Use a small bowl to mix a bit of hydrogen peroxide and dish soap. Soak the mixture and apply it to the pee stain using a rag. Keep it on the stain for at least 15 minutes so the products have enough time to work their magic. Then, grab a dry towel and dry the area.
Hydrogen peroxide is one of the best chemicals to rid hardwood floors of urine stains. It is safe to use, and will not damage them either. You can use any hydrogen peroxide of your choice, or you could opt for our Urine Stain and Odor Remover (USOR) Unchained with Ecocide.
Vinegar has a strong smell, but it will disappear fairly quickly. As before, you may use baking soda to remove any lingering odors. If, once the floor is dry, you still smell a trace of urine odor, sprinkle baking soda, leave for a few hours, and vacuum or sweep it up afterward.
White Vinegar is the ultimate in natural dog urine cleaner. Blot up as much urine as you can, then completely soak the area with undiluted white vinegar. Be sure to let it soak in well enough to reach all affected layers, including padding and subflooring beneath carpets. Blot the area again and allow to dry.
Baking Soda Option
Thanks to its pH level, it will eliminate the urine odor and neutralize the acid at the same time. To make this solution effective, use about a quarter cup of baking soda and spread it thinly but evenly over the area of your hardwood floor that is soaked in urine.
Not only will a vinegar and water solution eliminate urine odor if your dog has already peed on the rug, but it will also deter them from urinating on the same carpet again. The acidic smell of vinegar is known to repel dogs from peeing on area rugs as they do not like the smell of vinegar.
Dog urine is typically acidic, which is why it can break down the finish of a hardwood floor's surface; especially if the urine is allowed to dry up. It might leave a stain on the surface, make it lose its shine and cause discoloration.
Since vinegar is an acid, it will actually break down the finish on the surface of your floor, and over time it will reduce the shine, and leave a dull appearance. Using vinegar and water to clean floors can also lead to an excessive amount of water on the floor, which can cause swelling and discoloration.
Hydrogen peroxide is able to pull the stain out of your wood grain. Plus, the acidic properties of hydrogen peroxide help it remove even the toughest stains! To remove stains with hydrogen peroxide, you should start by soaking a rag in the peroxide.
DON'T use a steam cleaner, whatever you do. The heat can actually bond the proteins in the urine or other pet waste to the fibres of your carpet or floor — making the stain and smell next to impossible to remove.
Hydrogen-peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide works best for floors and carpets. The product is more oxidizing; therefore, it removes the ammonia smell from the urine.
You can use a broom or a vacuum without a beater bar (the beater bar can damage hardwood surfaces) to clear away the debris. But the best choice is a microfiber dust mop. The fibers in the mop attract and trap the dirt, and you can then toss the mop head in the washer so you have a clean mop each time.
Although natural cleaners like distilled white vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda are safe and effective all over the house, they aren't safe for hardwood floors. The same goes for too much moisture. You should never steam clean your hardwood floors or use too much water with any wood floor cleaner.
Don't use vinegar or baking soda.
Many DIY home cleaning solutions involve the use of vinegar or baking soda, but these are, in fact, the worst things you can apply to your wood floors. They actually damage and dull the polyurethane, which can irreparably ruin them.
Febreze Odor-Fighting Air Freshener
This GH Seal-star spray quickly tackles airborne cooking odors, smoke, must and more with its cyclodextrin technology that surrounds odor molecules and pulls them from the air. And all this performance comes at a great price, making it our Best Value pick.
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.
Bleach is great at disinfecting, but not so great on eliminating odors. You'll be left with a clean, but still smelly problem. Urine already has a high ammonia content, so adding more ammonia is only going to exacerbate your problem. And whatever you do, NEVER combine bleach and ammonia.
The Benefits of Using Vinegar to Clean Accidents
And because vinegar is acidic, it helps to neutralize the pH of dog urine, which can prevent grass burn. Vinegar is also a great way to clean up dog urine stains and odors because it's so versatile. You can use it on carpet, upholstery, clothing, and more.
If you're struggling with toilet training your dog or cat, our urine stop spray will prevent your pet from peeing in unwanted areas. The 100% natural formula contains citrus and lemongrass, which act as both a deterrent and an odour eliminator.
Combine ½ cup of white vinegar and 1 gallon of water in a small bucket. Add a few drops of lemon or orange essential oil to the solution if you want a scented cleaner. To clean your wood floors, simply dip a sponge mop in the solution and squeeze it dry. Wipe it across your floors while rinsing the mop out frequently.
Only use water and a pH neutral cleaning product that is suitable for timber floors. Avoid using household detergents or methylated spirits as these can remove the varnish that protects the surface of the floors. It's also recommended not to use polish or wax products as these can make the floor surface very slippery.
Aside from using bleach or white vinegar, you can actually make very powerful odor eliminators at home. Try mixing a cup of peroxide, three tablespoons of baking soda, and a couple drops of dish detergent. Spray the area, allow it to sit for about 20 minutes, and rub the area until the foul smell is eliminated.