Recipes for Pet Odor Removal

Pet odors typically come in three varieties: Wet dog, dog feces and cat urine.

Of the three, wet dog is the easiest to deal with. Cat urine, of course, is the most difficult. In fact, if cat urine has been allowed to dry in the carpet or upholstery, it’s can quite often be impossible to remove.

Sometimes the only option a homeowner has is to rip out the carpet and pad or discard the furniture.

But, before you resort to such drastic and expensive steps, you can first make your own pet odor remover and attempt to rid your house of “the smell”.

Removing the Wet Dog Smell

Water and oil don’t mix, especially on a dog. The wet dog smell is caused by water coming into contact with the oils on your dog’s skin.

To reduce the wet dog smell on your dog and to prevent the smell from spreading to the rest of the house, grab a box of baking soda and follow these easy steps.

1. Thoroughly dry your dog after he’s been swimming or out in the rain or snow.
2. Depending on his size, sprinkle two to four tablespoons of baking soda over his body.
3. Massage the baking soda into his fur with your hands.
4. Brush him thoroughly.

Removing Dog Feces Odors

The smell of dog poop usually goes away once the feces is removed from the house. However, the smell can linger, along with bacteria and health dangers.

To make your own pet odor remover for dog poop, all you’ll need is white vinegar and warm water.

• Mix one-part white vinegar with one-part warm water.
• While wearing disposable gloves, dip a clean cleaning rag/cloth in the vinegar and water solution.
  • If the feces was left on a tile or hardwood floor, wipe down the entire area.
  • If the little present was left on the carpet – just slightly wring out the cleaning cloth and place this over the smelly area. Push down hard to expel some of the vinegar/water mixture. Remove any remaining liquids with paper towels.

Removing Cat Urine and Odors from Carpets and Upholstery

First soak up as much as you can of the urine. Paper towels are absorbent and work nicely for this task.

1. Now pour a little white vinegar over the area. Depending on the size of the spot, start with 1/4 to 1/2 cups. You want to completely cover the stain with the vinegar.
2. Once again, blot up the vinegar using either paper towels or a clean absorbent towel. Continue to blot up the liquid until it’s as dry as you can get it.
3. Cover with another towel and let dry overnight then vacuum.

Tips for Working with Upholstered Furniture

If you have a piece of upholstered furniture and the cushion covers come off and can be washed, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for washing and use the above steps on the inside padding/cushion.

Removing all the liquids can sometimes be a little harder than soaking up liquids from a carpet. If you have a shop-vac, give that a try.

Removing the Odor from Cat Urine

If you are left with a little odor, sprinkle baking soda over the area. Gently work it in with a clean toothbrush. Baking soda will help neutralize the odor.

Place a paper towel or clean cloth over the baking soda and let sit up to 24 hours then vacuum.

If the urine has penetrated the carpet pad or the upholstery stuffing, you might want to try steam cleaning. Cleaning carpets and upholstery is a fine balance between enough water and vinegar to remove the smell, but not so much that mold begins to grow.

The steam released from the steam cleaner will penetrate the fibers of the pad or the stuffing and will hopefully dissolve the enzymes that are causing the smell.