Pet-related smells can be hard to get out of a carpet. When your dog pees on the floor, one step you must take is to clean the liquid out of the surface and commence the task of tackling the smells.
In this article, we reveal the exact methods for getting old dog urine out of your precious carpet.
Why is My Dog’s Urine Smelly?
No doubt, urine is not meant to be “sweet-smelling,” but you can become concerned if the smell becomes offensive. When your dog urinates, it does come with a foul smell and this can be a source of discomfort.
Have you wondered why the urine is so smelly? Here are some of the causes?
- The “Ammonia” Content: dog urine indeed contains certain matter, such as bacteria, hormones, and uric acid. However, the major source of the foul smell is the natural waste product called ammonia.
- Infection: Your pet’s urine smells not just because of the waste product, but also because of an underlying infection. If the dog has a bacterial tract infection; that might just be the source of the infection.
Act First!
Dogs are “man’s best friend” – they stick with you through thick and thin. However, they can be a thorn in the flesh and love to mark their territories. You will soon realize that the pet prefers peeing on a particular spot and if you don’t get rid of the smell, it won’t take time before your sweet-smelling home begins to stink to high heavens.
Therefore, acting fast to remove the urine and the associated smell is a step in the right direction.
1. Getting Old Dog Urine out of Carpets: Methods to Use
Contrary to popular opinion, stick-in stains, especially the ones caused by pets, can be very difficult to remove. In this section, we show you how to tackle the older pet stains and do away with the smells.
a. Locate the Source of the Smell
The smell is right there on the carpet, but which part is it exactly? Finding the pee is important and there are a couple of ways to do this.
b. Use UV Light for the Inspection
The use of Ultraviolet Light (UV) light plays an important role in the discovery of pet smells on the floor. As to be expected, the liquid has been there for some time and over time, seeped into the floor. You will now find it difficult to locate the source of the smell – hence, the need for UV light.
Here are the directions to follow:
- Turn off the lights in the room. This makes sure the room is not just pitch-dark but also makes it easier for the UV light to pick out the stains.
- The type of UV light to choose is black light. It helps to scan the area and pick out the stains with ease.
- Shine the UV light around the spot you suspect the smell to come from. If your guess is right, you will notice the urine glowing in the dark.
Side Note: Why Dog Urine Glows in the Dark
You might be wondering why the UV light picks out the stain and makes it glow. It is because of these reasons:
- Pet urine contains proteins and phosphorus. It is the traces of those in the urine that glow.
- Now, the type of glow seen also matters. For instance, the glow becomes orange, if the area is heavily-soiled with dog urine. The urine’s color could also range from green, to white and yellow.
c. Prepare the Area for Cleaning
Now that you have located the direction the dog urine smell comes from; endeavor to clean it up. Follow the directions below:
Mark the Spot
The spot you identified shouldn’t be let out of sight. Marking it with either tape or placing objects on top of the spot helps you to remember where to clean.
Remove the Waste
Look around the area. Can you find any solid waste, including dust particles? Have them removed by vacuuming. Dispose of the waste thereafter.
d. Prepare the Cleaning Solution
Baking soda is highly recommended for getting older dog urine smell out of carpet. The following is the direction to make the mixture:
- Get the following ingredients: 3 tablespoons of baking soda.
- 10 ounces of 3% hydrogen peroxide and;
- Up to 3 drops of liquid dishwashing soap.
- Mix those ingredients inside a large bowl.
- Make sure the baking soda has properly dissolved, before transferring the mixture to a spray bottle.
- Spritz a little of the mixture on an inconspicuous part of the carpet to test the reaction.
- Satisfied, use the rest of the mixture in the bottle to coat the spot containing the dog’s urine smell.
- Allow the solution to stay in the area for about an hour.
- Get a clean, dry cloth and dip inside a bowl of clean water. Wring out excess water, leaving the cloth damp.
- You can now use the damp cloth to wipe the area.
- Get another clean, dry cloth and use that to blot dry the area.
- You can then open up the windows for natural air to dry the rest of the moisture on the surface.
Read: How To Clean Dog Diarrhea Out Of Carpet
2. How to Treat Old Dog Urine Stains with Just Baking Soda
While the mixture of baking soda with hydrogen peroxide and liquid dish soap helps; it may also make sense to use just baking soda. Here is how to go about it:
- Sprinkle baking soda all over the area and make sure it coats the surface.
- Allow the baking soda to sit on the area for a couple of hours. If you can, leave it overnight, allowing enough time for the soda to lift the liquid out of the area.
- Inspect the surface to be sure it is free of foul smells.
- Vacuum the baking soda and the dog urine smell out of the carpet.
- Use a damp cloth to go over the surface, getting rid of residues. Finish up by using a clean, dry cloth to wipe the area.
3. How to Treat Mild Old Dog Urine Smell on a Carpet
If the smell isn’t strong, then tackling it is a lot easier. To do this, follow these procedures:
- Get on all fours and sniff the carpet. With time, you will know the direction is the strongest – that is the source.
- Make a mixture of a few drops of liquid dishwashing soap and warm water. Mix in a small bowl until they become sudsy.
- Slowly pour the mixture into the detected direction of the stains/smells.
- After a few minutes, get a clean, old rag and blot the liquid out of the area. You can also use a few paper towels for this purpose.
- Complete the process by wiping off the moisture with a clean, dry towel.
4. Get Old Dog Urine Smell out with Baking Soda and Vinegar
You can use baking soda in a variety of ways, especially when it comes to making a cleaning solution dedicated to removing dog urine smell from a carpet.
This time, we want to combine it with white vinegar, and here’s the procedure:
- Sprinkle and spread a generous amount of baking soda on the affected area.
- Allow it to stay for 15 minutes (or more), before vacuuming.
- It is now the time to introduce white vinegar. Do that by preparing equal (1:1) parts of white vinegar and warm water. Transfer the mixture from a bowl to a spray bottle.
- Shake to mix thoroughly before spritzing the smelly area. Make sure the area is saturated, before leaving the solution to stay there for about 15 minutes.
- Start the spot-cleaning process by running a microfiber mop from the outer edges of the affected area and proceeding to the middle.
- Get either an old, dry towel or a couple of paper towels. Use any of those to dab at the area, as a way of getting excess water out.
- Once you’re sure the carpet is dry, reintroduce baking soda, by sprinkling a generous amount on the surface.
- After 30 minutes, use a vacuum cleaner to suck away the baking soda from the floor. You may need to go over the last 2 steps until you are certain the carpet no longer smells of dog urine smell.
- Clean the residues, by rinsing the area with water, and cleaning with a clean, dry cloth.
- Allow the carpet to air-dry, by either opening up the windows to allow natural air inside or turning on your electric fan or HVAC.
5. Explore the “Cold Water” Solution
This might sound like working against oneself but be assured that the cold-water solution works for getting rid of the old dog urine smell from a carpet.
You can either pour a little bit of the cold water on the area and blot it dry before vacuuming or get a cloth dampened with cold water before drying with a clean, old towel.
6. Blotting Old Dog Urine Smell out of Carpet: Does It Work?
Some would say that blotting works best for fresh dog urine smell. However, you can explore this option to tackle the older stains. This is what to do:
- Identify the location of the smell.
- Make a mixture of equal parts of white vinegar and warm water.
- Pour the solution into a spray bottle and spritz the area.
- Dab the surface with a clean, dry cloth. Make sure the area is almost dried.
- Finish up by vacuuming.
7. It’s Time to Bring out the Enzymatic Cleaner
This is one of the best cleaning solutions for tackling stains caused not just by dog urine, but also by the longer presence of the urine on a carpet.
The benefits of using an enzymatic cleaner include:
- The special formulation allows for the disintegration of the chemical bonds holding the organic molecules and proteins in dog protein.
- Enzymatic cleaner also helps to break down and simplify the removal process for tougher stains.
- It supports the release of the nasty dog urine smell from the carpet.
- Enzymatic cleaner tackles urine decomposition, by killing the bacteria that cause that.
Here is how to use the cleaner:
- Spritz a small quantity of the enzymatic cleaner on the affected area of the carpet.
- Use it to coat the rest of the stains.
- After a few minutes, get a microfiber cloth and use that to work the stains from the outer edges of the carpet into the center.
- Rinse with a clean cloth dipped into water which must have been dampened.
- Pat dry the area with a clean, dry towel.
Safety Measures to Have in Mind
While your goal is to get old dog urine smell out of the carpet; it also makes sense to do this following the right procedures. Here are some of the precautions to take:
a. Be Careful with UV Light Usage
From what we have discussed so far, you can tell that using Ultraviolet (UV) light helps to identify the source of old dog urine smell.
However, you need to use the light with these precautions in mind:
- Always switch off the light before using the UV light.
- It is important to use the light on every other carpet, except the carpets with fluorescence.
- Always turn off the UV light when not in use. You can also remove the batteries if the light wouldn’t be in use for an extended period.
b. Keep Your Nose Safe
The use of UV light is not the only option when inspecting the carpet for old dog urine smell. You can also put your eyes to good use – exploring the surface to figure out from which direction the odor comes.
Rather than putting your nose entirely down to the floor to sniff; you can maintain a few inches of distance between your nose and the carpet.
Other ways to visually inspect the carpet for old dog urine smell are:
- Look for signs of discoloration or fading along the carpet.
- Rub a damp cloth along smaller sections of the carpet and sniff. You will be able to determine where the foul smell lies.
Conclusion
Old dog urine smell can ruin the sweet-smelling home you have. By inspecting the area, identifying the direction of the smell, and cleaning it up; you will have your room restored to the original fresh and clean nature in less time.