleaning lifts and removes the spots with specialized detergents. Both methods are highly effective at restoring carpets, making them top picks for pet owners.

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro to Clean Carpet

If your carpet has multiple dog pee stains, or you haven’t had any luck removing the smell on your own, a local carpet cleaner has the equipment and expertise needed to make pee smells a thing of the past. The average cost of carpet cleaning ranges between $125 and $240, depending on the area of carpet being cleaned.