Updated on Mar. 26, 2024
Wondering how to get pee out of carpet? Erase all evidence of accidents with a first rate carpet cleaner for urine smell and stains. We've rounded up six of the best pet urine remover and stain fighting products to keep your home fresh and clean.
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At some point all pet owners will search for the best pet urine remover because accidents happen. Most pet owners keep a pet urine carpet cleaner on hand. If a dog or cat keeps peeing on the carpet, it could be because they can still smell urine in that spot. The key to eliminating that unpleasant odor is to treat the stain as quickly as possible. You’ll also need to stop cats from doing their business on the rug, and understand why they miss the litter box. Choosing the best cat litter box often reduces or eliminates hit-or-miss potty behavior.
First things first: Look for a pet stain cleaner that uses natural enzymes. Why? Enzymatic cleaners actually break down urine molecules more effectively while getting rid of odors and stains. Some carpet cleaners for urine smells use special molecules that also address the stink factor. This will also help prevent pets from re-soiling in the same spot— something they’re prone to do if they can still smell residue from their last accident.
The good news is, a handful of products do the trick, so you can clean fabrics and carpets instead of replacing them. Here’s how to get pee out of carpet, and our favorite products to do it.
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One of the best products for removing pet urine stains from carpeting is Rocco & Roxie’s Stain and Odor Eliminator. This enzymatic cleaner contains natural bacteria that feed on the ammonia crystals found in urine, effectively breaking down the stain and any odors. It gets virtually anything out of carpet, and even gets pet urine out of your mattress.
Sure, this pet urine carpet cleaner is on the more expensive side, but our executive editor tested Rocco & Roxie Stain and Odor eliminator on a mattress stain and came away impressed with the results. Amazon reviewers also swear this professional strength product is worth its weight in gold and the best pet urine remover for carpets.
“If you’re hesitant on the price, which I was at first, your desperation to remove your carpet of brown and yellow spots will be rewarded by giving this a try,” verified Amazon purchaser, Benjamin Poon, writes. He has three large dogs and swears this is the best rug cleaner for dog pee and poop. “When I tell you this stuff is MAGIC IN A BOTTLE, I’m not exaggerating.”
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The affordable Resolve Urine Destroyer Spray works like something way more expensive. This stain and odor remover neutralizes gross urine scent on contact. It breaks down the odor molecules, which prevent pets from remarking the area. Choose this product for an ideal cat urine carpet cleaner.
“This is the best carpet cleaner I have ever used!” writes verified Amazon purchaser, JAE. “We had our carpets professionally cleaned, but the company was not able to get out some stains. I sprayed this Resolve on the spots and they disappeared!! This is 10x better than the regular Resolve.”
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The sooner you remove the stain, the longer carpets last. But if you didn’t spot your pet’s accident right away, it’s probably going to be harder to remove the set-in stain. Luckily, the Nature’s Miracle Oxy Set-in Stain Destroyer was made for that, penetrating deep into your carpet and lifting out old stains as an excellent pet urine carpet cleaner.
It takes about 15 minutes to work, and you may need to scrub the stain with a soft-bristle brush, depending on how long it’s been sitting there. However, users say this product eliminates all traces of urine odor and most stubborn stains.
“We had a large, bad stain in one of our bedrooms from when my son got sick all over the carpet over 15 years ago,” writes verified purchaser, Reen. “I have been trying everything under the sun all these years to get it out and nothing worked. Our carpets are 17 years old and by using this product on the miscellaneous stains that have happened over the years, the carpets look amazing.”
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Many commercial cleaners use harsh chemicals. If you want something safer around your family, try TriNova’s Natural Pet Stain and Odor Remover. This formula features a blend of enzymes that break down and disintegrate urine molecules in your carpet. It’s made from solely natural and organic ingredients. It’s effective at eliminating cat urine odor and getting rid of dog smell.
“I can’t detect any urine odor after using it,” writes verified purchaser, Peter L. “The added benefit of a herbal fragrance to the product, which rather quickly subsides, is a real bonus. After drying, I’m left with a simple, fresh odor.”
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For serious issues, you’ll need the best urine cleaner for stains, like Clorox’s Commercial Solutions Urine Remover. It’s powerful enough for high-traffic facilities, like public restrooms. This professional-grade cleaning product includes chemicals that will break down the odor, as well as hydrogen peroxide to help lift stains from carpeting. It’s a powerful choice for cleaning outdoor accidents on cement or spots where you want to clean carpets without a machine.
“This product makes finding urine a simple task; when it is detected, foaming occurs,” writes one verified purchaser. “A nice bonus is the smell of this product. After using this, you’re left with a really fresh scent, rather than a typical chemical-like odor. I would not own a pet (trained or not) without this product.”
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If standard spray bottles aren’t working, switch to the Nature’s Miracle Urine Destroyer for a pet urine carpet cleaner. The large container of enzymatic cleaner features an extendable wand, called an AccuShot Sprayer, to aim and spray to saturate urine stains. It makes cleaning other smelly surfaces convenient, like getting dog smell out of the couch or removing cat urine from clothes. It’s ideal to use as one of the best dog urine odor remover for carpets and tackles all kinds of tough stains.
“This is a great product with a great sprayer,” writes one verified Amazon reviewer. “It covers the affected area great and does not damage the area rugs I use it on. Highly recommend for others whose life plans did not include living in a house that smells like a barnyard.”
Big dogs create bigger messes than cats or smaller pooches. Non-neutered male cats, though, have the strongest-smelling urine and are hard-wired to spray it around the house. Neutering pets reduces the inclination to stain the carpet.
Puppies and kittens make more messes, and senior citizen pets increase the potential for accidents. Depending on a pet’s age and health, you might need a cleaner for a shorter or longer duration. Also, pets’ acute sense of smell means they may object to some perfumed or strong-smelling cleaners. Cats hate citrus odors but may pee on top of bleach or ammonia smells. Some kinds of fire retardants or rubberized backing (like on bath mats) also entice pets to pee.
Choosing the right type of carpet influences how easily you can clean it. Stain-resistant carpets do better, of course, and shorter pile (whether looped or cut) reduces the amount of stain absorption. A small quarter-size urine stain on the surface soaks deep into the underneath padding and spreads to several times the visible size. Light-colored carpets may get stained from the cleaner, too, so read reviews or test in a small area first.
Carpet experts say Type 6,6 nylon, Triexta and solution-dyed polyester—with a stain-resistant pad with a waterproof backing—are the best carpets for pets. Consider these issues when choosing your cleaning product:
As shopping experts, our only job is to help you find a winning product. We start with the research and reporting basics—what products are made of, what they look like and how much they cost—to ensure that we’re only recommending the buys that are worth your time and money. Then, we research the features that speak to the product’s quality, taking advice from industry insiders and subject matter experts on what makes a product a smart value (or worthy of a splurge). Finally, we do the work of combing through user reviews to see how real people interact with the product, and if it stands up to the test.
The best cleaner to remove pee from carpet uses enzymes. All urine contains urochrome (which colors it yellow), uric acid and urea. The best urine carpet cleaners wash away urochrome and neutralize uric acid relatively easily. The sticky nature of urea makes it nearly impossible to dissolve and remove. Thus, the product must saturate the urea for a prolonged time to fully dissolve and rinse it away.
Multiple applications work best. You’ll need to mop up as much urine as possible, wet the stain with the product and allow it to dry—then repeat if necessary. Cleaners for removing pet urine from clothes commonly use enzymes to digest the stink, molecules to encapsulate odor and hydrogen peroxide or other “oxy” ingredients to address stains.
Beneficial bacteria produce enzymes. When added to cleaning products, the enzymes break down poop, pee and vomit into smaller molecules. Then the bacteria gobble up the smaller molecules, eliminating the offensive stains and odors. So, if you need a pet stain fighter or the best dog urine odor remover for carpet, ensure it includes enzymes.
You may need a professional carpet cleaning to remove long-standing stains and odors. For fresh spot cleaning, though, many of the products included here provide an effective option.
