There’s no doubt you love your dog, but when they have constant accidents in the home, it can be pretty frustrating and very stressful to stay on top of the mess. One of the trickiest places to clean is furniture. If your pet is inappropriately eliminating, then you have your hands full. My guide on how to clean dog pee off couch, the carpet, and other common areas will teach you some fast and simple ways to keep your home clean and smelling great.
How to clean dog pee off couch:
- Use paper towels to blot up as much of the urine as possible
- Spray the area with plain water
- Blot the area again using paper towels
- Thoroughly soak the stain with white vinegar and dish soap
- Use wet rags to remove the solution
- Allow it to fully dry
- Sprinkle the area with baking soda
- Vacuum area
As you can see, using just a few household products, you can easily remove pet stains from your furniture. However, it’s important to treat the area as soon as possible. Read on to learn more tips and tricks to treat pet stains in the home.
Getting Rid of the Smell
If you’ve come home and noticed a wet spot on your sofa, don’t panic. With a few simple household products, you can quickly get the stain out of the couch and ensure your home doesn’t reek of urine. To start, grab some paper towels and soak up as much urine as possible. Put some weight into it and continue to use paper towels until they are no longer picking up any moisture. When doing this task, make sure you work from the outside of the stain, slowly to its center.
Use a spray bottle filled with water and wet the area thoroughly. Blot the area again using more paper towels, until they no longer pick up any moisture.
A Homemade Solution
White vinegar is your best friend in this situation. It’s a common product many homeowners use to clean up a wide variety of messes, and it just happens to work amazingly well to remove urine. For this solution, you’ll use ¼ cup of dish soap, half a cup of white vinegar and half a cup of hot water. Mix these ingredients in a bowl.
For this next step, grab some old rags. Dip a rag into the solution and work it into the stain. The solution should start to become foamy. Next, use a toothbrush to scrub the stain.
Take a clean wet rag and begin removing the solution from the carpet.
Another Rinse
Use another spray bottle and fill it with white vinegar. Thoroughly spray down the area. This time you won’t soak up the vinegar. Instead, allow it to dry, as it will help to absorb any odors that are trapped deep in the fibers of the couch.
Baking Soda to the Rescue
Now, take some baking soda and liberally sprinkle it over the area to neutralize the odor. The baking soda should sit on the stain for two to three hours. Use a vacuum with attachments, such as the Bissell 9595A CleanView Bagless Vacuum to suck up the baking soda. This should work to completely get rid of the stain and the smell. However, if you still smell urine, I recommend repeating this process an additional time.
How to Wash Urine Soaked Bedding and Clothes
If you’re dealing with clothing or bedding that’s been peed on, then the first thing you should do is toss them in the washing machine. But don’t use a laundry detergent like you probably have in the past. Instead, use a cup of distilled white vinegar. The vinegar will work to break down the uric acid in the urine, which will make it a lot easier to remove the stain.
Once the washing cycle is complete, the load should be run again, but this time you’ll add some laundry detergent. The clothes or bedding should also be washed on the hottest setting.
If the stain has been left to sit for several hours, then the clothing or bedding may need to soak in vinegar overnight. In the morning you can wash it with detergent. If the stain is still present after a cycle in the wash, try soaking it again in the vinegar overnight and wash again in the morning.
Carpet Disasters
If your dog keeps insisting on urinating on the same spot on the carpet, then he may still be able to smell the scent of older urine. This is a common issue and one that can be avoided if you clean up the mess using vinegar instead of household cleaners. For the most part, household cleaning products will mask the smell and may not be able to completely remove the urine from the carpet. Remember, vinegar will breakdown the uric acid in the urine. To clean your soiled carpet, you’ll need to grab some paper towels, vinegar, and a vacuum.
For fresh stains, you’ll use a vacuum or some paper towels to remove as much urine as possible. Next, you’ll use the vinegar to saturate the carpet, leaving it on for twenty minutes. Dog urine tends to soak deep down into the carpet backing and can spread several inches. Because of this, it’s a good idea to spray a large ring a few inches outside of the stained area. Make sure you heavily saturate the area to reach the padding below the carpet. Use a wet rag and work the vinegar and any remaining urine out of the carpet.
Enzyme-Based Cleaning Products
You can also use an enzyme-based cleaner instead of vinegar. The cleaning product should be left on the stain and allowed to dry naturally. Once it’s dry, you can use a vacuum to remove any residue. The enzymes will also work to break down the urine, so you’re not left with a flowery urine smell which is often the outcome if you use regular household cleaners. Enzyme cleaners can be pricey, but they’re the most effective option when it comes to treating new and old pet stains.
How to Treat Old Urine Stains
Old urine stains can seem impossible to remove. At times, you may not even be able to see the urine, only smell it. If you’re having trouble locating the source of the smell, use a UV light at night and search the carpet and furniture. Areas that are soaked with urine will glow white, making it super easy to spot.
Once you’ve located the stain, keep in mind that it’s going to be much harder to remove the urine compared to treating a new stain. You may have to repeat the cleaning process several times before the urine is completely removed. For tough, older stains, I recommend starting off with an enzyme cleaner. Each time, whether it’s the couch or your carpet, you’ll allow the enzyme cleaner to dry completely before rinsing and repeating the treatment.
Preventing Accidents in the Home
If you’re struggling with potty training, and your dogs continue to urinate on the furniture, you’ll need to ensure they have access to the outdoors at all times. Make sure your dog is taken to the bathroom first thing in the morning, right before bed, and before you leave home. If possible, install a doggie door which will allow them to have around the clock access.
Related Questions
How Do I Manage Excessive Shedding?
If your dog is shedding nonstop, and you’re tired of your furniture and clothing being covered in pet hair, there are some things you can do to cut down on the mess. First, invest in the vacuum for pet hair. Choose a model that comes equipped with a variety of attachments that you can use to clean your furniture, stairs, and other hard to reach places. Next, bathe your dog once a week and comb or brush them daily. This will help to reduce the amount of pet hair you have to deal with
Shedding can also indicate that your dog has an underlying health problem such as a thyroid issue or allergy.
In some cases, boredom, anxiety, or fleas can be the culprit. However, this type of hair loss will present in patchy areas. To learn more, click here to read my guide on dog shedding.
How Can I Prevent My Dog from Peeing Inside?
If you have a young pup that keeps urinating indoors, then consistent potty training practices will be key. First, make sure you take your dog outside once every two hours, or twenty minutes after they have had water. Praise your dog when they eliminate outdoors, but never scold or hit them if they have an accident inside the house. If done consistently, you can have your dog potty trained in a matter of weeks.
If you’re dealing with an adult dog that has suddenly started urinating inside the home, you may need to make an appointment with their vet. Inappropriate elimination can be a sign of a urinary tract infection.
It can also be a matter of marking territory if you have a male dog and have brought a new male dog into the home. In cases such as these, you will need to use an enzyme-based cleaner to remove any traces of the scent to prevent both dogs from continuing to mark the same spot. You can also purchase products that are specifically designed to repel dogs from marking indoors.
Final Thoughts
If you know how to clean dog pee off couch the right way, you can instantly eliminate odors and prevent your dog from marking in the same area over and over again. Using a few household products including an enzyme-based cleaner, baking soda, dish soap, and white vinegar, you can remove any trace of urine and keep your home looking and smelling great.