Spray the area lightly with warm vinegar and watch it foam. The same acid-base reaction that makes baking soda and vinegar great at cleaning drains also helps dissolve pet stains and lift them from the subfloor. Meanwhile, the vinegar neutralizes the scent that draws pets back to the spot.
Unless you are a quick draw on the mop; dog urine will damage laminate flooring, real wood flooring, engineered wood and tile grout. Unfortunately with a lot of flooring the pee will be absorbed into the floor itself or underneath and this is what can make the issue very difficult and expensive.
Neutralize the smell Then you're going to want to douse the spot with an enzymatic cleaner or simply make your own cleaning solution by combining (white or apple cider) vinegar and water in a 1:1 ratio. Because the vinegar is acidic, it will neutralize the bacteria in the dog pee, offsetting its odor.
Opt for Baking Soda
Baking soda naturally neutralizes odors. Sprinkle it liberally on the damp area or even an old urine stain, and work the powder gently into the fibers of any fabric, rug or carpet. Let the baking soda sit overnight for maximum odor absorption, then vacuum it up to remove the smell completely.
Vinegar is an effective cleaner to use in removing pet stains and urine odors from mattresses, couches, and other materials, but it is still important to treat the stain as soon as possible. The longer you let it sit, the more likely it is to set.
Mix a Cleaning Solution
For floors in bedrooms or living areas, a mixture of one cup of distilled white vinegar per gallon of warm water will leave floors clean and shiny.
Commercial Cleaners to Use on Vinyl Floors
Some commercial cleaners are specially designed for vinyl floors. These include Pine-Sol Multi-Surface Cleaner, Pledge Multisurface Floor Cleaner, and Armstrong's Once 'n Done No-Rinse Floor Cleaner.
Vinyl Flooring “Don'ts”
Don't use wax or solvent-based polishes. Don't use ammonia or ammonia-based cleaning solutions. Ammonia can break down the vinyl and cause it to crack. Don't use a steam cleaner on vinyl plank flooring.
If your floor has developed a slight film or waxy buildup on it (which happens over time when the wrong cleaning products are used), you can instead combine a gallon of hot water with a cup of white vinegar. Vinegar, which is a natural cleaning agent, will break down the film without hurting the laminate surface.
Baking soda is ideal for getting at grease and grime, but it also functions as a deodorizer. Mix a little into your bucket of clean, warm water, and use it to mop the floor a final time once you've cleaned it with oil soap, vinegar or lemon.
Hydrogen peroxide and Oxiclean are both great agents for cleaning laminate flooring but they both need to be used with caution and over usage or excessive can lead to more harm than good.
Avoid using steam cleaners to clean urine odors from carpet or upholstery. The heat will permanently set the stain and the odor by bonding the protein into any man-made fibers. Avoid cleaning chemicals such as ammonia or vinegar.
Start by sprinkling baking soda, a natural odor-eliminator, over the stain, then spray it with a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water. Let it sit and fizz for five minutes before blotting up the moisture and vacuuming. Repeat as necessary.
Squeaky Cleaner, COREtec Clean Spray, and Bona Pro are great for the kitchen, bathroom, hallway, and any other room in your home. They're ideal for vinyl floors and work on a variety of hard surfaces. You can order a single 32 oz. bottle or gallon of concentrate.
One of the best vinyl plank flooring cleaners is a cup of apple cider or white vinegar in a gallon of hot water. Dampen your mop, and mop your vinyl plank flooring in the direction of the planks. The vinegar will tackle dirt, grime, and stains without leaving behind streaks or a sudsy mess.
DO NOT use All-Purpose or Multi-Purpose cleaners, detergents, abrasive cleaners or “mop and shine” type products (such as Bleach, Pine-Sol, Clorox Soft Scrub, Fabuloso, Rejuvenate, Mop & Glo, Mr. Clean, Murphy's Oil Soap and similar, unapproved cleaners), as they will dull the finish and sheen of the flooring material.
Pine-Sol Multi-Surface Cleaner – Yes, Pine Sol on vinyl floors is a fine option; however, use sparingly with water. Do not oversaturate your vinyl floors with too much water, use just enough to disinfect the floors.
Baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, dish soap, and white vinegar naturally eliminate urine spots and urine odor. However, do not use undiluted vinegar on pet urine—it damages carpet fibers, so dilute it with water. Also, skip bleach: It can stain carpets and is dangerous to treat dog pee.
Start by mixing white vinegar with water (undiluted vinegar can damage carpet fibers). Soak a rag in the solution or pour a small amount directly onto the dried urine spot. Allow the solution to sit for 2-5 minutes to ensure it soaks into the fibers. You may even see wetness on the rug's backing, and that's ok.
Urine smells like ammonia, and this is neutralized with white vinegar. After blotting the area dry, pour the vinegar solution on the affected area, and let the solution soak for 10 minutes to reach the deepest fibers in the rug. Use paper towels to blot and dry the vinegar solution.