The best dog urine smell removers use enzymatic or bacteria-based formulas to break down uric acid crystals, which is the only way to permanently eliminate odors rather than just masking them.
To eliminate a strong dog urine smell, skip regular household cleaners (which leave behind uric acid crystals) and use a specialized bio-enzymatic cleaner. Heavily saturate the area, let it sit for 15 minutes, and blot dry. For stubborn spots, follow up with white vinegar and baking soda.
To eliminate dog urine smells, do not use steam cleaners or ammonia-based products, as heat bakes in the stain and ammonia attracts dogs back to the spot. Instead, saturate the area with an enzymatic cleaner to break down uric acid crystals.
Getting rid of a strong urine odor depends on whether you are trying to treat the odor in your body or remove it from surfaces like clothes or carpets.
Urine Off Odor & Stain Remover. Urine OFF Odor & Stain Remover - Dog & Puppy Formula is veterinarian recommended for dog urine odor and stain removal. Urine OFF is formulated with bio-enzymatic technology to eliminate pet's urine odor and stains from virtually any surface permanently.
Versatile Offerings for Every Need
Yes, the smell goes away completely, but only if you treat the source. Because dog urine contains uric acid crystals that seep deep into porous materials like carpet padding and hardwood, the odor often returns on humid days.
The best urine odor eliminators are enzymatic cleaners, as they physically digest the uric acid crystals that cause the lingering smell. The right choice depends on your specific surface and whether the mess is fresh or set-in.
Hydrogen Peroxide Based Products
Products containing hydrogen peroxide can be effective on urine odors and stains. The hydrogen peroxide helps destroy the odor causing bacteria and can also help safely bleach out discolorations on hard and soft surfaces. Peroxi-Cide is ready to use, hospital grade disinfectant.
To remove old urine smells from clothes, mix color-safe oxygen bleach with cool water, per package directions. Submerge the item and soak for at least 30 minutes (or overnight for stubborn stains), then wash in the warmest water safe for the fabric.
Enzyme digesters work effectively on organic or protein-based odors. Enzymes break down organic molecules into substances without odor, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), water (H2O), and water-soluble by-products.
Some of the hardest and worst smells to get rid of are pet odours, mold, and cigarette smells.
Dogs are naturally deterred by strong, unfamiliar smells like citrus (lemons/oranges), white vinegar, rubbing alcohol, and certain essential oils (eucalyptus or cinnamon). You can use these scents to discourage indoor peeing, but make sure to thoroughly clean the area first so your dog doesn't smell their own urine.
A strong, pungent smell in dog pee is usually caused by concentrated urine, but it can also signal underlying health issues like a urinary tract infection (UTI). The most common culprits include:
Eliminate dog pee odors by treating the exact source with an enzymatic cleaner to break down uric acid crystals. Follow up by laundering soft furnishings, neutralizing carpet odors with baking soda, improving room ventilation, and sealing any affected subfloors if the accidents are chronic.
To eliminate pet urine odors, you must break down the uric acid crystals in the urine rather than just masking them. Use a specialized bio-enzymatic cleaner, liberally soak the affected area, let it air dry completely, and avoid using standard ammonia or steam cleaners.
How to Remove Pet Urine Smell Naturally
Nursing homes use enzymatic cleaners, professional-grade oxidizing agents, and high-efficiency air purifiers to permanently destroy urine odors rather than just masking them.
To eliminate pet urine odor permanently, avoid ammonia-based cleaners, which mimic urine and encourage repeat accidents. Instead, soak the area with an enzymatic cleaner to break down uric acid crystals at the molecular level, then blot the spot dry.
Urine is in the carpet pad, not just the carpet
They don't address problems with the underlying pad. Even certain “professional” carpet cleaning companies do nothing to treat the pad. Store bought pet urine shampoos and sprays don't remove that urine from the carpet. However, they can mask it's odor with deodorizers.
Removing the dried urine spot
We recommend using a portable carpet cleaner with pet odor-removing ingredients such as Oxy or enzymatic spray formula, both of which can get rid of odors that go deep into the backing of the carpet.
Yes, it does also work on cat odors. It's an enzyme formula. Works on dog or cat urine.
The strongest urine odor removers use bio-enzymatic or molecular-destroying formulas that break down uric acid crystals, the root cause of the smell. These specialized products permanently eliminate, rather than mask, the odor.
Breathing in pet urine over a long period exposes you to ammonia fumes. While minor, accidental exposures are usually harmless, prolonged inhalation in poorly ventilated areas can cause headaches, dizziness, coughing, shortness of breath, and severe irritation to your eyes, nose, and throat.
It's quite amazing, really. “In perfect conditions, a dog can pick up a scent up to 12 miles away, so this indicates that some breeds may be able to smell their owners from miles away,” according to PetRadar, a company specializing in reuniting lost pets with their owners.