Dog urine is typically acidic, which is why it can break down the finish of a hardwood floor’s surface; especially if the urine is allowed to dry up. It might leave a stain on the surface, make it lose its shine and cause discoloration. If you have an unsealed floor, dog urine can penetrate deeper into the wood and leave a persistent and unpleasant odor. If the odor isn't completely eliminated and the area becomes a regular piddle spot, the constant exposure to urine may ultimately cause the wood to warp.
Keep in mind that many cleaning products that are labeled “safe to use on hardwood floors” are not always 100% effective in removing dog urine stains and odor, and they may still cause some discoloration on your wood’s finish.
The Steps to Cleaning Dog Pee on Hardwood Floors
You have to act fast. It’s essential to clean dog pee before it dries out and soaks deep into the wood. And you have to make sure that you clean up all the spots on the floor where the urine has splashed. Dried-up dog urine may stain the floor and leave that pungent, characteristic odor. At that point, eliminating the stain and odor may require methods prone to cause some damage to your floor (more on that later).
Step 1: Soak Up the Urine on Your Floor
The first step is to immediately soak up the puddle by placing a thick wad of paper towels or cleaning towels on the mess. Keep sopping up the urine with fresh towels until a towel comes up dry. Finish wiping off the area with a cloth dampened with water and then dry it off with a fresh towel.
Step 2: Eliminate the Urine Stain and Odor
- To clean up small pee spots, mineral spirits are generally safe to use on hardwood floors, although they may leave a residue on the surface.
- Citrus oil-based cleaners are preferable to mineral spirits and are best used to clean areas that are not exposed to sunlight. Over time, these may still dull the finish of your floor, especially when combined with some or a lot of sun exposure.
- Hydrogen peroxide and baking soda may be popular options for cleaning urine stains and removing odor on hardwood floors, but keep in mind that this blend will almost certainly cause discoloration and can even stain the finish and the wood itself. Your floor may require additional treatments, including sanding, refinishing and staining to restore its look.
- Skout’s Honor Pet Stain & Odor Remover is safe for finished wood floors, but avoid using it on unfinished wood.
Skout’s Honor for Dog Urine Stains on Hardwood Floors
Skout’s Honor’s solutions for dog urine stains and odor are mineral and plant-derived, and are free of sulfates, parabens and other harmful ingredients. Our products exceed the highest level of environmental responsibility and safety standards. All Skout's Honor products are manufactured under the California Green Chemistry Initiative. They are rapidly biodegradable, eco-friendly and free of harsh chemicals, making them safe to use around your pets, family and home.
Our beloved pets may not appreciate the classic beauty of a hardwood floor. Or perhaps they do, and that’s why they want to mark it and claim it as their own. Now, when accidents happen, you’ll be ready to clean it up fast.
Sources:
MSD Manual - Urinalysis
Best Friends Humane Society - Dog Marking and Peeing in the House2 comments
Evan Jr. Wilson Sep 22, 2021
We recently purchased a house that had a dog that piddled on the carpet and when we tore up the rug, there were dark stains on a light oak floor. Is there anything that we can clean this with to salvage this wood floor?
If you own a dog, at some point you will have to clean up accidents off the floor. Urine needs to be removed from Hardwood floors immediately because the standing liquid can warp the wood, soak deep down into the crevices and leave behind odors. Cleaning up dog pee properly will protect your floors from the urine and help keep them in good condition.
1. Wear gloves to protect your hands. Soak up excess dog pee with paper towels by blotting the paper towels onto the urine to soak up the excess liquid.
2. Sprinkle baking soda over the urine area. Allow the baking soda to sit on the floor overnight to neutralize the urine odor.
3. Vacuum the baking soda off the hardwood floor. Turn the brush off on the vacuum or raise the brush level to prevent scratching the floor.
4. Combine 1 cup of warm water with 1 cup of vinegar in a container. Soak a sponge in the solution and wipe the area to remove any lingering dog urine.
5. Rinse the floor with clean water and a washcloth. Dry the wood floor with a towel. Standing water can ruin the hardwood floor.
Contact us here if the floors appeared discolored. Avoid using hard abrasives and cleaners on Hardwood floors because you can scratch them.
How do you get urine smell out of hard wood floors?
To neutralize the smell of dog urine soaked into the hardwood floor, apply a paste of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to it. Baking soda is a natural deodorizer that will easily neutralize the odor.Can pet urine damage hardwood floors?
Untreated accidents lead to urine stains, discoloration, and odors that are extremely difficult to remove. Urine can permanently damage your hardwood floors' polyurethane coating and lead to expensive repairs for homeowners and loss of pet deposits for renters.How do you remove dried urine from the floor?
How to Remove Urine Stains.Cover with an absorbent pad soaked in rubbing alcohol..Let it remain in place for 5 minutes, then wipe the area with a cloth dampened with ammonia. (Do not use ammonia on linoleum or vinyl floor tile.).Rinse well with water and wipe dry with a soft cloth..How do you remove soaked urine from wood?
Baking Soda Option Thanks to its pH level, it will eliminate the urine odor and neutralize the acid at the same time. To make this solution effective, use about a quarter cup of baking soda and spread it thinly but evenly over the area of your hardwood floor that is soaked in urine.