Dog urine is never welcome in your home. The good news is that smooth, sealed surfaces, like concrete, are much easier to clean, than, say, that 18th century Oriental rug in your front hallway. If your dog has to urinate somewhere, at least concrete flooring is easy to clean.
Step 1
Soak up any remaining urine with several dry paper towels. Removing the excess urine before applying other cleaning solutions makes the odor removal process more effective.
Step 2
Pour an enzymatic cleaner over the entire urine stain. Enzymatic cleaners actually break down the compounds associated with urine stains and odor. For unsealed concrete surfaces, you must saturate the entire urine-stained area, and let it sit until the concrete completely absorbs the cleaner. This will allow the enzymatic cleaner to reach urine trapped beneath the surface.
Step 3
Wipe up any remaining enzymatic cleaner from a sealed concrete floor. If the concrete is unsealed, allow the area to dry naturally. This extra time will ensure the enzymatic cleaner works to full capacity beneath the surface layer.
Step 4
Repeat steps two and three until the odor and stain are completely gone. Expect multiple repetitions if the concrete was unsealed, or if you used another cleanser before using one with enzymatic cleaners. Other cleaners will initially mask the odor, but they won’t dissolve the urine completely. Unless you completely removed the urine from every concrete layer, the smell will resurface during humid weather.
References
Tips
- Use enzymatic cleaner before trying any other cleaning products. Many traditional cleaning products, including bleach, vinegar and other stain removers, will actually set the urine stain and odor, just like on a carpet. Although expensive, enzymatic cleaner is the most effective at breaking down and dissolving animal urine.
Warnings
- Don’t allow your dog back in the area until the stain is completely removed. Dogs are attracted to “re-marking” areas with their own scent.
- Don’t use hot water or a steam cleaner, especially on unsealed concrete. Heat actually sets the odorous compounds found in urine, which makes them almost impossible to remove.
Writer Bio
Christina Bednarz Schnell began writing full-time in 2010. Her areas of expertise include child development and behavior, medical conditions and pet health. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in international relations.