Imagine waking up one morning and finding dried pee on your carpet—a common problem that can be stressful. But don’t worry! Accidents happen, whether it’s from a child, a pet, or even an adult. If you find dried urine on your carpet, there’s still hope for getting rid of the stain and smell.
Here’s what you can do: Soak the dried urine stain with a mix of vinegar, water, and detergent. Cover it with a plastic wrap for 24-48 hours, then let it dry naturally. Use baking soda to remove any leftover odor.
Let’s walk through an easy guide on how to get urine out of a carpet when dry.
First, Know the Danger of Urine in the Carpet Cover
Leaving urine in a carpet can cause several problems:
- Bacterial Growth: Urine attracts bacteria. If you don’t clean it, bacteria can grow and spread, leading to skin irritation, breathing problems, and allergies.
- Mold Growth: The wetness from urine and your body heat can cause mold to grow. Mold spores can make it hard to breathe, especially if you have allergies or asthma.
- More Dust Mites: Dust mites like to stay in warm and humid places, just like those made by urine. These tiny bugs can cause allergies and asthma, leading to itchy eyes, sneezing, and trouble breathing.
- Bad Smell: Urine has a strong smell of ammonia. Even if the stain is gone, the smell can stay and make your bed less pleasant.
- Material Damage: Over time, urine can weaken the fibers of your carpet cover, making it wear out faster.
What You’ll Need:
- White vinegar (like the kind you use for cooking)
- Baking soda
- Laundry detergent (a little bit)
- Cold water
- Plastic wrap (optional)
- Towels
- Vacuum cleaner
- Optional: Enzyme cleaner (from pet store) or hydrogen peroxide.
What are the Steps on How to Get Urine Out of a Carpet When Dry?
Check out the step-by-step process below for how to remove dried urine from a carpet.
Step 1: Make a Cleaning Solution
To start, mix up a cleaning solution using:
- 2 parts cold water
- 1 part white vinegar
- A bit of laundry detergent
This mixture helps break down the urine stains and get rid of smells.
Step 2: Soak the Stain
Pour this cleaning solution over the urine stain. Make sure the entire stain gets soaked. This helps the solution reach deep into the carpet where the urine seeped in.
Step 3: Cover with Plastic Wrap
Don’t rub or blot the stain. Instead, cover the wet area with a plastic wrap. Leave it like this for 24 to 48 hours. This keeps the cleaning solution from drying out too fast and gives it more time to work on the stain.
Step 4: Let the Carpet Air Dry
After waiting, take off the plastic wrap. Let the carpet air dry naturally. This might take overnight or longer. It’s good to have windows open or a fan on to help it dry faster.
Step 5: Repeat if Needed
Check the stain. If it’s still there, repeat steps 2 to 4. Sometimes, deep stains need a few tries to disappear completely.
Step 6: Spot Clean with Water
Once the stain is gone, look for any leftover cleaning solution. Clean the spot with water and dab it dry with towels.
Skip the bleach!: Don’t use bleach or harsh chemicals on your carpet. They can damage the fabric and make you sick.
How to Get Urine Out of a Memory Foam Carpet
A memory foam carpet is a kind of carpet made from a special foam that molds to the shape of your body when you lie on it. So, to clean urine from a memory foam carpet, start by gently pressing paper towels on the wet spot to absorb as much liquid as you can.
Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle; after that, spray it on the stain. Then, wait for 10-15 minutes, dab the area again with paper towels, and finally, sprinkle baking soda on top to soak up any remaining moisture and smells.
Once the baking soda is dry, use a vacuum cleaner to remove it from the carpet.
Removing the Smell from the Carpet
Here’s how to remove the urine smell from the carpet.
Step 1: Sprinkle Baking Soda
After you’ve cleaned the urine stain, sprinkle baking soda over the area where the urine was. Baking soda helps get rid of the smell.
Step 2: Wait
Leave the baking soda on the carpet for at least 5 to 10 hours. It’s best to leave it overnight if you can.
Step 3: Vacuum the Carpet
Utilize a vacuum cleaner to suck up the baking soda from the carpet. This will remove the baking soda and any lingering odors.
When you vacuum up the baking soda from your carpet, remember these tips:
- Use the soft upholstery attachment: The upholstery attachment is a special nozzle for your vacuum cleaner that’s designed for cleaning furniture and fabrics. It has a softer brush that won’t damage the delicate material of your carpet. Using the regular floor attachment might be too strong and suck up too much baking soda, leaving some behind.
- Take your time: Don’t rush! Vacuum slowly and carefully over the entire carpet surface. Pay extra attention to the edges and corners where baking soda might hide. This helps ensure you remove all the baking soda and keep your carpet clean and safe from dust.
In addition, are you wondering how to dry wet carpet? Visit our informative blog to learn.
Tips for Tougher Stains
If the above method doesn’t completely work, you can try these additional steps:
Option A: Enzyme-Based Cleaners
Here’s how to do the process.
- Get an Enzyme Cleaner: Purchase an enzyme cleaner from a pet store or cleaning aisle. These cleaners are designed to break down the components of urine.
- Apply as Directed: Follow the instructions on the enzyme cleaner bottle. Typically, you’ll spray or pour it onto the urine stain.
- Cover if Needed: For older or tougher stains, cover the treated area with plastic wrap. This helps the cleaner work longer by keeping it moist.
- Let it Dry and Vacuum: Once the cleaner has dried according to the instructions, vacuum up any residue left behind on the carpet.
Also, check out our informative blog if you want to learn how to get the water out of the carpet.
Option B: Dish Detergent and Essential Oils
Here’s how to do the process.
- Mix Dish Detergent and Essential Oil: Combine a small amount of liquid dish detergent and a few drops of essential oil with water in a spray bottle. This mixture helps clean and freshen the smell.
- Apply to the Stain: Spray or apply the solution directly onto the urine stain.
- Let it Dry: Allow the solution to air dry on the carpet.
- Blot or Vacuum: After it dries, you can blot the area with a towel or vacuum to remove any remaining residue.
Option C: Use Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide can sometimes be used for cleaning, but it’s not the best choice for old urine stains on carpet. Here’s why:
- Not Strong Enough: Hydrogen peroxide can break down some parts of stains, but it’s not powerful enough to get rid of the tough uric acid crystals in old urine stains. These crystals cause a bad smell and yellow spots.
- Bleaching Risk: Hydrogen peroxide can bleach fabrics if left on too long, which might leave a light-colored spot on your carpet where the stain was.
- Safety Warning: Never mix hydrogen peroxide with vinegar. Doing so can create a dangerous gas called peracetic acid.
If you still want to try hydrogen peroxide, do this:
- Dilute It: Mix it with water (half water, half hydrogen peroxide).
- Test First: Try it on a small, hidden area of the stain to make sure it doesn’t damage the fabric.
Option D: Professional Cleaning
If the stain is very old or set in, you might consider hiring a professional cleaning service. They have powerful cleaning products and techniques that can tackle even the toughest carpet stains.
How to Get Dog Pee Smell Out of Carpet
The process for removing dog pee smells from a carpet is quite similar to removing other pee stains, but there are a few key differences:
- Dog pee can be smellier: Dog urine contains additional components like carbohydrates, fatty acids, and ammonia compared to human urine. This can make the odor stronger and more persistent.
- Enzyme cleaners are more important: Due to the extra components in dog pee, enzyme cleaners are even more crucial for tackling stubborn smells. These cleaners have enzymes that break down the specific compounds in dog urine that cause odor.
- Repeat treatments might be needed: Because dog pee can be more concentrated and smellier, you might need to repeat the cleaning process a few times, especially for older stains. Be patient and keep cleaning until the odor is completely gone.
Want to learn, “How long does carpet cleaning take?” Take a look at our insightful blog to learn.
Prevent Future Accidents
To stop urine stains from happening again, use a carpet protector. Here’s why and how it helps:
- Protection Against Urine: A carpet protector acts as a waterproof barrier. It stops any urine from soaking into the carpet, keeping it clean and dry.
- Shields from Dust and Dirt: Besides urine, a carpet protector also keeps dust, dirt, and other particles off your carpet. This helps keep it fresh and clean for longer.
- Guards Against Spills: If you accidentally spill something on the bed, the protector catches it. This prevents liquids from getting into the carpet and causing stains.
- Easy to Clean: carpet protectors are usually easy to remove and wash. If an accident happens, you can just take off the protector and clean it instead of struggling to clean the whole carpet.
Wrapping Up
Cleaning dried urine from a carpet might seem hard, but with the right steps mentioned in the guide ” How to get urine out of a carpet when dry” and some patience, you can make your carpet clean and fresh again. Using things like vinegar, baking soda, and plastic wrap from home can make cleaning easier and work well. Happy cleaning!
