Desperate to clean off your pet pee-off on your expensive floor? Read this article to know how to clean dog urine from hardwood floors step by step.
Most dog owners believe that wiping their pet’s pee with a tissue is the best way to clean dog urine on hardwood floors.
Sadly, it is not true at all! Dog urine will gradually penetrate the hardwood and cause severe internal damage to your floors.
Along with an unpleasant smell of ammonia, you won’t be able to sleep tight at night.
If you face such a problem, read this article on how to clean dog urine from hardwood floors for a proper fix.
More:
- How To Clean Hardwood Floors With Vinegar and Olive Oil
- Top 9 Best Cleaner For Dog Urine On Hardwood Floors
How does dog urine affect your hardwood floors?
The first problem to concern is the floor’s discoloration, caused by the chemicals in dog urine (uric acid, ammonia), which have an effect of bleaching.
Therefore, when your furry buddy leaves its mark, your floors are contaminated. Also, dogs have a tendency to pee on the same spot so that the overall discoloration will worsen.
This issue is not that easy to get rid of with just water and a cloth. Be careful if, after several peeing sessions, your floors start losing their original color.
Secondly, the chemicals that exist in the urine are also responsible for floor swelling and corrosion.
The uric acid erodes the wood floors’ protective top layer and reaches further into the wood grain beneath. Then your wood will be swollen due to the urine absorption.
On the other hand, the ammonia will nurture the wood grain bacteria, causing slow wood corrosion. It might not happen overnight, but this is detrimental to your expensive furniture (hardwood floors) and very hard to treat in the long run.
And the final consequence every dog owner has is the smell. You might not recognize this unique smell immediately if you spend all day in the house.
However, it will get more obvious after a while. Especially after the corrosion happens, all you will smell is ammonia in the air.
How to clean dog urine from hardwood floors – An ASAP fix!
So before getting to your most anticipated part – how to clean up dog urine on hardwood floors, we’ve got some quick preparations to make.
First, here are what you need:
#1. Enzyme-Based Cleaner
Enzyme cleaners are pet owner’s best friends, or so we should say for its amazing effects. They work by using enzymes to break down and dissolve the uric acid found in dog pees.
The enzymatic cleaners might also kill the bacteria in the urine, thus preventing further damage to the hardwood floors. You can use these cleaners on old pee spots as well.
Some of the best enzyme cleaner for dog urine on hardwood floors are
- Rocco & Roxie Professional Strength Stain & Odor Eliminator (32 Fl. Oz.)
- Nature’s Miracle Hard Floor Cleaner (24 Fl. Oz.)
- BUBBAS Super Strength Commercial Enzyme Cleaner (1 Gal.)
#2. Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is an oxidizer consisting of two oxygen molecules. It acts as a substance to dry up your puppy’s pee, hence no leaking and soaking through to a deeper wood level.
Besides, it also neutralizes ammonia and destroys any existing bacteria from your hardwood floors. It is the best way to clean dog urine smell from wood floors.
#3. Baking Soda
Just like hydrogen peroxide, baking soda helps neutralize urine chemicals. You can sprinkle this soda on the pee spot, and it will get rid of the uric acid and ammonia left on your floor.
Baking soda is also a friendly cure that can easily be found in your kitchen.
#4. Blotting Papers
We recommend using blotting papers instead of cloth because of its absorbing ability. The faster you soak up the urine, the less damaged your floors will face.
Not to mention that papers are super convenient as you can throw them away right after use.
Start cleaning dog urine from your hardwood floors step by step
Following is an easy guide to clean wood floors from dog urine without leaving any further consequences.
Step 1
Put on gloves to protect your hands from contacting the substances. Then soak up any dog pee with boating papers. Do not leave any residuals and act as soon as you find the spot.
Step 2
After soaking up all the liquid, pour enzyme cleaner on the urine spot. Follow the instructions in your cleaner bottle (as it will be different from brands to brands).
Basically, dissolve the enzymatic cleaner into a bucket of hot water. Wet a wood-floor brush with the mix, then clean the whole damaged area.
Be careful not to use a hard brush that will leave scratches on your wood floors. When finished, wipe off the cleanser with a soft cloth.
Step 3
To prevent any moisture in the future, you need to sweep all the affected area with hydrogen peroxide.
Or if you do not have such a neutralizer ready, scatter baking soda on the urine area and leave it for 6 hours or overnight to neutralize the uric acid and ammonia.
It will help prevent the stinky odor. After that, make sure to get rid of the baking soda from the spot. You can use a vacuum machine on a high brush level for quicker effect.
Step 4
You should rinse the floor once again with clean water and a soft cloth on the last step. Then dry it with a floor towel to avoid stained water.
The best way to clean dog pee on hardwood floors with only four simple steps is there you have it.
Final words
This article on how to clean dog urine from hardwood floors has proved to work wonders by ourselves and many other dog owners.
Therefore, in order to prepare your beautiful floor damage-free from any peeing incidents, make sure to follow this short and sweet guideline, and you are good to go!
Good luck, and see you next time.