How to Get Dog Urine Out of Your Carpet

Kate Barrington
by Kate Barrington
Accidents happen to the best of us. If your pooch has one on your carpet, here’s how you can that urine spot out.


As a dog owner, you are probably more than a little familiar with carpet stains. Whether you’re housetraining a new puppy or dealing with incontinence in an older dog, urine stains on your carpet can be a messy issue to deal with. Not only do you have to clean up the mess and hope that it doesn’t leave a permanent stain, but you also have to deal with lingering odor. Keep reading to learn the best ways to get urine out of your carpet.


Related: Why Dog Pee Kills Grass


Step-by-Step Guide to Remove Dog Urine


If you discover that your dog has left a puddle in the middle of your living room carpet, you should act quickly to prevent the stain from leaving a permanent mark. Here are the steps to take to remove dog urine from your carpet:


  1. Use paper towels or a clean cloth to blot the stain, removing as much of the liquid as you can.
  2. If you have a shop vac, use it to get the urine out of the deeper layers of your carpet – if you don’t have one, move to Step 3.
  3. Mix ¼ teaspoon liquid dish washing detergent with a cup of warm water (don’t use laundry detergent).
  4. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and spritz it directly onto the stain and let it set for a few minutes.
  5. Rinse the area with warm water, using clean towels or the shop vac to remove the liquid.
  6. Repeat these steps as often as needed until the stain has mostly disappeared.
  7. Finish by mixing two tablespoons of ammonia with a cup of water then rinse the area with the solution and repeat until the stain is gone.


For deep or set-in stains, you may need to do a little more work to get rid of the stain. Instead of using the liquid dish washing detergent, mix a 50/50 solution of white vinegar and water then pour it onto the stain. From there, use a scrub brush to vigorously scrub the area then blot with paper towels until the stain is gone. Finish by sprinkling baking soda over the area then vacuum when dry.


Related: Finding Hidden Urine Stains


Other Options to Remove Urine Stains


Following the steps above should be sufficient to tackle most urine stains, but some may be more stubborn than others. Here are some other ideas for removing urine stains from carpet.


  • Mix 2 cups each of white vinegar and warm water with ¼ cup baking soda then spray over the area and let set for 5 to 10 minutes before blotting.
  • Combine 2 cups of hydrogen peroxide with a teaspoon of dish washing liquid and a tablespoon of baking soda then spray over the area and vacuum after 24 to 48 hours.
  • Make a homemade carpet freshener by mixing 3 cups of baking soda with 20 drops of your favorite essential oil then sprinkle over the carpet and let sit 15 minutes before vacuuming.
  • Create a room deodorizing spray by mixing a few drops of essential oil into a spray bottle of water and spritz where needed.


If your dog is having frequent accidents in the house, your instinct might be to get mad and punish him for it. The better reaction, however, is to take your dog to the vet for a check-up, just to make sure there isn’t a medical cause for his change in behavior.

Kate Barrington
Kate Barrington

Kate Barrington is the loving owner of two cats (Bagel and Munchkin) and a noisy herd of guinea pigs. Having grown up with golden retrievers, Kate has a great deal of experience with dogs but labels herself a lover of all pets. Having received a Bachelor's degree in English, Kate has combined her love for pets and her passion for writing to create her own freelance writing business, specializing in the pet niche.

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