How to Clean Dried Cat Urine from Carpet? 6 Steps

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How to clean dried cat urine from carpet? The smell of dried cat urine on a carpet can be tough to remove if you don’t know what you’re doing. But don’t worry! It’s easy to clean it up and remove the odor with some simple steps.

Clean dried cat urine from the carpet with these six easy steps:

  1. Combine Water and Vinegar
  2. Pour on the Urine, Scrub Lightly, Let Dry
  3. Sprinkle Baking Soda on the Urine, Leave for 24 Hours
  4. Combine Water, Hydrogen Peroxide, and Liquid Dish Soap
  5. Pour on the Urine, Scrub Lightly, Let Dry
  6. Vacuum

Dried cat urine should not be the end of your carpet! Just follow these steps to make it like new again.

Read on to learn more about how to clean dried cat urine from the carpet and make your carpet look new again.

Also, to make cleaning dried cat urine a breeze, take a look at the Hoover Smartwash Automatic Carpet Cleaner. Push forward to clean and pull back to dry – this cleaner is powerful and easy to use.

Click here to see it on Amazon.

How to Clean Dried Cat Urine from Carpet

Some spills and stains are difficult to clean from the carpet, but not cat urine. It’s not that difficult to eliminate the stain and odor of dried cat urine. The longer it takes before you clean it, the harder it is to clean, but it is still not too difficult. Just follow the easy steps below:

Materials

First, to clean the cat urine from the carpet, you need to prepare the following materials:

  • White vinegar
  • Baking soda
  • Hydrogen peroxide
  • Scrub brush
  • Vacuum or carpet cleaner

Steps

  1. Combine a 1:1 water and vinegar solution.
  2. Pour this solution over the spot where your cat urinated.
  3. Generously sprinkle baking soda over the spot. Leave it there for 24 hours.
  4. Combine a 1:1 water and hydrogen peroxide solution with a teaspoon of liquid dish soap.
  5. Pour this mixture over the dried baking soda. Lightly scrub the spot.
  6. Finish the job by vacuuming the spot.

To finish the job, you can use the Hoover Power Scrub Deluxe Carpet Cleaner Machine:

Click here to see it on Amazon.

This powerful carpet cleaning machine comes with a SpinScrub multiple brush system, automatic detergent mixing, a rinse option, and a DualV Nozzle. It offers efficient carpet cleaning and forced heated air for faster drying.

When it comes to cleaning cat urine on the carpet, don’t let it sit for too long. Ideally, you want to clean immediately before it dries and gets too stinky. If the urine dries, it’s not the end of the world as you can still clean it; it is just a bit harder.

How to clean fresh cat urine from carpet:

The cleaning procedure is different when it comes to cleaning fresh cat urine compared to dried cat urine from the carpet. For fresh cat urine, you’ll need an unused old towel. Use this towel to absorb the cat urine from the spot.

Next, sprinkle baking soda over the spot. Leave it there for about 10 minutes. After the baking soda has dried, pour some vinegar over the baking soda. Allow it to soak into the baking soda before blotting out the liquid with a clean rag.

Can You Use Carpet in Kitchen?

Materials Needed for Cleaning Dried Cat Urine from the Carpet

how to remove dried cat pee from carpet

To remove dried cat urine from your carpet, you will need a few easy-to-find cleaning substances and materials, such as:

1. White Vinegar

While vinegar is already smelly, it has substances that can remove the foul odor of cat urine. Its acid content can neutralize the alkaline salts that developed in the dried cat urine. The smell of vinegar will vanish after a couple of days and will take the smell of dried urine with it.

2. Baking Soda

The best feature of baking soda is its power to absorb foul smells. It is a basic substance that reacts with acids to neutralize odor. That is why baking soda is commonly mixed with vinegar to remove unpleasant odors.

3. Enzyme-based Cleaners

Enzyme-based cleaners are also effective in eliminating the foul odor of dried cat urine. The enzymes on these cleaners can break down the acid contents present in cat urine, removing its foul smell. Good bacteria and natural enzymes present in these cleaners are designed to remove harmful bacteria, which cause the smelly odor.

My favorite enzyme-based carpet cleaner is the Advanced Pet Supplies Odor Eliminator and Stain Remover Carpet Cleaner:

Click here to see it on Amazon.

This effective carpet cleaner and odor eliminator uses powerful natural bio-enzymes to dissolve the stain and odor particles.

This Advanced Pet Supplies spray doesn’t leave behind a strong overwhelming smell. Even if your cat pees again and again on the same spot, this spray will neutralize the scent and clean up the mess.

Avoid Using Cleaners with Ammonia

One of the components of cat urine, or any urine for that matter, is ammonia. So, if you use a cleaner that contains ammonia, it will actually encourage your cats to repeat their misdemeanor. Also, ammonia can set cat urine stains deeper in your carpet, defeating your purpose of removing cat urine stains.

Many types of cleaners contain ammonia, including window cleaners, drain cleaners, bathroom cleaners, multi-surface cleaners, toilet cleaners, glass cleaners, stainless-steel cleaners, and oven cleaners.

So make sure you do not use any of these cleaners that contain ammonia, as you definitely don’t want to attract your cat back to the spot to urinate there again!

4. Optional Carpet Cleaner

For hard-to-remove cat urine, you can use the Hoover Smartwash Automatic Carpet Cleaner:

Click here to see this cleaner on Amazon.

This machine makes the job of carpet cleaning very easy. You only need to push forward to clean and pull back to dry. Carpet cleaning will no longer be a hassle with this machine.

For even more power and to cover a larger home, the best choice for a carpet cleaner is the Rug Doctor Pro Deep Carpet Cleaner, Professional Grade:

Click here to see this cleaner on Amazon.

This professional-grade carpet cleaner has a penetrating brush with incredible suction power. It can deeply scrub, remove, and clean cat urine stains on your carpet. Your carpet will have a brand new look after using this machine.

Clean Dried Cat Urine from Carpet in 6 Easy Steps

When cleaning a carpet, especially an expensive one, it is wise to conduct a ‘patch test’ to test the cleaning substance. Add a bit of the cleaning solution to a discreet or hidden section of your carpet. After a couple of minutes, check if the cleaning solution has damaged or discolored the area that you want to clean. If there is no damage or discoloration, you can use the cleaning solution on the rest of your carpet.

As mentioned earlier, if the cat’s urine is still fresh, get some paper towel to blot out your cat’s urine on the carpet. If the affected area is large, use an old rag. Cover the spot with paper towels or rag and stand on it. Your added weight will help the towel absorb the moisture.

For dried cat urine in the carpet, follow the 6 steps below:

1. Combine Water and Vinegar

Prepare a cleaning mixture by combining water and vinegar in equal parts. The amount of water and vinegar will vary depending on the amount of urine. I recommend starting with one and a half cups of warm water and one-half cups of vinegar.

Another alternative is to use a commercial carpet cleaning solution that does not contain ammonia.

2. Pour on the Urine, Scrub Lightly, Let Dry

Pour your homemade cleaning solution on the affected spot and let the solution soak into that spot for about 3 to 5 minutes. Let it dry.

3. Sprinkle Baking Soda on the Urine. Leave for 24 Hours

Once the cleaning solution has dried, sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on that spot. Let the baking soda sit in the urine for 24 hours.

4. Combine Water, Hydrogen Peroxide, and Liquid Dish Soap

The amount of water and hydrogen peroxide will vary depending on how much urine there is. I recommend combining 3/4 cups of water with 3/4 cups of hydrogen peroxide – preferably in 3% concentration. Also, mix in one teaspoon of liquid dish soap.

5. Pour on the Urine, Scrub Lightly, Let Dry

Remember to test the solution first on a small spot of your carpet to ensure that the carpet’s color will not lighten. If there’s no problem, pour the solution on the urine and lightly scrub the solution (and the baking soda) into the carpet with a brush. Allow the spot to dry for a couple of hours.

The smell should be gone by now, but if not, you can make a deodorizer. Make your own carpet deodorant by mixing water, liquid dish soap, and baking soda. Sprinkle it over the spot and let it dry before vacuuming. Repeat the process until the foul smell is gone.

If you allow the cat urine to sit on the carpet for a long time, the liquid will penetrate the subflooring. If this is the case, you can neutralize the foul odor if you apply a stain-blocking primer (oil-based) on the subfloor, which is just under the carpet. You may also need new carpet padding in that section.

6. Vacuum

Once the spot has dried and you do not notice any odor, vacuum the spot. In worst-case scenarios, you may need to repeat all six steps if it’s a tough dried urine stain and if the foul smell persists.

So as you can see, the steps for cleaning cat urine from your carpet aren’t so hard; however, if there is still an odor, or to make the job much easier, you can use a carpet cleaner like the ones mentioned earlier.

See the below video for other tips on cleaning cat pee from your carpet:

How to Discourage Your Cat from Peeing on Your Carpet

The best way to keep your carpet always clean and smelling fresh is to discourage your cats from peeing inside the house. Below are some tips you can follow.

1. Discourage Your Cat from Urinating in the Same Spot

To discourage your cat from urinating in the same spot on your carpet or anywhere n your house, you can discourage them from doing so. You can discourage them from urinating by placing an aluminum baking sheet or a piece of aluminum foil on the exact spot where your cat used to pee.

Covering the spot with an upturned laundry basket or bucket will also do the trick.

Continue repeating these methods until you notice that your cat no longer urinates on that spot.

2. Change the Meaning of That Area

After you have cleaned the cat pee from the carpet, change the meaning of that spot to the cat. Pets usually prefer to urinate away from where they eat. So, to change the meaning of that place, use it as an area where they feed and get their treats.

In other words, place their food bowls in the spots where they usually pee.

Why Do Cats Pee or Spray on Carpets?

Cats differ in the way they urinate. Unfixed male cats spray their urine on walls or carpets while they are on their feet. Female cats, on the other hand, squat and urinate on the floor, carpets, and other horizontal surfaces. Below are four main reasons why cats pee on carpets.

cat urine on carpet

1. Territorial Marking

Male cats pee to mark their territory. To discourage cats from urinating on carpets, neuter male cats, and spay female cats when they reach six months.

2. Stress and Anxiety

Cats spray because of stress and anxiety. Things that can cause them stress and frustration are territorial disputes, lack of playtime, and diet restrictions.

To discourage cats from spraying on your carpet or anywhere in your home, try to avoid or prevent stressful conditions. Seek advice from a veterinarian for the best solution to this problem.

3. Health Problems

Illness can cause cats to spray. Get your cat to the vet to check if it has some health issues that need to be addressed.

4. Behavioral Problems

Behavioral problems can also cause cats to spray indiscriminately. If you have several cats in the house, they will eventually develop issues among themselves. One way to solve cat behavioral problems is to separate the cats from each other until the dispute is over.

You can also observe your cats and assess the things that give rise to their disputes. Then, come up with a solution that can neutralize the problem. If all else fails, seek the advice of a veterinarian on the best way to solve the problem.

Why Does Cat Pee Stink?

You need to clean up and remove cat urine from your carpet as soon as possible because it is smellier than the urine of other animals. Why is that? Here are some of the reasons:

1. Male Cat Hormones

The urine of male cats contains powerful hormones. So, if you have unneutered male cats, expect that their pees smell a lot. The spiked testosterone in the urine of male cats serves to warn other male cats to stay away from their territory. So if you have a male cat, it is even more important to get the urine out of the carpet as soon as possible.

2. Age of Cats

The urine of older cats is smellier. As cats grow older, their organs also deteriorate. Their kidneys lose their efficiency, resulting in more putrid urine.

3. Cat Urine Smells Worse with Time

Cat urine that’s left to dry gets more stinky with time. During the first stage of decomposition, bacteria in the urine will break down and emit the smell of ammonia, which is a typical smell of old and stale urine.

At the succeeding stage of decomposition, the urine will produce mercaptans, which are compounds that give the characteristic foul smell of skunk spray.

For these reasons, it is important to clean up and remove the cat urine from your carpet as soon as possible.

Conclusion – How to Clean Dried Cat Urine from Carpet

So, to recap, how do you clean dried cat urine from the carpet? To clean it up and remove the odor, follow these 6 easy steps:

  1. Combine equal parts of water and white vinegar.
  2. Pour some of this solution over the spot on the carpet. Scrub it lightly and let it dry.
  3. Sprinkle baking soda generously over the urine and leave it there for 24 hours.
  4. Combine equal measurements of water and hydrogen peroxide. Add one teaspoon of liquid dish soap.
  5. Pour this hydrogen peroxide solution over the baking soda and scrub the spot lightly.
  6. Vacuum the spot.

If you can clean the cat urine while it is fresh before it has dried, then cleaning it is easier. The steps for cleaning fresh cat urine from the carpet are as follows:

  • Dry the cat urine with a towel, then remove the towel.
  • Sprinkle baking soda on the urine-stained carpet, and leave for 10 minutes.
  • Pour vinegar on the baking soda.
  • Blot our the liquid with a clean towel or rag.

Related reading:

How to Get Blood Out of Carpet – 3 Easy Steps

How to Clean a Carpet – 5 Simple Steps

Best Way to Clean Carpet – 5 Easy Steps

How to Remove Carpet Properly – 7 Easy Steps