Removing urine stain from carpet

[HJTRAS]

I just want to add the dogs diet and water have a lot to do with the stain. Cheaper dog food with a lot of fillers cause a higher urine PH (stains) and water as well. Test the PH of the water if its over 7.5 then it can also cause staining problems. Remember a good dog food and healthy water are the best way to keep your dog healthy and to reduce stain problems on your carpet.

[rushdoggie]

I had some stains from urine and diarrhea on the only light colored carpet in the house. Its in my husbanda office, and I guess one of my littles got sick and ran in there to do it, and we didn't find it for a while. I tried several things and could not get them out. They were there for 3 years.

 

Based on something I saw on pintrest, I sprayed a 50/50 white vinegar and water mix on them, placed an old towel on top and ran a very hot iron over the towel causing the water/vinegar mixture to steam up and the stain transferred onto the towel. When the towel no longer had a wet spot, I lifted it up and repeated 2 or 3 times on each spot. The urine stains were completely gone.

 

90% of the stain came up on the dire-rears spots, so I tried it again a few days later with a 50/50 ammonia and water mix. It removed everything else.

 

The ammonia left a string odor for a few hours but it dissipated and the next day I smelled nothing.

 

The only downsides is the carpet now has a few very clean spots and the rest is kind of dingy.

[HJTRAS]

The 50/50 vinegar and water did the trick didn't need the iron and the ammonia worked but likely destroyed the backing of the carpet and possible the pad. All you really needed was a little sudsy water. the PH in ammonia is way to much to use on the carpet you will be experiencing a soil magnet for many years. Carpet pad in the end will be victim.

[brookitar]

A little off topic but do your stains come back even after they have been gone for awhile? Our puppy had a lot of accidents at first...we found Vets Best enzyme spray worked best. However we have that weird new style carpet that's a little shaggier and thick....those pee stains always fade back in after a week or so.

 

I'm guessing the only option is a steam cleaner? Have you found the recommendations on here prevent the fading back in of stains?

[GentleLake]

I think the problem is that a lot of commercial cleaners leave a residue that attracts dirt afterwards. I read about this years ago. I think it's a conspiracy to get you to have to use more of their products.

 

Now I always follow up scrubbing my carpet (I use OxyClean) with a white vinegar and water rinse. It cuts the residue so the carpets stay cleaner longer.

[rushdoggie]

The 50/50 vinegar and water did the trick didn't need the iron and the ammonia worked but likely destroyed the backing of the carpet and possible the pad. All you really needed was a little sudsy water. the PH in ammonia is way to much to use on the carpet you will be experiencing a soil magnet for many years. Carpet pad in the end will be victim.

 

Well, I had tried the vinegar and water prior and it didn't work. I tried a bunch of stuff including washing with soap and water, vinegar and water, commercial carpet cleaners including enzyme and none really worked.

 

As as the ammonia destroying the backing I didn't saturate the carpet, just sprayed the top. Its also an area rug not carpeting so, I put an old towel on the underside in case there was an issue and it didn't get wet. Its an area rug so I didn't have a pad.

[brookitar]

I think the problem is that a lot of commercial cleaners leave a residue that attracts dirt afterwards. I read about this years ago. I think it's a conspiracy to get you to have to use more of their products.

 

Now I always follow up scrubbing my carpet (I use OxyClean) with a white vinegar and water rinse. It's cuts the residue so the carpets stay cleaner longer.

 

Lol that's an awesome theory...I bet they would do that! I feel so embarrassed to have company over. On top of her pee spots coming back in our fixed male cat has decided to mark his spots since we got Effie. I want to pull my hair out...there's nothing worse than cat piss... Ever since we have gotten Effie I've become a dog person!

 

I'll have to try that. If it doesn't work I'll just have to rent a steamer to do some deep carpet cleaning. This is why i'd rather have tile or stained concrete. Carpet is way too high maintenance with animals!

[RemsMom]

I think that sometimes with a spot coming back that the carpet isn't really getting clean. I moved into a seven year old house once that had one stain on the family room carpet. I got out my carpet machine and cleaned it right after we moved in and it disappeared. And came back. It took three or four cleanings before it disappeared and never returned.

[GentleLake]

I think when that happens you're getting the surface, but there's more stain deeper in the carpet that wicks up the wet fibers. Maybe even coloration from the backing or padding.

 

It's very annoying, but I've had some areas I've had to do several times like that, too.

[Lawgirl]

I heard a long time ago that one reason for odour can be that you did not get all the urine. I was told that cat urine glows under UV light, and this was how you could tell where to clean. Not sure, but maybe it is the same for dog urine?

UV lights can be bought cheaply online, and can also be used to look for uranium in glass, and scorpions at night (they both fluoresce!)