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How to Get Rid of Dog Urine Smell on Tile: 6 Practical Ways

Dog pee on the floor

You love your dog, but sometimes, they leave a puddle on your tile floor. Dog urine can make your house unpleasant with a strong odor, and you may have trained your dog, but accidents happen.

Removing the stain and odor promptly is vital since it can be harder to remove when it sits longer. But don’t worry; it isn’t hard to eliminate the urine smell! There are several ways you can do it using easily accessible products. Below, we’ll discuss how to clean dog urine from tile grout. Let’s get started!

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Before You Start

Like any other cleaning project, you must be ready with all the necessary cleaning supplies, depending on the method you want to use to remove the urine odor. Next, determine the area affected by the dog’s urine. You may smell the odor but can’t identify where it is coming from.

Look for signs of stain on your tiles to determine the area to clean. If you have bright-colored tiles, it is easy to detect the stain. You can also check where your dog likes resting while inside the house. Unlike a cat, it’s hard for a dog to conceal their urine, so it is easy to spot the affected tiles.

The 6 Practical Ways to Get Rid of Dog Urine Smell on Tile

After finding the odor or the stain, it’s time to start cleaning. Below are simple methods to clean dog urine from tile grout.

1. Vinegar and Baking Soda

baking soda and vinegar
Image Credit: focal point, Shutterstock

You can use commercial cleaning products to remove urine from tile grout, but you also save money using baking soda and vinegar.

Things you need
  • 3 tablespoons of baking soda
  • Paper towels
  • A half-cup of white vinegar
  • Clean cloths
Steps
  • Begin by sopping up the urine using paper towels. Discard the dirty paper towels.
  • Now, deal with the remaining dog urine stain and odor. Pour a half cup of white vinegar over the tile grout with the urine stain. If the stain is small, use a ¼ cup less vinegar. Let the vinegar sit on the affected areas for about 10 minutes.
  • Pour 3 tablespoons of baking soda on the white vinegar on your tile. The two chemicals will react and begin foaming. It does not adversely affect you, your tile floor, or your dog.
  • Use the paper towels to remove the vinegar and baking soda combination when the foaming stops.
  • Rinse the areas using a damp, clean towel and let your tile floor dry. Once it is dry, the dog urine smell should be gone.

Point to note: Vinegar is an acid that can damage some types of grout. So, you should first test it on an inconspicuous tile with a few drops of the solution. If it doesn’t cause any damage, you can move on to use it to remove the dog urine smell on the tile.


2. Dish Detergent

bottles of liquid detergent
Image Credit: Pixabay

Fresh urine on the tile grout is easier to remove. Removing it immediately also ensures doesn’t dry and cause a stain. You can use liquid dish detergent to perform the task.

Things you need
  • A rag or white cotton cloth
  • Two tablespoons of liquid dish detergent
  • Toothbrush
Steps
  • Mix the two tablespoons of liquid dish detergent in a cup of cold water
  • Start washing the tile with the cotton cloth. You can also use the toothbrush to scrub the tile grout.
  • Rinse the clean part using cold water to remove all the sudsy detergent.
  • Allow the area to dry or dry with a towel.

3. Lemon Juice

lemon-pixabay
Image Credit: artellliii72, Pixabay

Lemon juice is a great bleaching agent to remove dog urine from tile grout.

Things you need
  • A gallon of hot water
  • Half a bottle of lemon juice
  • Cotton cloth
Steps
  • Add the half cup of bottled lemon juice to the gallon of hot water
  • Dip the cotton cloth into the solution
  • Wash the dog urine stain until it is clean
  • Allow it about 30 minutes to dry

4. Dish Soap and Hydrogen Peroxide

dish soap
Image Credit: Jim Barber, Shutterstock

Hydrogen peroxide helps neutralize urine quickly and eliminate the odor.

Things you need
  • 4 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide
  • 2 tablespoons of warm water
  • Dish soap
  • Towel
Steps
  • Mix the 4 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide with the tablespoon of warm water. You can also use any other tile stain remover with hydrogen peroxide as an ingredient. Any stain remover with the word “oxy” contains hydrogen peroxide.
  • Mix them in a spray bottle with drops of the dish soap.
  • Spray this solution on the dog’s urine stain and repeat as required.
  • Once you complete, rinse the area with water.
  • Dry using a towel and vacuum the remaining moisture. After that, you will no longer smell the odor.

Point to note: First, test the hydrogen peroxide in a small part of the tile grout before using it on the stain. This helps ensure that it doesn’t discolor your tile. You should also avoid using hydrogen peroxide that is more than 3% strong.


5. DIY Removers

Cleaning spray
Image Credit: polina_tankilevitch, Pexels

You can also use DIY cleaners to eliminate dog urine odor from your carpet grout. These cost-effective solutions are made with ingredients from your home. They are also natural and do not contain the harsh chemicals used in some commercial cleaners.

Some DIY formulas include a mix of baking soda, vinegar, and mild dish detergents. Here are the steps to clean the stain and odor.

Things you need
  • A DIY dog urine remover
  • Piece of cloth or toothbrush
Steps
  • Blot the urine-stained part using a towel before applying your preferred DIY remover.
  • Apply a small amount of the remover to the affected area. You can increase the amount depending on the complexity of the stain. Avoid dumping all the solutions on the stain.
  • Now blot the stained part. You can use a toothbrush to scrub the area to remove the stain effectively.
  • Repeat the process on each stain if there are several.

Point to note: Some DIY dog urine stain removers can discolor your tile. So, start by spot-checking small parts before you clean the whole stain.


6. Using Enzyme Digesters

You can use various enzyme cleaners to eliminate the urine smell on the tile.

Hepper-Advanced-Bio-Enzyme-Pet-Stain-Odor-Eliminator-Spray

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Things you need
  • Water
  • Paper towels
  • A cloth
  • Club soda or seltzer
  • An enzyme digester
  • OxiClean
  • A toothbrush
Steps
  • If the urine is still fresh, soak it with paper towels.
  • If the stain is old, fold the paper towel several times to make it thicker. Then, soak the paper towel with the club soda or seltzer and press it on the dog urine stain. You can use water if you don’t have a seltzer. Allow the paper towel to sit on the urine-affected area for 5 to 10 minutes. Wait a few minutes, remove the paper towel, and then rub the stained part using a wet cloth to remove the urine residue.
  • After removing as much urine as possible, pour the enzyme cleaner on the area. You can also spray it instead of pouring it.
  • If the dog’s urine odor remains, repeat the entire process until it is completely gone.
  • If the stain remains, you can use an OxiClean. Pour a little of it onto the stain. Mix powdered OxiClean to form a paste and spread it over the urine stain.
  • Scrub the OxiClean into the tile grout using a toothbrush.
  • Allow it to sit for a few minutes, and rinse it off.

Point to note: You should follow all the instructions on your selected enzyme digester label. This is necessary because some digesters should be soaked for up to ten minutes while others are dry on the affected area.

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Dog Urine Cleaners to Avoid

  • Air Fresheners: It’s best to avoid using air fresheners. Spraying the air fresheners does nothing to get rid of the smell. They only offer a temporary solution and do not clean the grout. After a few minutes of spraying, the urine odor will be back.
  • Ammonia Products: You should avoid using ammonia since they are strong alkaline chemicals that can discolor your tile. It is also worth noting that dog urine contains a large amount of ammonia, so when applied to the stain, it can encourage the dog to return to the same spot and pee again.
  • Bleach and Other Harsh Chemicals: Avoid bleach or other strong chemicals. You should also not mix any chemicals since they can create toxic fumes. Most bleaches don’t sanitize the area but temporarily cover the urine odor. They can also cause damage to your tiles if used incorrectly.

Points to Remember

When using the different methods to get rid of urine from the grout, here are some essential factors to remember.

Things you need
  • Always wear protective gear, such as gloves or masks, when necessary.
  • Never wet the affected area before applying the base, such as baking soda. This is necessary because water activates the acid again.
  • Baking soda mixed with vinegar or other products may bubble up due to the neutralization reaction.

Related Read: How to Treat Dog Urine Spots on Grass: 5 Practical Options

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The previous formulas s are some of the most effective methods to clean urine from tile grout. They can help eliminate the odor immediately. For commercial products, follow the guidelines on the label to get the desired results. Another vital consideration is ensuring the commercial or DIY products don’t damage your tiles. Lastly, if possible, clean the urine as soon as you notice it to avoid multiple cleaning sessions.

You might also be interested in: How To Get Dog Pee Smell Out of Concrete: 5 Practical Options


Featured Image Credit: MCarper, Shutterstock

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