If he hasn't already, your dog will undoubtedly have an accident on your wood floors at some point. Knowing how to properly clean the pee off your floors will prevent urine odor from permanently taking hold while saving your wood and your sanity.
Step 1
Wear gloves when cleaning up dog urine or any other bodily fluid to prevent illness.
Step 2
Soak up liquid pee with paper towels. Lay several on top of the spot, allow them to soak up the liquid and then discard them. Blot up any remaining liquid with clean paper towels.
Step 3
Sprinkle baking soda over the entire area and allow it sit overnight. Cover a margin of clean floor around the urine stain.
Step 4
Vacuum the baking soda away with an attachment brush safe for use on wood floors. Do not use a rotating brush or any attachment that may scratch the wood.
Step 5
Mix warm water and white vinegar in a cup at a ratio of 1:1. Dampen a soft towel with the solution, wring well and wipe the affected area to remove as much lingering odor as possible.
Step 6
Wipe the spot with clean water and dry very well with a towel. Do not leave the spot wet.
References
Tips
- Properly cleaning dog pee off your hardwood floors stops your dog from recognizing the odor and peeing in the same spot again in the future.
- Try placing a layer of kitty litter over areas with stubborn odors, covering the litter with a cardboard box and leaving it to sit overnight. The litter should absorb some or all of the odor.
- Once urine sets on wood floors, the smell is very difficult to remove. Try an enzymatic cleaner. You may need to replace the varnish in the affected area once you've cleaned it.
Writer Bio
Sandra Ketcham has nearly two decades of experience writing and editing for major websites and magazines. Her work appears in numerous web and print publications, including "The Atlanta Journal-Constitution," "The Tampa Bay Times," Visit Florida, "USA Today," AOL's Gadling and "Kraze Magazine."