It's important to know that the uric acid that gives urine it's ammonia-like smell is harder to dissolve in colder water at a lower pH, like that provided by vinegar, but is easier to dissolve in warmer water at a higher pH like that provided by baking soda.
Another method adds one more household staple, vinegar. In a clean spray bottle, mix one cup of distilled white vinegar with one cup of water and 2 teaspoons of baking soda. Shake it up to mix the ingredients, and then spray on the stain. Let it sit for a few minutes, and then blot with towels until clean.
Baking Soda: It has the potential to neutralize urine acidity, reducing irritation to the bladder and urinary tract. A daily mixture of one teaspoon with a glass of water can alkalize urine and relieve discomfort linked to UTIs.
Vinegar effectively removes pet urine odor from carpeting or concrete floors due to its acidic properties. It breaks down and neutralizes the ammonia compounds in urine, eliminating the odor. Mix equal parts white vinegar and water, apply to the affected area, and blot or scrub gently.
What Neutralizes Urine? Because urine has a high pH and is naturally acidic, the low pH of baking soda can neutralize urine smell. To neutralize urine with baking soda, simply pour baking soda over the affected area and let sit overnight or for a minimum of five hours.
Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate, NaHCO3) has been used for decades as an alkalinizing agent. When taken orally, NaHCO3 increases urine pH and citrate.
Make a solution of baking soda, peroxide and any dish detergent. The combination of the three is often powerful enough to drive away strong urine smells. The solutions is eight fluid ounces of peroxide, three tablespoons of baking soda, and a few drops of dish detergent.
Step 3: Spray Carpet
For fresh pee, spray the pee stain with the vinegar solution until the carpet is very wet. For old pee, spray the solution on the carpet and let it "soak" for 20 minutes.
Baking Soda, Water, & Essential Oils
Fill a spray bottle with water, a tablespoon of baking soda, and a few drops of your essential oil of choice. Give the bottle a good shake and spray your cushions and bedding to keep them smelling clean and fresh with this homemade odor eliminator as a deodorizer for urine smells.
You can use hydrogen-peroxide right after using the vinegar and water solution to further eliminate the odor. Hydrogen-peroxide is best for hardwood floors suffering from cat urine smells but also works for carpets, couches, and even clothing.
If the accident is fresh, sprinkle baking soda over the area to draw out the urine. The baking soda should darken in color over time. Vacuum the baking soda off your mattress and sprinkle more on, to continue drawing it out. Repeat this process until the baking soda stays white.
Wait a few hours. The baking soda will need around 10 hours to absorb all the urine smell. You can either leave the process to work overnight, or you can do it first thing in the morning so that the mattress is ready by bedtime.
Maintaining good hygiene practices, staying hydrated, replacing undergarments daily, switching to cotton, and keeping on top of cleaning around the home will all help to reduce the risk of incontinence smells.
Another excellent pet urine remover comes from that well-known, ugly brown bottle. Hydrogen peroxide does a great job at removing dog pee. Just put some peroxide into a spray bottle, soak the stain in a few sprays, and let it sit for about 10 or 15 minutes. To finish the job, clean it up with a rag.
This tried-and-true combination leverages the natural cleaning power of vinegar and baking soda to effectively tackle pet urine. Vinegar's acidic nature neutralizes the ammonia found in urine, while baking soda serves as a natural deodorizer, neutralizing lingering odors and absorbing moisture.
While vinegar has a pH level of 2, urine has a pH balance of 6. Both cats and dogs urinate where they smell they have gone before. Cleaning with vinegar does not remove that odor. Instead, it simply enhances it by adding another compound with a similar acidic base.
Most urine stains can be cleaned either with a homemade vinegar cleaner, or a homemade hydrogen peroxide cleaner. Foams soak up liquids quickly, so all-foam beds can hold onto the smell of urine more than other mattresses. Many urine smells can be removed by making and using a simple baking soda paste.
And the long answer goes like this: When used together, baking soda and vinegar will neutralize each other, effectively canceling out the benefits of low pH for vinegar and high pH for baking soda.
Wet the urine stain with vinegar and then sprinkle baking soda on top. You should hear the vinegar and baking soda reacting together and creating a bubbling sound. Cover the stain with a towel or plastic wrap and wait for the spot to dry completely (may take up to 2 days).
Cleaning vinegar and white distilled vinegar are very similar in their composition (namely, acetic acid and water), but the key difference lies in the acidity levels between the two. "Cleaning vinegar generally contains a higher acetic acid concentration than regular white vinegar," says Sokolowski.
Hydrogen Peroxide Based Products
Products containing hydrogen peroxide can be effective on urine odors and stains.
Sometimes, ammonia is also a sign of: Urinary tract infection. Also called a UTI, such an infection happens when you have bacteria in any part of your urinary system. It causes strong or sweet smelling urine.