# How to Get Dog or Cat Urine Out of Carpet The Carpet and Rug Institute's order for fresh and dried pet urine, why a steam cleaner sets the smell, and the two chemical mixes never to make. Canonical: https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/pet-urine-out-of-carpet/ Updated: 2026-10-01 Publisher: Klein's Carpet Cleaning Blot fresh urine until the cloth comes up nearly dry, then follow the Carpet and Rug Institute's order for wet urine: a weak dish detergent solution, a white vinegar solution, lukewarm water, then a weak ammonia solution, rinsing between each. Do not use a steam cleaner on it; the CRI says the heat sets the stain and the smell. Never add bleach. Klein's Carpet Cleaning, in Waterdown, treats pet areas separately at every clean. By Klein's Carpet Cleaning, Waterdown, Ontario. Last updated October 1, 2026. ## What is the right order for fresh and dried urine? The CRI's Spot Solver has two entries, one for [wet urine](https://carpet-rug.org/spot-solver/urine-wet/) and one for [dry urine](https://carpet-rug.org/spot-solver/urine-dry/), and the order differs. Use each solution only while it is still lifting colour onto the cloth, then move to the next. The CRI's order for pet urine, fresh and dried StepFresh (wet) urineDried urine FirstBlot until nearly dry, then detergent solutionDetergent solution SecondVinegar solutionWarm water ThirdWarm waterVinegar solution FourthAmmonia solutionAmmonia solution LastCall a professionalCall a professional ## How strong should each solution be? Weaker than most people make it. The CRI's own mixes are: - **Detergent solution:** one quarter teaspoon of liquid dish detergent per cup of lukewarm water. The CRI's words: "NEVER USE A STRONGER CONCENTRATION!" Never laundry detergent or dishwasher detergent. - **Vinegar solution:** one cup of white vinegar per two cups of water. - **Ammonia solution:** one tablespoon of household ammonia per cup of water. The CRI warns that ammonia "can cause a color change", so test a hidden spot first. Apply each with a white cloth, work from the edge of the spot toward the centre, blot rather than rub, and rinse with plain water before switching to the next solution. ## Why not use a steam cleaner on pet urine? Because heat fixes it. The CRI's [care advice for homes with pets](https://carpet-rug.org/carpet-for-homes/cleaning-and-maintenance/) says: "Don't use a steam cleaner when dealing with urine spots because the heat will set the stain and the smell. Instead, extract the spill with a wet vacuum and rinse with cool water to reduce the odor." That is why a professional clean treats urine areas on their own first, before the hot rinse of the rest of the room. ## Which mixes are dangerous? Two that turn up in home remedies. Transport Canada's [CANUTEC](https://tc.canada.ca/en/dangerous-goods/canutec/articles/improper-mixing-common-household-cleaning-products) warns that bleach mixed with ammonia-based cleaners "creates chloramine vapours, which are harmful when inhaled", and that urea, which is in urine, reacts with bleach the same way. It also warns against mixing hydrogen peroxide and vinegar, which forms peracetic acid. So no bleach on urine at all, and use the CRI's solutions one at a time, rinsing between them, never mixed in one bottle. ## Why does the smell come back after the spot is gone? Because the urine went further than the carpet. A dog or cat accident that was not caught soaks through the carpet into the pad and sometimes the subfloor, and what stays there gives off odour again whenever it takes on moisture, which is why it is worse on humid days. Surface cleaning cannot reach it. The [pet urine and odour](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/residential/pet-urine-and-odour/) page explains how to tell a surface spot from a pad problem. ## When is it time for a professional? When the spot is old, large, or has been used more than once, and when the smell outlasts the stain. The CRI's own advice is to call in a carpet cleaning firm "that knows how to remove pet stains and odors permanently" when home treatment is not enough. Tell the cleaner where every pet area is when you book, so they are treated before the main clean. Homes with pets also belong at the short end of the cleaning schedule; see [how often to clean carpets](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/how-often-to-clean-carpets/). ## Get a free carpet cleaning quote Tell us which rooms, how many stairs, and about any pets or stains. We reply within one business day, by phone or email, and the quote is agreed before anyone starts. [Request a free quote](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/quote/) [Call 289-776-7299](tel:+12897767299) ### The short version - Blot until nearly dry - Detergent, vinegar, water, ammonia - One at a time, rinse between - No steam, no bleach - Smell returning means the pad ## Pets and carpet - [Cleaning pet vomit out of carpet](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/pet-vomit-out-of-carpet/) Lift it, then the four solutions in order, and when to stop. - [Cleaning dog poop out of carpet](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/dog-poop-out-of-carpet/) Firm, soft and dried accidents, and what not to reach for. - [Carpet, dust mites and allergies](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/carpet-dust-mites-and-allergies/) What Health Canada recommends, and what cleaning can and cannot do. ## Carpet stains, one by one - [Red wine](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/red-wine-out-of-carpet/) Blot, detergent, vinegar, then the steps most people skip. - [Coffee](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/coffee-out-of-carpet/) Black coffee and coffee with milk are different stains. - [Chewing gum and candle wax](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/gum-out-of-carpet/) Hard first, then a solvent that must never reach the backing. - [Winter salt](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/salt-stains-on-carpet/) The Carpet and Rug Institute's own salt steps, and why the mark comes back. ## More guides - [How often should office carpet be cleaned?](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/how-often-to-clean-office-carpet/) Vacuuming, interim and restorative cleaning by daily foot traffic, from Interface's chart. - [Can carpet tiles be cleaned, or do they need replacing?](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/can-carpet-tiles-be-cleaned/) What Interface, the carpet tile maker, recommends, and the machine that can void its warranty. - [What is encapsulation carpet cleaning?](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/encapsulation-carpet-cleaning/) How the low-moisture crystallizing method works, how long it takes to dry, and its limits. - [How much matting does a building entrance need?](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/entrance-mats-for-carpet/) Six feet as a floor, fifteen feet for 80% of soil, and how to look after the mats. 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