Life is full of accidents and they can be caused by anyone in your home, including your dog. Maybe you overslept and forgot the hour for taking the dog out or it is getting old and becoming incontinent. The fact is that you discover a urine puddle on the floor.
It is an unpleasant situation, but there is no need to panic. We will show you how to get rid both of the stain and of the smell. All you will need are regular products that anyone has at home.
Forget about the Simple Solutions to the Problem
First of all, here is what NOT to do, because most people are bound to tackle the issue the wrong way. They find the most fragrant surface cleaner in the house and use it. For the moment, they won’t feel the smell. But this is only because the artificial scent of the cleaner covers it. When it dries up, the urine scent will be back.
Another mistake is to use ammonia-based cleaners. While ammonia is known for its odor removal properties, it does not work for dog (or cat) urine because it also contains ammonia. Thus, what you actually do is enhance the smell. What’s worse, your pet will perceive it as “the peeing spot” and you will never get rid of the problem.
The Right Way to Clean Dog Urine from Floors
The correct procedure for getting rid of pet stains on hardwood floors permanently has three steps.
Step 1 – Pre-Treatment of the Surface
For this step of the process, you should use an enzyme-based cleaner. The reason for this is simple: enzymes are living microscopic organisms that destroy the bacteria and ammonia in urine. These are the two elements that cause the smell of urine.
Here’s what you need to do:
- If the urine poodle is still fresh, soak up as much of it as you can with paper towels
- Apply the enzyme-based cleaner in a generous amount and leave it for a few minutes
- Blot excess solution with paper towels and leave the surface to dry.
This step will probably remove the stain of urine – but you are not done, because the smell most probably still persists.
Step 2 – Cleaning the Surface
The next step is to tackle the smell of urine. Even if you believe it is gone, remember that your dog has an enhanced sense of smell compared to humans. The slightest smell of urine is an invitation to use the same spot in the future.
Here is what you need to do. Mix water at room temperature with white vinegar in equal proportions. Apply it on the surface and leave it for at least 20 minutes. Once it has completely evaporated, apply the water and vinegar mix again and soak it up with paper towels.
Step 3 – Deodorizing the Surface
This is the last step, and it is guaranteed to remove all urine smell. Even the incredibly sensitive sense of smell of your dog will not be able to perceive it.
For this last step, you will use the regular fragrant floor cleaner. Mix it as per the instructions and apply it generously on the problem area. Use a brush with hard bristles to scrub the floor, until it forms a lather or foam.
Leave the cleaner on the floor for about 5 minutes then wipe it with paper towels (don’t wash it away!). Finally, you can mop the floor or use a damp cloth.
