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Knowing how to get dog urine out of the couch is a skill all dog owners should know. Accidents will happen; especially with younger dogs, poorly pups or senior doggos that don’t quite make it outside in time.
Whatever the reason, knowing how to clean and treat stains quickly and effectively will save you having to regularly replace cushions and couch throws. In this blog we will take a look at how to remove dog pee from your couch, treatment methods and how to stop stains from lingering long after they’ve been mopped up.
Believe it or not, there are a lot more options when it comes to cleaning than just your average soap and warm water, some of which are specifically designed to target tougher spills. Pee can be a little harder to get rid of than normal stains, but with the right knowledge you’ll have a clean couch in no time.
Unlike a spilled drink or food staining, pee stains are a little more complex to remove. The natural elements contained in urine, whilst not harmful, work in unison to form stains that are both hard to clean and can smell pretty strong.
Couches and other soft material furnishings can pose a problem, as urine will often seep deeper in the fibers, causing the smell to linger even if the surface stain starts to disappear. This can also be worsened by vigorous scrubbing, as it pushes the urine deeper into the material, making it even harder to clean properly.
Specially formed enzyme cleaners may be your best friend when it comes to tackling harder to clean urine stains, not only removing the visible stain but mopping up any residual stinkiness!
There are few things you’ll need to check before going to town on any pee stains. All couch materials will be different and therefore some cleaning products won’t be suitable to use on them.
Always check the cleaning label on your couch thoroughly before trying a new cleaning product on the material. This will tell you what you can and can’t use to avoid damaging the material.
It might be worth testing your chosen cleaning products on a small patch of the couch material before using it fully. This way you can see if it will have an adverse effect without causing too much damage if it reacts badly.
To get rid of dog urine on the couch, the first thing to do is to try and catch the stain as soon as it happens. The sooner you clean a pee spill after it happens, the better chances you have of removing it properly.
Stains get stubborn once they dry as the liquid well and truly seeps into the material and takes up residence, not only leaving a mark but also an unpleasant smell.
When treating a stain, it is always best to blot rather than rub or scrub at it. Blotting will soak up the worst of the urine, leaving you with less to try and get out and thereof making it easier to clean.
If you scrub a stain you run the risk of either spreading it or rubbing the urine deeper into the fabric; more porous materials will be particularly affected.
Enzymatic cleaners work wonders when it comes to cleaning up dog urine, both wet and dried. If you’re unfamiliar with this type of cleaner, enzyme cleaners work by using enzymes and bacteria to help break down the compounds in dog urine, making it easier to lift them away and clean them off. This clever way of cleaning not only helps reduce the appearance of urine stains, it also works to get rid of unpleasant odors.
Your first instinct when cleaning a urine stain might be to use as much water and product as possible to target the stain and soak it into submission. However, you may be surprised to hear that this can actually do more harm than good.
Over-wetting a stain can actually end up pushing the urine deeper into the fabric, making it much harder to clean properly, and may leave you with a pe-scented stain that is here to stay.
One of the most important things when treating a stain, which is often left as more of an afterthought, is to allow a just-cleaned stain to air dry after the use of water and products.
It may be tempting to get a hairdryer on the wet patch to hurry the drying process along, but in doing this you run the risk of setting the stain into the fabric, resulting in a firmly rooted stain that won’t budge in the long term. And that’s the last thing you want!
Didn’t get there in time and now there is a dried and stubborn-looking pee stain on your lovely clean couch? While dried stains are harder to clean, they are definitely not impossible, and with a little elbow grease and the right knowledge you should be able to lift it out:
Once you have given the stain a good old cleaning treatment, allow it to air dry and then our recommendation would be to keep a close eye on it to see how it’s doing.
It may become evident that the stain will require more than one round of treatment, which you will be able to gauge based on the size, color and smell of the affected area. This can be frustrating, however slow and steady wins the race!
The first, and sometimes trickiest, job is to source the pee stain. It may be in a hidden place, behind a cushion or down the cracks of the couch, so you may need to do a bit of investigating. The pee may also not be obvious at first glance; it could be lighter in color or not particularly strong in smell.
Once you have located the pee stain, the next step that you may want to consider is pre-treating it with a mixture of equal parts water and white vinegar. Vinegar is naturally acidic and can help to start breaking down the urine, especially if it has dried, as well as working to neutralize unpleasant odors.
Steam cleaning is another great option for dog owners who are trying to avoid harsh chemical products, whilst also wanting a proper deep clean. Steam has shown to be very effective in dissolving and lifting away stains, particularly those that have been sitting there for a while and maybe dried into the couch fabric.
The clue is in the name! Enzyme cleaners contain helpful enzymes and bacteria which get to work on stains by breaking them down, and therefore making it easier to lift them out properly and effectively. These handy products have been shown to leave couches pee-stain free, as well as getting rid of lingering odors from urine.
It is understandable that many dog owners would prefer to steer clear of harsh chemicals when it comes to cleaning, and luckily there are a whole host of natural cleaning alternative which can be just as effective:
Believe it or not, one of the best defenses against fading out stains and unpleasant odors is simple fresh air and sunlight. These are excellent at neutralizing nasty smells that may linger post-accident, even if they have been treated with cleaning products. Simply place the affected area directly in sunlight or flow of fresh air and let nature work her magic!
A wonderfully effective natural alternative to store bought enzyme cleaners; these two products work in harmony, with the acidic vinegar breaking down the urine crystals while the alkalising baking soda balances the pH of the urine odor to stop unpleasant smells from overstaying their welcome.
To make the magic happen, you will first want to fill a spray bottle with equal parts warm water and vinegar, about half and half, shaking well to fully combine the liquids. You can then spot test the solution on a small part of the fabric to ensure it doesn’t damage the material - if this looks good to go you can spray the stain generously and then gently use a soft brush or cloth to work it into the affected area.
Once this is done, pour the baking soda over the stain and allow it to sit for a few hours, or even overnight. Once dry you can hoover up the remaining baking soda and voila, the stain should be gone.
Our old friend vinegar at it again, using its acidity to work wonders on breaking down the urine compounds, but this time partnered with humble dish soap. Dish soap is excellent at lifting the stains away once they have been broken down, leaving a stain-free and fresh smelling couch in the aftermath.
To create this mixture, simply mix two cups of cold water with 1 tablespoon of both vinegar and dish soap, mixing well to combine. After spot testing the solution to ensure it is compatible with your couch fabric, make sure the stain is saturated. The mixture can then be worked into the stain with a cloth or soft brush, and once satisfied you can go ahead and use a clean damp cloth to remove the suds.
After this process is complete, all that’s left to do is to blot dry the affected area and leave out to air.
This slighter stronger mixture is a little more heavy on the chemical side considering the hydrogen peroxide, however if used carefully and correctly can be hugely effective on the more stubborn dried pee stains.
When creating this solution, you will want to combine half a cup of hydrogen peroxide, 1 and a half tablespoons of baking soda and 1-2 drops of mild dish soap. Be sure to initially mix this in an open-topped bottle, as the baking soda will cause the mixture to fizz - this should cease once everything has dissolved.
After spot testing, douse the stain until fully saturated. Allow the mixture to sit on the stain for one hour; once it dries the stain should have faded. Repeat if needed, then simply rinse with a damp cloth.
Alcohol is another great cleaning option for pee-stains, helping to break down the urine to make it easier to clean off, as well as being a strong contender for solutions which effectively neutralize unwanted odors after little accidents.
Don’t go cracking open a bottle of wine for this; you’ll want to use rubbing alcohol or plain vodka only. Once you have spot tested the alcohol on a small inconspicuous part of the couch to check it doesn’t damage the material, you can go ahead and douse the stain with a healthy amount of the alcohol.
Work this into the stain from the outside in, using a soft brush or cloth to really get in there. Once you are satisfied with this, you can blot most of the alcohol away and leave it to air dry.
The UV rays in natural sunlight work to break down the molecular structure in stains, causing them to fade or disappear completely. Simply leave the stained area out in direct sunlight and let the rays work their magic.
To get dog pee smell out of the couch can seem like a mammoth task, especially when the scent really does seem to linger!
Luckily, leather is naturally more impervious to liquids, and so if caught quickly can usually be mopped up with no problem. However urine can cause significant staining to leather, and as a result the material can also cling onto odor.
While the urine is still fresh, try and blot as much of it up as you can with a clean dry cloth or tissue. Once you have done this, take a clean cloth and dampen it with water, then thoroughly wipe down the affected area. This should get most of the urine off and stop the damage from being too severe.
We would recommend using a solution of equal parts warm water and vinegar to help combat stains and odor on a leather couch. This solution works as an excellent stain remover by breaking down the urine, as well as a deodorizer to lessen the pee smell. Spray this onto the stain and leave for ten minutes.
Once you have allowed the solution to do its thing, you can then take another damp cloth and wipe the area again, removing any remaining solution and, hopefully, remaining pee with it. Vinegar can be quite pungent, so perhaps consider treating the couch with a leather conditioner afterwards to reduce the power of the pong.
When it comes to getting the smell of dog pee out of a microfiber couch, the first thing to do is blot up as much of the fresh urine as you can - the quicker you catch it the less will seep in and dry, making for a much easier clean. Keep going until your cloth comes away dry.
Next you will want to vacuum up any dirt or dust on and around the affected area, as this can make it harder for cleaning products to penetrate the stain. Rubbing alcohol is the cleaner of choice for this particular material, so spray liberally and then pat it in to ensure proper absorption.
After this, simply leave to dry, perhaps under a fan if you have one, and wait for the stain to fade. You may find that the alcohol doesn’t completely neutralize the smell, so you can always treat the stain with either baking soda or an enzyme cleaning solution afterwards.
Worst comes to the worst, you can always get a professional to clean your couch. While not exactly cheap, particularly long-suffering sofas with dried, hard to reach or overwhelming stains can be a bit much to tackle alone, and so a
professional clean might be the best option.
Getting your couch professionally cleaned will ensure a thorough and safe clean that gets in all the nooks and crannies it needs to. You won’t need to worry about damage, as the experts will have a wealth of knowledge about the right products to use on the right materials, as well as boasting all the tools and tricks in the trade to get your couch squeaky clean and back to how it looked pre-puppy pee.
The process of getting dog urine out of your couch will depend on the volume of pee, how long it’s been sitting on the fabric, as well as the fabric of the couch itself.
With a range of homemade remedies to choose from, as well as dog-safe store-bought products (always check the labels!) there are options for everyone who finds themselves in need of an emergency pee-cleaning spree.
At the end of the day, catching these little accidents quickly will give you the best chance of a good outcome, so keep your eyes peeled!
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