Hardwood floors are beautiful and expensive, and they’re definitely something you don’t want soaking up pet urine. Unfortunately, accidents happen, and you may find yourself with lingering dog or cat pee smells that need dedicated attention.
Dealing with the issue as soon as possible is a crucial part of getting pet smells out of your hardwood floors and preventing damage, but there are still things you can do to deal with stubborn odors or missed messes.
In this guide, we explain what you should do immediately after your pet pees on your hardwood floors, how to handle new messes, and how to safely tackle a set-in mess.
Recommended Methods to Clean Pet Pee
Both dog and cat urine can cause irreparable damage to your hardwood floors, even if they are sealed. The problem only gets worse if it sits long enough to soak in, and soon you’ll be dealing with lingering odors and potential subfloor damage.
The sooner you can clean pet pee off your wood floor, the less damage can occur. As soon as you notice the urine, you want to soak up as much as possible using a paper towel or other absorbent material.
While the bare minimum is better than nothing, we always recommend following up with a solution capable of handling the mess without damaging your hardwood floors.
1. Use Enzyme Cleaners for Hardwood Floors
Store-bought cleaners work well, but you get the most bang for your buck by choosing an enzyme cleaner approved for hardwood floors. The most popular and proven brands include Rocco & Roxie and Nature’s Miracle.
Enzymatic cleaners use special proteins that break down bacteria like those in the messes of your furry friend. This makes enzymatic cleaners more effective when dealing with issues like a pet urine smell than surface cleaners and DIY mixes.
Each brand has different steps to follow, but in most cases it’s as simple as cleaning up the area, spraying the solution, letting it sit for about 10 minutes, then wiping it away. Repeat as needed, but understand that messes that have completely soaked through the floor cannot be cleaned away.
2. Clean With Baking Soda and Vinegar
While enzymatic cleaners remain the best method for tackling pet urine stains and odors, you may be able to get by with a few items for your pantry. Many pet owners swear by baking soda and vinegar for their pet messes.
To make your own cleaner you need:
- Warm water
- Distilled white vinegar
- Baking soda
- A spray bottle
- Paper towels and/or clean rags
The measurement of ingredients largely depends on your personal preference. In general, you want at least a 1:1 ratio of water to vinegar mixed in your spray bottle.
This doesn’t neutralize the mess, but it provides enough cleaning power to break down uric acid without damaging your floor. You can always start with a smaller concentration until you understand what your floor can handle.
Soak up as much of the liquid as possible, then spray the area with your water and vinegar solutions. It should be visibly damp, but not so wet that you’re soaking your wood floors.
Give the vinegar about 10 minutes to work on the urine, then clean up the solution with a clean cloth. Sprinkle baking soda over the area to neutralize the odor and absorb leftover moisture, then sweep or vacuum it up.
Grapefruit Oil for Pet Messes
The grapefruit seed extract is another powerful, nontoxic, and hardwood safe ingredient you can use for urine odor removal in your home. While it’s a great odor-fighting addition, it also helps cover up the strong scent of vinegar in a DIY cleaner.
Simply mix 10 to 15 drops of grapefruit oil in the spray bottle with your water and vinegar, and proceed as normal.
3. Cleaning Up Lingering Pet Urine Stains and Smells with Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide comes a close second to enzyme cleaners when dealing with stubborn urine stains or odors, and you probably already have it in your home. In fact, hydrogen peroxide may be the better choice if you notice white rings of urine stains.
We recommend using a 3 percent solution on your floors, but you can dilute stronger solutions if needed. Make sure you test the spray in an inconspicuous area, such as behind the door or in a closet, before you go all out on your floor.
To use, simply spray the solution on the affected area. It will likely dry on its own, but you should still sprinkle baking soda after about 10 minutes to prevent moisture damage on your floor.
For especially stubborn stains you can make a paste with baking soda and peroxide to rub into your floor. While this will almost certainly get rid of your pet mess problem, it’s also likely to dull your floor. This is something to consider and plan for before going all out.
How to Prevent Pet Accidents on Hardwood Floors
Knowing how to clean up pet pee is only half the battle. Learning how to prevent pet accidents and protect your floors will be more effective in the long run.
If you have a young animal like a puppy or a kitten, it may be time to double down on house or litter training. Consider crate training or potty pads to use when you are not home, and monitor water intake (especially before bedtime).
Make sure you rule out any health issues that may interfere with your pet’s normal potty routine and offer bathroom breaks that match their needed schedule.
Conclusion
The most important thing to remember when cleaning pet pee and pee smells from hardwood floors is to respond quickly. This, along with keeping your floors sealed, gives you the best chance at preventing urine from soaking into the wood.
In the worst cases, such as obvious visual damage or persistent smells, you may need to replace that section of flooring. This would be the only way to get rid of the issue and keep your pet from donning the area as their personal toilet.
Let us know how these methods work for you or if you have any other tips and tricks for cleaning pet pee from hardwood floors.