How to Get Rid of Dog Urine Smell

Any dog can pee inside the house, even those that have been properly educated. Causes behind why a dog is urinating in the house could include not having access to the outside, sensory deprivation syndrome, pathological causes, stress and more. In addition, accidental peeing inside the house is common in puppies, as they are still in their learning phase. Despite the cause or the reason behind your dog peeing in the house, scolding or punishing your dog is NOT recommended. If you scold a dog for acting on a natural bodily requirement, like peeing, it could cause confusion, stress or fear in your dog.

When getting rid of dog pee smell in the house, you need to be careful with which products you use. Some products contain components that, instead of serving as an odor neutralizer for dogs, encourage them to continue using that place as a toilet.

If your whole house smells like dog urine, keep reading below to find how what neutralizes dog urine and how to eliminate urine odor in the house.

Before applying these below mentioned home remedies to eliminate dog urine, you will need to dry it properly.

Start by using absorbent and disposable paper towels to remove as much urine as possible (remember to wear gloves). Do not rub the urine when drying it as it can cause the material to soak up more of the urine, especially in the case of textiles, such as carpets, rugs or curtains.

Once you’ve dried your dog’s urine, soak another towel of absorbent paper in water and gently pass it over the urine stained area. Once the yellow color disappears or has decreased considerably, you can begin with these following home remedies to get rid of dog urine smell.

For more, we recommend reading our article where we discuss how to teach your dog not to urinate at home.

Hydrogen peroxide is a chemical compound with powerful oxidizing properties. There are two effective ways to use hydrogen peroxide when removing dog urine smell:

Hydrogen peroxide and water

Mix part hydrogen peroxide with tap water in a spray container. Once you have dried the urine, spray the area with the mixture and leave for 30 minutes. You can then rinse the area with water using an absorbent towel.

This method is most effective on light colored carpets and ceramic floors. It is not recommended for darker textiles, since oxygenated water can discolor them.

Hydrogen peroxide and sodium bicarbonate

Mix 2 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide, 2 tablespoons of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of dish-washing liquid detergent. Use a deep container as these components will bubble when stirred.

Once mixed, you should be left with a thick and uniform paste. If you’re wondering, ‘‘how to get old dog urine smell out the carpet,’’ This method is ideal. Spread the mixture thickly over the area, leave on for an hour, remove with absorbent paper and rinse with water.

For more about a dog peeing inside, we recommend reading our article, ‘‘My dog peed on my bed - what does it mean?’’

So, what neutralizes dog urine? White vinegar is a household ingredient often used as a natural cleanser. It holds disinfectant properties and a pungent odor. So if you’re wondering, ‘‘Does vinegar remove urine odor?’’ The answer is yes. You vinegar for both fresh or old urine stains on floors or carpets. When using it, however, we recommend that you avoid rubbing it in to avoid absorption.

Applying vinegar as an odor neutralizer is very simple. All you have to do is mix 1 part of vinegar with 1 part hot water in a spray container. The, apply over the urinated area and leave for 20 minutes. Then, remove with absorbent paper and dry completely.

For more about the benefits of vinegar for dogs, we recommend reading:

• How to make homemade perfume for dogs.
• How to get rid of fleas on dogs with vinegar.

Sodium bicarbonate is an alkaline compound that stands out as an effective home product thanks to it anti-fungal and abrasive effects. For this reason, baking soda is incredibly useful in getting rid of pet urine smell in the house:

Baking soda

After removing the urine, sprinkle baking soda in the area and leave overnight. In the morning, remove it with a vacuum cleaner. Bicarbonate soda can be toxic for dogs if they ingested in large quantities, so you should only use this method if you can keep your dog away from this area for a designated period of time.

Baking soda and vinegar

This remedy works well for fresh or old urine. Mix 150 milliliters of vinegar with 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Apply the solution onto the problem area and let it act for half an hour. Remove and rinse with water.

When it comes to materials such as wood or carpets, test in an area to verify that it does not discolor.

Lemon can be very useful when it comes to eliminating dog urine odor. In addition, this natural neutralizing method doesn’t hold risk of side effects. Not only does its aroma suppress the unpleasant stench of urine, but it also carries anti-fungal and antibacterial properties.

The best way to apply lemon to get rid of dog urine smell is by mixing 100 milliliters of lemon juice, 50 milliliters of water and 2 spoons of baking soda. Fill an atomizer with the mixture and spray on the area. Leave on for half an hour and then remove with water. If necessary, repeat the process.

In addition to eliminating odor, lemon works as a great dog urine repellent , as citrus aromas discourage dogs from approaching places. If you want to know what other smells dogs hate, we recommend reading our article where we list the top 10 smells dogs hate.

Enzymatic cleaners are organic products made from enzymes. Among its many functions is its capability to eliminate unpleasant odors, since these enzymes dissolve molecules which produce this bad smell, such as dog urine.

Enzymatic cleaner brands vary according to each country, but are easily found in supermarkets and home cleaning stores.

When it comes to dog urine, it can cause odor problems both outside and inside. Whether in your garden or patio, these options to get rid of dog urine smell outside are for you:

Cleaning garden slabs

Garden slabs, whether made of marble, granite or other material, can easily take on the bad smells of a dog's pee. To eliminate it, we recommend using:

• Chemical bleach: which can be bought cleaning product stores. Mix in equal parts with water and rub on the affected area. Then, rinse with water until all leftover chemical bleach is removed. This is especially important, as it is toxic to animals.
• Lemon and water: equal mixture of lemon and water serves as a dog urine neutralizer, as well as as a dog repellent.

Cleaning the lawn

When it comes to organic material such as grass, we recommend buying garden lime. Sprinkle the lime on the bad-smelling area and then rinse with water.

For more about the uses of lemon, we recommend reading our article where we discuss how to keep a dog from pooping in your yard.

In addition to eliminating the smell of dog urine, there are many products which can function as repellents to stop a dog from peeing inside. These dog urine repellents include:

Cayenne pepper

Cayenne pepper causes irritation in a dog’s mucous membranes and they prefer to stay away from it entirely.

Using cayenne pepper as a repellent to keep a dog from peeing inside is very simple. All you have to do is sprinkle a little of this pepper on the selected area. In addition, this method serves as urine odor neutralizer.

Alcohol

Isopropyl alcohol is commonly used to disinfect wounds, as it holds strong antibacterial properties accompanied by an intense odor, which dogs do not like.

Mix 1 part of this alcohol with 2 parts water and spray the designated area. This method can be used both indoors and outdoors, however, it should never be applied to plants. In addition, make sure that your dog does not ingest it, as it can toxic for animals.

Lemon and vinegar

Lemon and vinegar both carry strong anti-fungal and disinfectant properties. In addition, both of these products contain an odor that repel dogs. Mix 1 cup of lemon juice with 1 cup of vinegar and sprinkle with on the area. Repeat as many times as necessary.

For more, we suggest taking a look at our article where we discuss how to train a dog to pee in one place.

When it comes to getting rid of dog urine smell, it’s it important to determine why your dog has started to pee in inappropriate places. If your dog is a puppy, you will need to educate it correctly. Read here about paper training for puppies. If, however, your adult dog is suddenly manifesting this behavior, pay attention to possible signs and symptoms of stress, depression, a need for routine change and more. In both cases, remember to consult your veterinarian to rule out the possibility of an underlying pathology. Also don’t forget that when educating a dog, positive reinforcement is the most appropriate form.

Additionally, the use of products that contain ammonia, chlorine or bleach is prohibited. The smell of these products incites these animals and are toxic for dogs.

Although all of the above mentioned remedies function as excellent urine odor neutralizers, they are not a solution to the problem. In this case, the solution to eliminating dog urine smell in the house is by making sure your dog is happy and healthy, receives enough walks and exercise and is able to socialize with other dogs.

If you want to read similar articles to How to Get Rid of Dog Urine Smell, we recommend you visit our Behavioral problems category.