How to Deodorize Urine

The characteristic odor of urine is produced by naturally present bacteria and uric acid crystals, i.e. crystalline urine stains. These crystals often settle in moist and porous surfaces such as clothing, fabrics, or carpets and give off a strong ammonia odor as bacteria break down the urine. ^{[1] X Source of Research} Here’s why we have to do more than just wipe or “saturate” our urine; Although you can no longer see the trace, the smell of urine is probably still there. This article will show you some methods to get rid of the unpleasant smell of urine on clothes, in bathrooms, upholstery and floors.

Table of Contents

Clean washable things with a washing machine

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Put all dirty items in the washing machine. Do not wash clothes contaminated with urine with normal clothes. It is best to separate until the urine has been eliminated.

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Put 500g of baking soda in the washing machine. Add baking soda to the laundry soap and wash as usual.

You can replace baking soda with ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar in your wash with regular laundry soap. ^{[2] X Research Source}

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Dry the item if possible. If it’s dry and warm, leave the item out to dry in the sun. Sunlight and gentle wind are very effective in deodorizing. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

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Wash again if the urine smell persists. This time use an enzyme cleaner, a biological and non-toxic cleaner that neutralizes and deodorizes. Enzyme cleaners are available at pet stores, home stores, and large supermarkets.

Clean restrooms

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Spray vinegar on the toilet. Use undiluted vinegar to spray all surfaces and corners of the toilet. Let the vinegar infuse for a few minutes. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

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Clean the toilet bowl. Use a clean rag or paper towel to wipe all corners and crevices of the toilet bowl. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

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Moisten another rag and wipe again. Use a new rag to wipe the entire toilet bowl again to remove any remaining vinegar stains. ^{[6] X Research Source}

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Repeat the process above for the floor, the pipes, and the wall around the toilet. This step helps to remove all traces of foul-smelling urine not only from the toilet but also from surrounding surfaces. Who doesn’t know that sometimes urine comes out! ^{[7] X Research Sources}

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Clean the tub and surrounding area as usual. Maintaining a regular cleaning regimen will prevent urine stains from accumulating on the toilet, and so your bathroom will always smell nice and clean.

Clean upholstered furniture

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Use fabric deodorant. Popular brands include Glade and Febreeze, which you can buy at supermarkets and home stores. These products come in spray bottles that are used to spray upholstered furniture until damp and allow to dry naturally.

Deodorant products on fabrics will bring a pleasant fresh scent to fabrics. However, their effect is often just masking the smell, not deodorizing and removing stains completely. These products should only be used as a temporary solution.

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Prepare and use homemade solutions. There are different types of products that use ingredients that you probably already have in your home. Be sure to test solutions before applying to the entire area to prevent discoloration, a risk that can always occur when you use any solution.

Use baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Dissolve 480 ml of hydrogen peroxide, 1 teaspoon of dishwashing liquid and 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Spray on urine stain until soaked and allow to dry completely. If white streaks appear, sweep or vacuum to clean.
Make a solution of 1 part water and 1 part vinegar. ^{[8] X Research Source} Mix warm water and white vinegar in equal proportions. Dip a clean rag in the solution and rub the stain with a circular motion. You should wipe it again at least twice, then let it dry. You can use a hair dryer or fan to dry it a little faster. If the smell is still there, you may have to spray pure white vinegar on the stain. At this point, if the smell is still there, it means that the urine has penetrated deep into the fibers of the fabric, so you should spray the vinegar to soak into the fibers as well. ^{[9] X Research Source}
Try rubbing alcohol on the stain and blot with a dry cloth.

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Use pure baking soda. Baking soda is a natural deodorant. Pour a decent amount of baking soda over the dirt – now is not the time to be miserly – until it is completely covered. Use a brush to rub baking soda into the fibers of the fabric in a circular motion. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Once the baking soda has crept into the fabric fibers and works, use a vacuum cleaner to suck up the baking soda. This step will help the natural deodorizing properties of the baking soda penetrate deep into the fibers of the fabric and remove dust. ^{[11] X Research Source}
You may need to do this step twice if the smell is still faint or the smell is too strong. ^{[12] X Research Source}

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Buy and use urine cleaning products. Look for enzyme cleaners. Enzyme cleaners will break down urine stains and odor-causing molecules. These products contain bacteriocins that promote the growth of urine-degrading bacteria. ^{[13] X Research Source}

Well-known brands are advertised specifically to deodorize pet urine, but can also be used to treat human urine. Some brands include Simple Spution, Nature’s Miracle, Urine Off, and Complete Pet Stain and Odor Remover by 8in1. ^{[14] X Research Source}
Follow all instructions on the product.
This method will save you the most effort, but you have to buy commercial products. ^{[15] X Research Source}

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Hire carpet and upholstery cleaning services. If all the above methods fail then this should be the last resort. Call the company you’ve chosen and tell them in advance what the specific situation is and see if they can handle it. Ask them about some different options. You might also want to check out reviews about that company.

Remember that hiring upholstery cleaning services can be quite expensive. Sometimes the cost of cleaning is as close as the cost of buying a new one.

Clean floor surfaces

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Use natural home remedies. Mix into a spray bottle 150 ml of hydrogen peroxide, 2 teaspoons of vinegar, 1 teaspoon of baking soda and ½ teaspoon of orange-flavored dishwashing liquid or 3 drops of orange essential oil. Shake well to mix ingredients, then spray onto dirty areas until thoroughly moist and allow to dry completely. When the solution is dry, use a vacuum cleaner to clean the powder on the floor. ^{[16] X Research Source}

You may need to repeat this process twice if the smell persists.
This formula works very well on parquet, linoleum and carpeted floors.

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Use a commercial cleaner. As with upholstery, enzymatic cleaners are most effective. ^{[17] X Research Source}

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Rent a carpet cleaner or wet vacuum to treat the carpet. This will help remove any traces of urine on the carpet, which can easily absorb urine. These devices work similarly to vacuum cleaners but use water; The machine will push the water into the carpet and suck the dirty water back. ^{[18] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to Source}

You can rent a wet vacuum cleaner for a relatively cheap price at machine rental stores.
Carefully follow the instructions on the machine.
Do not add other chemicals when using these devices. The machine will be most effective when using only clean water. ^{[19] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to source}
Do not use a steam cleaner to clean urine on carpets. High heat will permanently set stains and urine odors, as it causes the protein to bind to the fibers of the fabric. ^{[20] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to source}
You can also hire a professional carpet cleaner to clean the carpet, or take the stained carpet to a carpet cleaner. However, this service is often very expensive, sometimes even buying new carpet is less expensive than hiring the service.

Warning

Whether you’re using homemade or store-bought cleaners, it’s a good idea to test the item first. Take care to make sure you don’t damage your clothes, furniture, or floors before cleaning the entire item.
Check regularly if problems are common in the home (caused by people or pets). You can use an ultraviolet light available at many stores to detect old urine stains. Turn off all lights and use ultraviolet light to look for stains. Mark the area of urine that has just been detected with something, such as chalk. ^{[21] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to Source}
The best way to get rid of the urine smell is to not let the problem happen in the first place! Urine needs to be confined to its place (outside the house, restroom, litter box, etc.) Prevention is top priority!

Steps

Clean washable things with a washing machine

Clean restrooms

Clean upholstered furniture

Clean floor surfaces

Warning

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