Blog Highlights:
- Immediate action must be taken if you do not want pet urine to damage your hardwood floors
- Cleaning pet urine as soon as possible will help prevent the development of stubborn stains and odors
- Using paper towels to dry the area right away is very important
- You should also mop the area afterwards with an enzyme-based cleaner or with a mixture of baking soda and dishwashing liquid
- Soaking a towel with hydrogen peroxide and putting the towel on top of the stain will help remove discolorations
If your pet accidentally urinates on your hardwood floors, it would be best for you to take immediate action! Here’s what you can do to remove stains and odors properly.
Having a quick response team, made up of the proper cleaning tools must be your main priority. This is because if the urine is not removed immediately, it can permanently alter the smell of the wood as well as its appearance. As a matter of fact, you might even have to do expensive repairs or replacements if you fail to deal with the problem immediately.
Cleaning pet urine as soon as possible on the other hand, would ensure that you will still have odor-free and very beautiful floors.
Act fast
Blot up the pet urine with a paper towel. Make sure that you press the towels firmly so that it will absorb as much of the urine as possible. Repeat it multiple times and make sure that the urine has been removed.
Mop it up
Use enzyme-based floor cleaners from the pet store. Spray about 2 oz. of fluid into a bucket of hot water and mop the wood with this solution. The enzyme-based floor cleaners will help break down the proteins found in the urine, this will also help you get rid of the odors.
If you do not have any, you can mix baking soda and dishwashing soap. You need to scrub the area vigorously if you want to have the best results.
Remove residual urine and odor
After scrubbing or mopping, you need to let the floor air dry. Pour vinegar on the affected area afterwards and allow it to sit for 24 hours. The vinegar might have an unpleasant smell but it can go deeply into the floor to remove residual urine and odor. The vinegar’s odor will disappear after a day or so.
Removing stubborn stains
Soak a towel in hydrogen peroxide and cover the urine-stained area of the floor. Make sure that the towel itself will not impart any color on the floor. Weigh down the towel with something heavy overnight. This will help remove any permanent stains from the wood or at least help soften the stain for proper removal. This will also help protect the floor from further discolorations.
Hiring a professional cleaner
If all else fails you can get in touch with a professional cleaner in your area.
Most professional wood floor cleaners would ask about $15 to $20 per square foot for a medium-sized room. This will include both stain and odor removal.
