Urine stains can be frustrating, especially on carpets. They leave behind a yellow tint and stink up the entire place.
Fortunately, you won’t have to suffer from their drawbacks any longer. Whether your pet has just had an accident or you found old stains that haven’t been cleaned, I’ll walk you through how to clean your carpet thoroughly from any urine stains.
You’ll have a simple step-by-step guide to explain the entire process in detail. So, let’s get to it!
How to Remove Fresh Urine Stains From Carpets
Urine stains are common if you have a new puppy or a sick pet. They’re usually unable to control their bladder, and you’ll end up with urine stains all over your carpets.
Don’t worry! Once the accident happens, urine stains are easy to clean up. The less urine sets into your carpet, the easier it is to clean it up.
Blot Stain
The first thing you need to do is grab a towel or paper towels and blot the stain to absorb as much urine as possible. The key here is to dab, not rub, to avoid spreading the urine in more places.
Mix Water and Soap
Add a teaspoon of carpet detergent to every cup of warm water. If you don’t have carpet detergent, replace it with any mild dish soap. Mix well until the water is nice and sudsy.
Apply Mixture and Blot
Soak the entire stain thoroughly with the soapy water and let it sit for 30 seconds. Then, grab your towel or paper towels and blot the area. Try to soak up as much moisture as possible.
Repeat If Necessary
Continue soaking and blotting the stain until you no longer see or smell any traces of urine.
Wash Carpet to Remove Soap Residue
When you’re done, rinse the area with clean, warm water to remove any soap residue from the carpet. Dry it one last time to remove the excess water.
Learn more: Remove Oil From Carpet
How to Remove Old Urine Stains From Carpets
If you ever find a urine stain that went unnoticed for days — or more — it’s not too late to clean it up. It’ll take a little more effort, but you can still remove the stain completely from your carpet.
Mix Equal Parts of Water and Vinegar
To break down the dried-up urine in your carpet, dilute some vinegar with water at a ratio of 1:1. Make sure to have enough solution to soak up the entire stain.
Blot the Stain with a Rag
Grab a clean rag, soak it in the mixture, and firmly press the soaked rag onto the stain.
Remember: always blot, never rub!
Soak the Stain
Pour the diluted vinegar over the stain until it’s completely soaked. If your carpet is thick, you might need to scrub in the mixture with a scrub brush. Remember that the goal is to allow the solution to reach the deepest part of your carpet.
So, scrub gently within the stained area to work the solution down your carpet without spreading the urine.
Blot the Stain Dry with Paper Towels
Blot the soaked area with a clean towel or fresh paper towels to remove as much liquid as possible. Run your vacuum over the stain to absorb all the extra moisture in the deep parts of your carpet.
Sprinkle Baking Soda Over the Stain
Now that you’ve broken up the dried urine stain, sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda all over the stained area.
Mix Hydrogen Peroxide with Dish Soap
In a bowl, mix one teaspoon of mild dish soap with half a cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Stir well, and apply some mixture over the baking soda on the stain.
Scrub and Blot
With a scrub bush, scrub back and forth over the stained area to work the mixture and the baking soda deep into the stain. After cleaning the stain, dry the solution thoroughly. You could also vacuum the area to absorb any leftover moisture.
Alternative Methods to Remove Urine Stains From Carpets
If all else fails, you could revert to one of these deep cleansing options to clean your carpet from lingering urine stains.
Commercial Stain Remover
Commercial urine stain removers or enzymatic cleaners have specific enzymes that break down the urine particles and remove all traces of urine stains. However, they’re still chemicals.
So, if you want something safe for your pets and children, look for a commercial stain remover labelled green or all-natural.
Carpet Cleaning Machine
For a deeper cleanse, rent a carpet cleaning machine. This machine passes the cleansing solution through the carpet’s fibres with high pressure to remove any stains or dirt. Then, it vacuums the solution and everything else that comes out of the carpet.
Hire a Professional
Last but not least, hire a professional to thoroughly clean your carpet. Contact your local carpet cleaner, and they’ll send over a team with the right machinery and solutions to fully remove any stain or odour in your carpet.
However, this option is relatively expensive. Having your carpet professionally cleaned every time your pet urinates on the carpet is not applicable.
So, before hiring a professional carpet cleaning company, try the abovementioned methods. If they don’t work, move to plan B, which is professionally deep-cleaning your carpet.
In a Nutshell
Whether you’re potty training your child or your pet had an unfortunate accident, it’s always dreadful to find a urine stain on your carpet. Luckily, it’s not hard to clean it up.
You can remove almost any traces of urine from the carpet with regular household items like vinegar, dish soap, and baking soda. Of course, the earlier you tackle the stain, the easier it’ll be to remove it.
When all else fails, you could opt for alternative solutions. These solutions include using a commercial enzymatic cleaner, renting a carpet cleaning machine that hoovers away any dirt and stains, or hiring a professional carpet cleaning company to remove the stain efficiently.
