Accidents happen. So if you welcome a new pet into your home or have small children, chances are your carpets might come into contact with urine stains at some point or other.
The bad news is that urine can be notoriously hard to fully eradicate from a carpet, especially the smell. The good news is that with the right techniques and prompt action, you can successfully remove urine from a carpet – and if all else fails, there are professional carpet cleaning companies who are a dab hand at this task.
1. Act fast
Time is your enemy when it comes to removing urine from a carpet, so the sooner you act, the more success you’ll have at removing the stain and its odours, and preventing your carpet from becoming discoloured.
Urine is very acidic, and the longer it remains in the carpet, the more likely that the molecules in the urine will bind with the fibres in a carpet, making it harder to remove. As the waste products in the urine start to decay, bacteria move in and feed off it, and it’s this bacteria that’s responsible for the pungent smell. As the bacteria and other microbes multiply in the unclean carpet, they could even pose a risk to your health.
Moreover, the longer you leave pet urine in a carpet, the more likely your pet will choose to urinate in the same spot again, creating an even bigger headache for you.
Therefore, if a new pet or a child in potty training urinates on a carpet, get on the case immediately.
2. Blot the carpet
Your first job is to soak up as much of the liquid from the carpet as possible, using a clean, absorbent cloth or kitchen paper. Don’t use a cloth that’s coloured, as the dyes in the cloth could transfer into the carpet, making the problem even worse.
When blotting the liquid, don’t rub or scrub the carpet, just apply gentle pressure to remove as much of the urine as possible.
3. Cleaning the carpet
Once most of the liquid has been lifted from the carpet, you’ll then need to remove it fully, otherwise you’ll still be left with an unpleasant odour.
There are various solutions you can use to tackle urine in a carpet, without needing to go out and buy expensive products. However, it’s important that you make sure that the cleaning solution you use is suitable for your particular type of carpet fabric, and that it won’t cause any harm to pets or children.
4. Home remedies
Baking soda is one such remedy that many carpet owners swear by for removing urine stains. As baking soda is slightly alkaline, it can help to neutralise the acid in the urine. Simply sprinkle onto the stained area and leave it overnight, before vacuuming it up the next day.
Alternatively, if you have any white vinegar, you can mix equal parts of this with some water and add to a spray bottle, together with a teaspoon of baking soda. Spray onto the affected area and leave it to soak into the urine for a few minutes, before rinsing the area with water and letting it dry.
If you have carpets made from rayon, cotton or silk, be mindful that vinegar can be harmful to these fabrics, particularly if it hasn’t been sufficiently diluted with water.
Don’t overdo it with the water, either. Applying excessive amounts of water when cleaning carpets made from cellulosic fabrics such as bamboo silk or viscose can damage them, so if in doubt, speak to the professionals.
Overwetting a carpet when trying to remove a urine stain can also increase the risk of mould or mildew developing in the carpet backing. If you want to speed up the drying of your carpet, open the windows or turn on a fan to ventilate the room and allow air to circulate to encourage the carpet to dry. Don’t use a hairdryer on the carpet, as the heat may set any remaining stain residues into the carpet.
If the urine smell still lingers after you’ve tried these remedies, you could try something a bit stronger. Mix together a cup each of hydrogen peroxide and water, combined with three tablespoons of baking soda. Pour into a spray bottle and apply to the urine stain in the carpet. Leave for up to 20 minutes, and then blot with water to rinse and dry with a towel. This method may cause fabric discolouration, so is only suitable for light-coloured carpets – and make sure to carry out a test patch first.
5. Removing dried urine
Sometimes, a pet may have urinated on a carpet without you knowing about it – until the smell starts to give the game away. Removing dried urine from a carpet is much trickier than fresh urine, but it’s not impossible.
Your first task is to locate the dried urine stain. If this isn’t visible, you can shine a UV torch onto the carpet which will highlight any suspect areas. Once you’ve located the urine, you’ll need to rehydrate it, by applying some water to the stain. Then, you can attempt to remove it in the same way you would treat a fresh urine stain.
You may need to clean the old stain a few times to remove it effectively. After the carpet has dried, vacuum it or use a soft bristle brush to help lift the carpet fibres back into place.
6. Enzyme cleaners
Enzyme cleaners can be another tool in your arsenal for treating urine in a carpet. These work by helping to break down the bacteria and uric acid crystals in the urine stain.
It’s important to read the instructions on the bottle carefully, and do a small test patch first. Crucially, make sure your carpet is suitable. Whilst most synthetic carpets can be cleaned with an enzyme cleaner, natural fibre carpets, such as those made from wool, silk or cotton, can get damaged if the enzyme cleaning solution isn’t properly removed.
7. Seek professional help
The reality is, even if you try to remove urine from a carpet yourself, the stain and smell may still persist. That’s when it’s time to call a professional stain removal carpet cleaning company.
Additionally, if you don’t feel confident removing the urine stain yourself, or you aren’t sure how home remedies or enzyme cleaners may react with your particular type of carpet, it’s better to contact a professional carpet cleaning company for peace of mind.
At Carpet Bright UK, we have plenty of experience removing urine from carpets, whether the stains are new or old, and whether you have a carpet made from natural or synthetic materials. Our fully trained and knowledgeable carpet cleaning technicians use the latest cleaning tools and equipment to not only safely remove the stain itself, but also the odours and bacteria that can go with it. Get in touch for expert help today.
