Tips and Remedies for Removing Dog Urine Odor

Just about everyone with a dog wants to know the trick for removing dog urine odor. No worries, as there are several methods that may work really well for you.

Dog urine is extremely pungent, and you know when you have a problem by just sniffing the air when you get home. While you may not be able to “see” the puddle, if it has already dried, you can still find the spot by using an ultra violet black light. These are not expensive, and come in really handy if you have to go hunting for where Rocky lifted his leg or Deiliah squatted.

Just remember that you are actually dealing with two issues when it comes to removing dog urine odor – meaning, you have the smell and then you also have the stain. That means you will need a two pronged approach to dealing with the issue.

Did you know that urine is an acid and that its typical pH level runs somewhere around 5 to 6? It is clean before it leaves the body, meaning sterile. However, when it leaves the body, it tends to pick up bacterial hitchhikers from the urethra and skin of your dog. When it lands on the carpet, or other surfaces, it mixes with other unseen microorganisms.

When you consider the components of urine – urochrome (the reason pee is yellow), lipids and urea – then add in bacteria and unknown organisms on the surface where it lands, you may well imagine the smelly brew you will be dealing with if it dries.

The warmth of the urine is perfect to promote bacteria growth and, as the pee is breaking down, it turns into ammonia (which is why you never clean with ammonia) and C02. The ammonia being created has a very high pH of at least 11+, which means it is considered to be alkaline, and will damage dyes and cause color loss. In other words, the stain you think is a pee spot, might be color loss instead; something that you can’t restore by cleaning.

You know that ammonia smell you get when you start to clean the spots up? The reason it smells so bad is that alkaline salt crystals are grown when the acid in the pee reacts with the ammonia, and you get ammonia gas. Typically, the urine spot stays damp, and this is because the salts in it wring moisture from the air. If they do “dry up” they will produce odor again when you start cleaning. Kind of a vicious circle with a two part odor: the ammonia gas and the gas produced by the bacteria as it grows (called off-gassing).

The long and short of removing dog urine odor is to understand that pee is made up of many components and you will need a diverse approach to clean it up and neutralize it.

Methods for Removing Dog Urine Odor

Here are some home remedies for removing dog urine odor:

• If you can’t see it, use an ultra violet black light in a dark room to locate the area(s). The urine will give off a bright glow.
• If you can smell it, but aren’t sure where it is, use an ultra violet black light in a dark room to locate the area(s). The urine will give off a bright glow.
• If the spot is still wet, use paper towels to blot it up. Do this until the spot is “almost” dry. Mix 3 parts water to 1 part white vinegar (vinegar neutralizes the ammonia in pee) and keep blotting it up again until it’s just about dry. Sprinkle with baking soda. It will fizz, and that is fine, that is what you want. Next, grab 3% ONLY hydrogen peroxide and mix with 1 tsp. of any type of dish detergent. Drip over the baking soda. Use rubber gloves and an old brush to work into carpet. Let dry and vacuum up. If odor persists, repeat. Do a test section first to make sure this mixture won’t discolor your carpet.
• Version two of the baking soda mix: If the spot is still wet, use paper towels to blot it up. Do this until the spot is “almost” dry. Mix 3 parts water to 1 part white vinegar and keep blotting it up again until it’s just about dry. Sprinkle with baking soda. It will fizz, and that is fine, that is what you want. Let dry and vacuum up. If odor persists, repeat.
• Version three of the baking soda mix: If the spot is still wet, use paper towels to blot it up. Do this until the spot is “almost” dry. Use 1 part white vinegar straight and keep blotting it up again until it’s just about dry. Sprinkle with baking soda. It will fizz, and that is fine, that is what you want. Let dry and vacuum up. If odor persists, repeat. Try this on a test section first, to make sure it won’t discolor your rug.
• If you do not have hydrogen peroxide on hand, check your bottle of laundry stain remover. If it says anywhere on it “Oxy,” chances are it has hydrogen peroxide in it.
• Do not use ammonia based products.

Products for Removing Dog Urine Odor:

These are some of the more popular products for breaking down stains and odor causing molecules. In other words, they don’t just mask the odor. 

• Nature’s Miracle - one of the most popular options available.
• Simple Solution
• Capture Pet Stain
• X-O Odor Neutralizer

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