If you have a dog (especially a new puppy), then you know what I’m talking about when I refer to that oh so dreaded dog pee!
It can ruin your flooring in no time — including carpet, linoleum, and wood floors. Especially if it’s not cleaned up the right way. Plus, it STINKS!
Fortunately, it is possible to remove dog urine from the surfaces inside your home.
You just need to do it the right way in order to remove the smell entirely AND preserve your floors.
There are lots of different ways to remove wet urine stains from flooring. And there are even more ways to remove set-in dog urine stains. I mention only the “best ones” below.
Choose the one you like best, based on what you already have on hand in your home!
In this article I will cover:
- How to remove dog urine stains and odors properly yourself
- The best dog urine stain and odor removers you can buy
- The best DIY dog pee stain & odor removers
- How to use a black light UV flashlight to find old and new urine stains
I’ve included the best dog urine stain and odor removal tips for carpet, hardwood floors, cement flooring, linoleum floors, furniture, and bedding.
If Your Dog Peed On Carpet (Or Rug)…
First, act quickly — before the dog urine has a chance to seep into the padding or sub-flooring underneath the carpet. Extract as much of the urine from the carpet as you can using a Shop Vac (wet/dry vac). OR, blot (don’t rub!) the stain using a super-absorbent cloth.
MY PRO TIPS:
- Using a shop vac is best, but whenever ours hasn’t been cleaned out and I’m in a hurry, I use Shamwow short-microfiber towels — because they absorb much more liquid than other towels and they absorb liquids faster than other towels.
- You will need to extract / blot the urine stain several times. It’s best to use a CLEAN towel for each “blot” — so you’re not spreading urine that the towel has already picked up.
- Do NOT rub the urine stain — that will just spread the stain and odor. Instead, start with an area just outside of the stain ring and move inward.
- My best tip is to STAND on the towel (without moving the towel around) to give the towel direct contact with the very bottom of your carpet or rug — this will cause the urine to “wick” up into the towel.
Next, dilute the urine stain with a glass of warm (not hot!) water. Immediately blot up as much of the liquid as you can right away using the tips described above. REPEAT THIS STEP 3 MORE TIMES!
Then, apply an enzymatic odor neutralizer like Rocco & Roxie Stain and Odor Eliminator onto the entire urine-stained area. Let it set for 2 hours at a minimum, but overnight is best. For set-in stains, 2 to 3 days would be ideal — giving the product enough time to “reach and neutralize” the urine stain.
Finally, use the above steps to extract OR blot up as much of the odor neutralizer as you can, before allowing it to air dry. Be patient… it may take 6 to 8 hours to dry completely! IF you happen to still notice a slight stain or smell a slight odor, then dilute the stained area again with water and repeat all the same steps again.
These are the SAFEST products to remove dog urine stains & odor from carpet:
- Rocco & Roxie Stain & Odor Eliminator – a popular pet-friendly stain remover with natural enzymes
- Simple Solution Extreme – a pro-bacteria and enzyme formula that works great on dog urine odor
- Nature’s Miracle Stain & Odor Remover – a great enzymatic product for spot-cleaning and odors
- Angry Orange Pet Odor Eliminator – a highly concentrated carpet deodorizer with enzymes
If Your Dog Peed On Hardwood Floor…
First, remove as much of the dog urine from the wood floor as possible Just blot it up, without rubbing it around and spreading it.
Next, combine half of a bottle of 3% hydrogen peroxide with 1 squirt of Dawn liquid dish soap. (NOTE: You could use hydrogen peroxide alone, but the liquid dish soap acts as a surfactant — which helps to break down the urine residue and lift it from the wood surface and remove odors.) Mix the ingredients together well and thoroughly soak a clean rag in this solution. Wring out the rag so that it’s still very wet, but NOT dripping.
MY PRO TIPS:
- These next steps should only be done on SEALED hardwood floors. Most wood flooring in homes today are sealed. But if yours is not, then skip the “soaked rag” step below and move right to the list of safe products for use on hardwood floors.
- Hydrogen peroxide will lighten the color of UNSEALED hardwood flooring.
- To find out if your wood floors are sealed or not, perform the next steps on an inconspicuous part of your floor (like in the pantry, a closet, or a hidden corner of the room) BEFORE you do it on the dog urine stain itself.
Then, heavily blot (don’t rub!) the urine-stained area of your wood floor with the thoroughly wet rag — and leave it on the stain for 5 to 10 minutes. The solution will “draw out” the urine from the wood floor. After 5-10 minutes, wipe the area dry using a clean towel, and wait a few more minutes until it is 100% dry to the touch.
Finally, sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on the urine stained area of the wood floor. Let it set overnight to absorb any remaining odors. In the morning, vacuum up the baking soda from your floor. Finish up by wiping a small amount of your regular hardwood floor cleaner onto the stained area.
These are the SAFEST products to remove dog urine stains & odor from wood floors:
- Simple Solution Extreme Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator – enzymatic with 3X pro-bacteria cleaning power for urine stains & smells
- Unchained Pet Urine Stain & Odor Remover – what professional floor cleaners use
- Nature’s Miracle Hard Floor Cleaner – enzymatic, works on natural floor finishes with new AND set-in stains
- Angry Orange Pet Odor Eliminator for Dog Urine – enzymatic and citrus based, this works great on strong, lingering smells
If Your Dog Peed On Cement Flooring…
First, soak up the urine with kitty litter / cat litter.
Next, wash the cement floor with any detergent and warm water.
Finally, sprinkle an enzymatic cleaner on the stained area to remove the odor. My favorite is Anti Icky Poo Odor Remover — seen here:
These are the SAFEST products to remove dog urine stains & odor from cement:
- Lime – the same product that is commonly used on lawns
- White vinegar – dog urine contains uric acid which breaks down into alkaline salts that cause the odor; vinegar’s acidic nature neutralizes these salts, reducing the smell
- Enzyme cleaners – a list of the safest dog urine products to use on cement
If Your Dog Peed On Tile & Grout…
First, blot up as much as the urine as you can using paper towels or microfiber rags. Immediately sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda onto the stained area and let it set for 30 minutes — to absorb as much of the odor right away as possible.
Next, in a small bucket combine 1 cup of baking soda + ½ gallon of warm water. Mix well before adding 1 cup of vinegar to the same bucket.
Then, mop or sponge this solution in your bucket onto the entire dog urine stained area. Make sure there is plenty of the wet solution on the tile and grout. Use a toothbrush to scrub the solution into all of the grout that’s in the area. Let the solution set on the tile and grout for at 1 hour.
Finally, mop it up using just fresh clean water in the bucket this time. If any dog urine odor still remains, repeat the entire process once more.
These are the SAFEST products to remove dog urine stains & odor from tile and grout:
- My Pet Peed – if other cleaners have failed to remove the odor, this product is your best bet (It’s expensive, which is why I recommend trying other enzymatic cleaners first.)
- BioKleen Bac-Out Enzymatic Stain Cleaner & Odor Remover – uses live enzyme-producing cultures and plant-based surfactants
- Rocco & Roxie Stain & Odor Eliminator – popular dog urine stain remover that uses natural enzymes
- Nature’s Miracle Hard Floor Cleaner – enzymatic, works on natural floor finishes with new AND set-in stains
If Your Dog Peed On Linoleum / Vinyl Floor…
First, soak up the urine with paper towels or a microfiber cloth.
Next, wash the floor using a little bit of liquid laundry detergent and warm water.
Then, combine 1 part vinegar and 1 part water in a bucket. Mix well. Mop the area where your dog peed on the linoleum floor. Rinse the mop with clean water, and mop the floor once more.
Finally, repeat the process by mopping with the same vinegar & water solution, followed by another clean rinse. To remove any lingering odors, use an enzymatic cleaner.
These are the SAFEST products to remove dog urine stains & odor from vinyl /linoleum floors:
- Bona Multi-Surface Floor Cleaner For Pet Stains – an enzymatic formula that keeps deep cleaning up to 5 days
- ZEP Neutral pH Floor Cleaner – great on vinyl with no rinsing needed
- DU-MOST Enzymatic Floor Cleaner – a premium enzyme-based concentrate floor cleaner and degreaser
- Better Life Floor Cleaner – a great wipe & go product with no rinsing needed
If Your Dog Peed On Furniture (Your Bed, Dog Bed)…
First… act quickly! Allowing dog urine to dry will make your furniture stink badly — and for a long time. If you’ve caught it early enough and the fabric cover is all that’s been soiled, then remove it immediately so the urine doesn’t soak into the cushions.
Next, soak up the urine from the cover with paper towels or a microfiber cloth.
Finally, thoroughly wash the fabric cover. You can choose to have the fabric cover dry-cleaned OR use a gentle detergent with warm water to remove the stain yourself
TIP: You could also mix equal parts of hydrogen peroxide and vinegar in a bottle. Apply to the soiled areas of your fabric furniture. Cover the stained area with plastic wrap — so the cleaning solution will go directly to the stain. After an hour or more, remove the plastic. If the urine smell still lingers, repeat this process.
These are the SAFEST products to remove dog urine stains & odor from furniture & bedding:
- Resolve Dog & Cat Urine Destroyer Spray – permanently eliminates urine stains and neutralizes odors on contact
- BioKleen Bac-Out Enzymatic Stain Cleaner & Odor Remover – made with live enzyme-producing cultures, lavender & citrus extracts, and plant-based surfactants
- Nature’s Miracle Urine Destroyer PLUS – a powerful enzymatic formula for serious urine stains (foaming aerosol formula here)
- Woolite Advantage Pet Stain & Odor Remover – powerful on pet messes including urine and vomit (Woolite’s oxygen formula is good too)
TIP: The best way to remove ALL of the urine from deep inside your carpet, furniture, bedding, or anything else made of fabric is to: 1) Use a Shop Vac to suck up the liquid OR 2) Use a super-absorbent cloth to blot up the liquid. (I like to use a Shamwow short-microfiber towel because it absorbs much more liquid than other towels and it absorbs it faster!) The quicker the urine is removed, the better your odds at keeping the urine from seeping into the base of your carpet, furniture, mattress, or bedding!
AFTER Cleaning Up The Urine, Neutralize The Odor
No matter which of the above methods you use to remove dog urine stains, you should always follow-up with an odor neutralizer once you’re done cleaning the spot.
The best ones also contain ENZYMES which continue working as long as any bio-based mess (like urine and vomit) is still present!
The BEST odor neutralizers for dog urine:
- Zero Odor – it bonds with odor molecules, changing them into non-smelling molecules
- Simple Solution Extreme – a pro-bacteria and enzyme formula that works great on urine odors
- Bioda Multi-Purpose Enzyme Cleaner – their specialized probiotics continue cleaning & deodorizing up to 21 days
- Rocco & Roxie Stain & Odor Eliminator – a popular pet-friendly stain & odor remover with natural enzymes
- Zeiff Multipurpose Probiotic Enzyme Cleaner– a fragrance-free proprietary blend of bacterial enzymes, detergents, and deodorizers
These products help to permanently neutralize the odor — so your dog won’t be as likely to return to the same spot to urinate again. (My favorite odor neutralizer is the Rocco & Roxie one.)
Home-made mixtures or typical household cleaners simply do not contain the required ingredients to remove ALL the components of cat urine. Vinegar and baking soda work to neutralize the odor temporarily. And hydrogen peroxide is 30% more oxidizing than chlorine. But cat urine is composed of things that REQUIRE enzymes to break down the chemical bonds.
How To Find Pet Stains (New OR Set-In)
Not sure exactly where the pet stains are on your floor?
Sometimes (especially with carpeting) it’s hard to see where the urine stains are.
You can use an LED UV black light flashlight to locate fresh stains AND set-in stains — it works equally well on both types of dog urine stains! Just be sure to use the light when the room is super dark.
When choosing a black light flashlight, the trick is to look for one with 9 to 12 bulbs and rated between 365 to 385 nanometers (nm).
A lower rating won’t be strong enough to light up the cat urine, and a higher rating is too similar to natural light to have an effect.
~ WikiHow
This is the best LED black light flashlight for pet owners:


Keep in mind that LED black light flashlights are SO sensitive that they’ll also pick up other stains — including blood, food stains, and even residue from previous cleaners.
However, if you use enzymatic cleaners (mentioned above) to clean pet stains, there should be NO trace of those spots left behind.
You can see how well an LED UV black light flashlight works in this video: