Remove Pet Odor from Carpet Effectively with These Tips!

Being a pet owner means celebrating many happy moments together, however, not every experience will put a smile on your face. Many pets will have an ‘accident’ at some point in their lives whether it’s a new puppy that is still being housetrained or a senior cat that is no longer comfortable getting in and out of their old litterbox. Keep your home looking and smelling fresh with these tips to remove pet odor from carpet and furniture including a DIY pet urine odor and stain remover.

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It’s a common struggle experienced by pet owners around the globe, the lingering smell of ‘potty accidents’ in your home.

However, I’m here to tell you that owning a pet doesn’t mean your home has to smell like it!

With the right supplies on hand and a few tried and tested tricks, you can remove pet odor from carpet and other fabric surfaces effectively, freeing yourself from that unpleasant stench once and for all.

Better still, it doesn’t have to cost a fortune! Especially if you catch the accident early and tackle it head-on.

The longer it sits, the harder it will be to clean up. Don’t procrastinate.

There is no arguing the fact that removing pet odors and stains from your carpet can feel like an impossible task.

First, don’t get frustrated with your pet. Especially if this accident is a ‘one-off’ situation.

Even the best-trained pets can slip up at one time or another. We aren’t perfect, so how can we expect them to be?

This is particularly true for young pets that are just learning where they are allowed to ‘go’ as well as older pets that are navigating their senior years and the challenges that come with it.

It should be noted that unexplained accidents may be a sign of a much bigger health-related concern.

If an otherwise well-behaved pet suddenly starts to have accidents in the home, you may want to reach out to your veterinarian for an appointment to rule out any medical problems.

Remove Pet Odor from Carpet with These Tricks

Remove Fresh Accidents with DIY Pet Urine Odor and Stain Remover

Did you come across this post because you are trying to clean up a recent accident? Good news! It’s easier to remove both the stains and odor from pet urine if you catch it early.

While there are many great odor neutralizers on the market, you can also make your own right at home!

The best part about this? This solution uses natural products that are safe for you, your family and your pets, avoiding harmful chemicals.

Supplies:

• 1 cup Water
• 1 cup Distilled White Vinegar
• 3/4 cup Baking Soda
• 1/2 cup 3% Hydrogen Peroxide

Directions:

#1 – Using a paper towel or an old rag, carefully blot up as much urine as possible. Do NOT rub the spot as this can push the urine further into your carpet.

#2 – Mix the above-listed supplies together in a spray bottle, including only 1/2 cup of baking soda. Set the additional 1/4 cup of baking soda aside for later.

#3 – Spray your odor neutralizer generously all over the affected part of the carpet. You can work it into the carpet further using a brush or by rubbing it with your fingers (wear gloves to keep her hands clean).

#4 – Using a paper towel or an old rag, once again blot the area. Continue blotting until the area is as dry as possible.

#5 – Using the remaining baking soda, sprinkle it over the area that you have now treated and allow it to sit for 30 minutes to an hour, vacuuming it up after to remove any remaining odor.

NOTE: Large amounts of baking soda can cause health complications for your pet. While the solution is completely safe after it has been cleaned up, you should close the area of the accident off from your pet throughout the cleaning process.

Related: ‘5 All-Natural Pet-Safe Cleaning Products to Make Your Home Shine‘

Remove Set-in Stains and Lingering Odors

If you are trying to clean an area where the urine has been allowed to sit for an extended period, the above solution likely will not be strong enough to remove it entirely.

At this stage, the solution will depend on how long the stain has been sitting.

There are many great enzymatic cleaners on the market that work by breaking down the molecules in the remaining urine in order to remove it from your carpet safely.

Select an all-purpose cleaner if you are tackling urine stains on multiple surfaces.

If your problem is limited to mainly carpeted surfaces, a specially formulated carpet cleaner may be a better option.

For tough stains, consider renting a carpet cleaner from a local big box store, hardware store or grocery store.

Avoid steam cleaners as the heat can permanently set the stain and odor rather than helping to remove them.

If the urine has soaked down into the padding underneath your carpet, there is a possibility that you won’t be able to lift the stain and odor from the area entirely.

This means that you may have to replace portions of the carpet and padding to move forward.

You may choose to contact a professional carpet cleaning surface to assess the damage before taking this step as they may be able to assist you in keeping as much of your carpet as possible.

Related: ‘Identifying Cat Litter Box Problems and How to Solve Them‘

Don’t Stop There! Next Steps…

Your work isn’t finished the moment that you remove pet odor from carpet. In fact, one may argue that the clean up is only the beginning!

Unless you want to spend the rest of your time with your pet cleaning up accidents, you need to address the underlying cause.

First, it’s important to note that your pet may be drawn to a specific location due to the odor.

Cleaning up the area quickly and effectively will assist in these situations as they will no longer be tempted by the smell.

If you have recently brought a new puppy, kitten, or another small animal into your home, you may still be working through the process of housetraining or litter training your pet.

Don’t give up! It may seem like a long and hopeless process, but you can do this!

In the meantime, try to limit the space that your pet has access to, especially when he/she is unsupervised.

Not only will this help to prevent accidents (no pet wants to sleep, eat and go to the bathroom all in the same location) but it also helps to eliminate the risk of accidents going unnoticed as they soak into your floors and other surfaces.

For older pets, you may have to look at making some changes to accommodate their growing needs.

Older cats often struggle to get into litterboxes with higher sides due to limited mobility.

There are litterboxes specifically designed for senior cats, with a lowered entry area to make it easy to get in and out of the box.

You also may need to provide your cat with an additional litterbox or two around the house to limit the distance that they have to travel to get to one.

If your pet is an older dog, you may need to take your pet outside more frequently as they get older.

As the body ages, older dogs may start to struggle to control their bodily functions (just like elderly humans).  

Placing puppy pee pads where your dog is kept indoors will provide a little extra protection for your floors.

Alternatively, you may want to consider using doggy diapers. If you do, the diapers MUST be changed frequently to avoid irritation known as ‘urine scald’.

As previously mentioned, unexplained accidents may be a red flag that your pet is dealing with a bigger medical problem.

I highly recommend contacting your veterinarian to discuss your concerns and rule out any potential health complications.

Do you have any tried and tested solutions to remove pet odor from carpet? Is there a product that you swear by? Feel free to share your tips in the comments below!