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The No. 1 Cleaning Mistake That Locks Dog Pee Smell in Carpeting

Our furry friends add so much to our lives, but we all know they come with a few downsides and...smells (and no one wants a musty house). Accidents happen, and if your dog ever leaves a wet spot on the carpet, it’s important to address it as soon as possible—that way, you can reduce the risk of staining and lingering odors.

Training pads can help cover up carpet when your pup is still learning where and where not to go to the bathroom, but even pads don’t prevent all accidents. That's why it helps to learn how to get rid of dog urine odor and staining on carpet. Cleaning pee from a tiled floor is easy, but when you need to remove dog urine from carpet, the problem tends to be significantly harder to deal with. Use this guide to discover how to tackle pet urine-soaked carpet cleaning.

Why Dog Pee Smell Is So Hard to Remove

What’s Actually in Dog Urine

The main reason dog pee is so difficult to clean properly has to do with the contents of the urine. “Urine from dogs contains uric acid, which forms solid uric acid salt crystals that attach very strongly to carpet fibers, backings, padding, and sub-flooring,” notes Sofia Martinez, cleaning expert and CEO at Sparkly Maid Austin.

Even if you use vinegar to deal with staining and to get rid of the alkaline ammonia scent, vinegar is not effective for breaking down uric acid crystals, so the urine scent will remain deep in the carpet fibers, re-emerging at times when the uric acid crystals are re-activated by moisture, such as high humidity. For this reason, it’s essential to use enzymatic cleaners to handle dog pee accidents.

Why Carpet Padding Holds Odor

Carpet padding holds odors because it is highly porous and acts like a sponge, absorbing liquids and trapping contaminants that seep through the carpet backing. Materials like foam or felt absorb dog urine in carpet pad fibers, allowing odors to persist even after the surface carpet is cleaned.

Martinez explains that “uric acid crystals are insoluble in water and can not be dissolved by standard cleaning products. If the smell appears to go away after using standard cleaners, that smell will come back once there is enough moisture to reactivate the uric acid residue that remained behind. The only way to eliminate the uric acid crystals is to use an enzymatic cleaner.”

What to Do Right After an Accident

Blotting Correctly

To correctly blot dog urine, immediately apply firm, downward pressure with paper towels or white cloths to absorb liquid without spreading it. Replace towels frequently until no more moisture transfers, focusing on soaking it up rather than scrubbing. Stand on the towels or use heavy objects to weigh them down, especially on carpets.

Do not rub or scrub the carpet, as this only spreads the stain and damages the carpet fibers. Similarly, using hot water or a steam cleaner will set the urine odor and stain, making them nearly impossible to remove. For large accidents on carpet, using a wet/dry vacuum to extract the water and urine is highly effective.

Why Rubbing Makes Stains Worse

Rubbing stains makes them worse because it forces the substance deeper into the fabric fibers, increases the surface area of the stain, and can damage or fray the material. Instead of removing the stain, friction spreads it and embeds it, while harsh rubbing can wear out fabric and permanently alter carpet texture. Martinez states that you “should not scrub the stain as you will only spread the uric acid crystals further into the backings and padding.”

How to Get Dog Pee Out of Carpet

Step 1: Blot and Dilute the Urine

Blotting involves pressing down firmly on the urine with a paper towel, cloth, or a similar absorbent material to soak up excess urine before it can seep further into the carpet. “Blot the stained area gently to remove as much of the uric acid crystals as possible. Spray the stained area with clean water to help dilute the urine and dissolve the uric acid crystals,” explains Martinez.

Step 2: Apply the Right Cleaner

While vinegar and baking soda can work in the short term to address immediate staining and minor odor issues, they are not effective at breaking down uric acid crystals, so you should be using an enzymatic cleaner whenever possible. “If you have access to an enzymatic cleaner, apply it to the stained area immediately. If you don't have an enzymatic cleaner, you should try to get one as soon as possible, ideally within 12 to 24 hours,” says Martinez.

Step 3: Let the Cleaner Sit Long Enough

Don’t simply spray the cleaner on the area and wipe it away immediately. You need to give the enzymatic cleaner enough time to actually break down the urine and uric acid crystals. “For moderately soiled areas, let the enzymatic cleaner sit for 15 minutes and for heavily soiled areas, let the enzymatic cleaner sit covered with a damp cloth for 12 to 72 hours,” notes Martinez.

Step 4: Rinse and Extract Moisture

After the cleaner has had enough time to properly work, spray the area with clean water, then use a wet/dry shop vac to extract the moisture from the carpet. Avoid using too much water, as this could cause damage to the carpet, carpet padding, and subfloor, as well as potentially causing any remaining uric acid crystals to seep deeper into the fabric.

Step 5: Dry Completely to Prevent Odor Return

Extract as much moisture as possible with a wet-dry vac to limit the risk of mold and mildew growth, while reducing the amount of time it will take for the carpet to fully dry. Martinez mentions that you should “remove any remaining enzymatic cleaner by blotting with a clean towel and air dry the stained area. Never use heat to dry the area because heat will permanently set the odor. Once the area is dry, use your vacuum to return the texture of the carpet to normal.”

Best Cleaners for Dog Urine in Carpet

Enzyme Cleaners

The best possible choice for dealing with both the staining and the smells caused by dog pee is an enzymatic cleaner. “Only enzymatic cleaners such as Bissell Professional, Rocco & Roxie, Biokleen Bac-Out, and Zep Urine Remover can break down the uric acid crystals at the molecular level,” states Martinez. These cleaners are not only the most effective option, they are also safe for pets, non-toxic, and biodegradable.

Vinegar and Baking Soda

Vinegar and baking soda is a common DIY option that homeowners will use to treat dog urine stains and scents, but there are significant limitations to this DIY mixture. “Do not use ammonia-based cleaners since urine already contains ammonia, while baking soda and vinegar is really only useful as a temporary odor-masking solution,” says Martinez.

When it comes to vinegar vs enzyme cleaner for dog urine, vinegar can certainly deal with the alkaline ammonia scent and can help remove staining, but it is not effective against the uric acid crystals in the urine. If you only use vinegar and baking soda, you may notice that the smell is gone temporarily, but it will return when the leftover uric acid crystals are exposed to moisture, such as during a humid day. For this reason, even if you do use vinegar and baking soda in the short term, it’s recommended to clean the area again with an enzymatic cleaner to break down the uric acid.

Commercial Pet Urine Removers

Most commercial pet urine removers are also enzymatic cleaners, so you are typically making the right choice if you decide to invest in a commercial pet urine remover to handle dog pee accidents. However, this isn’t the case with every product.

There are a range of non-enzymatic cleaners that are effective for surface cleaning and odor masking, particularly those that use advanced surfactants to break down odor-causing molecules, but these products may not be able to fully break down uric acid crystals that have seeped deeper into the carpet fibers, so it is ultimately best to go with an enzymatic cleaner if you want to be sure your carpets will remain clean and odor-free.

Black lights allow you to see old, set-in dog pee stains on carpets and rugs, even when they're not visible to the naked eye.

Getty Images

How to Remove Old or Set-In Dog Urine Stains

Finding Hidden Urine With UV Light

You can usually track down old dog pee stains in carpet with the help of a UV light. “Use a UV light to identify contamination. Soak the contaminated area with enzymatic cleaner, cover the area with plastic or a damp cloth, and let the enzymes work for eight to 24 hours,” details Martinez. The enzymatic cleaner will work to break down the uric acid crystals so that you can be certain that the stain and smell will not return.

Treating Carpet Pad and Subfloor

Apply a high-quality enzymatic cleaner liberally to the area. It needs to soak through the carpet and into the pad to destroy uric acid crystals. Let it sit for several hours or overnight, as recommended by the product instructions. If the urine has seeped through to the subfloor, then it must be treated or the smell will return.

Pull up the carpet and replace the affected section of the carpet pad, then clean the subfloor with an enzymatic cleaner, allowing it to soak into the wood or concrete. After cleaning, allow the area to dry, then apply a stain-blocking primer or sealant to the subfloor to lock in any remaining odors.

When Multiple Treatments are Needed

Multiple treatments are required for set-in dog urine stains when the urine has seeped into the carpet padding, dried for over 24 hours, or caused "wicking" (reappearing stains). Stubborn, old, or heavily saturated spots require repeated enzyme-based cleaner applications or deep cleaning to break down uric acid crystals and eliminate odor-causing bacteria. For severe, large, or old stains that aren't getting better after multiple attempts, professional cleaning is recommended.

Common Dog Urine Cleaning Mistakes

Using Steam Cleaners Too Soon

Steam cleaners can remove dirt from deep within the carpet fibers, but this doesn’t mean you should automatically jump to using these cleaning tools immediately for every problem. “Do not use steam heat before addressing the problem with an enzymatic cleaner first. Steam heat permanently sets the stain,” says Martinez. The heat produced by a steam cleaner is of a high enough temperature that it actually permanently bonds the proteins in the urine to the carpet fibers, making the stain and odor almost impossible to remove.

Masking Smells Instead of Removing Them

Simply covering up the smell of dog urine instead of removing it may seem like an effective short-term solution, but the underlying problem remains. “Don’t use ammonia-based cleaners. Instead, use an enzymatic cleaner and let the enzymes work long enough before rinsing,” explains Martinez. If the dog pee is not treated with an appropriate cleaner, the uric acid and alkaline ammonia will stay in the carpet, causing staining and pungent odors that return with humidity.

Over-Wetting the Carpet

When you apply too much water to the carpet, you can actually spread the stain and the odor deep into the carpet padding. Martinez mentions that “oversaturating the area with water and ignoring the surrounding area where the urine travels laterally just makes the issue worse.”

The excessive water can damage the carpet backing and, if the water is not thoroughly extracted, it can lead to lingering smells that resurface on humid days, which often worsens the original issue. There is also a risk that mold and mildew may take root within the carpet padding, carpet fibers, and even in the wood flooring underneath the carpet due to the high amount of moisture.

When Carpet Replacement Is the Only Option

Signs Urine Has Soaked Through the Pad

Signs that pet urine has soaked through to the carpet pad include a persistent or returning ammonia odor, stains that reappear after cleaning, and a much larger, darker, and more defined stain on the underside of the carpet compared to the surface. Other indicators are pets repeatedly marking the same spot, visible, deep yellow/brown discoloring, and potential damage to the subfloor.

Martinez notes that “if the padding has been fully saturated due to repeated accidents, the uric acid has traveled through the carpet to the subfloor, all cleaning efforts have failed, or the carpet feels damp or smells musty, replace the carpet.”

Health and Odor Considerations

Lingering bacteria and ammonia in the carpet can trigger asthma, allergy symptoms, sinusitis, and airway inflammation, particularly in children and the elderly. Dried dog urine produces a strong ammonia odor that is harmful to inhale and can irritate the eyes, nose, and lungs.

“Installing new carpet over existing contaminated padding will cause the odor to return quickly, usually within weeks to months. The old padding must be removed and replaced and the subfloor must be treated with a sealant prior to installing new carpet,” Martinez explains.

Dog Pee Carpet Cleaning FAQs

Does Vinegar Really Remove Dog Urine Smell?

Vinegar can help to remove dog urine smell, especially when used in combination with baking soda. It is an effective option because of the acidic nature of vinegar which neutralizes the alkaline ammonia smell.

Why Does the Smell Come Back When It’s Humid?

Dog urine smells tends to return during humid weather because the moisture in the air reactivates dormant, dried uric acid that was left behind in the carpet, padding, or wood. For this reason, an enzyme cleaner for dog urine is highly recommended to break down the uric acid crystals completely.

Are Enzyme Cleaners Safe for Pets?

Enzyme cleaners are generally considered to be very safe for pets because they use natural enzymes to break down organic matter into harmless substances, making them non-toxic and biodegradable alternatives to harsh chemical cleaners.

Can Professional Cleaning Remove Dog Urine Completely?

If you don’t have the time or you question your expertise when it comes to cleaning, you can absolutely hire professional cleaners to handle dog urine. Pro cleaners will be able to effectively remove dog urine completely when using specialized enzyme cleaner and sub-surface extraction tools that can even reach the carpet padding.