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How to Get Human Urine Smell out of Carpet with Household Items?

When it comes to dealing with unpleasant odors, a few things can be as challenging as the smell of human urine embedded in your carpet. Whether it’s due to an accident or a lingering issue, getting the smell out of the carpet requires specific steps to ensure effective results. In this comprehensive guide, we will provide you with practical and proven methods to get rid of the human urine smell from your carpet.

Why Does Urine Smell?

Before we delve into the solutions, it’s essential to understand why urine odor can be so persistent. Urine contains water and waste products – urea, ammonium, and other inorganic salts, etc. According to Mayo Clinic, the urine of a healthy human contains more water and a few waste materials. Healthy human urine has no color or odor. In contrast, if urine contains a high level of waste products with little water, it will have a strong ammonia smell and yellowish-orange color. Unusual urine odor can also indicate some medical conditions like dehydration, diabetes, UTI, etc. 

Uric acid, found in human pee, forms crystals when it dries. These uric acid crystals release a strong and persistent odor, making it challenging to eliminate the smell from the carpet fibers. If left uncleaned, urine can seep into the carpet padding and the floor underneath. The smell attracts bacteria that further exacerbates the situation. These bacteria release enzymes to break down the urine molecules. This microbial process enhances the urine odor. 

How to Remove Urine Stains from Carpets?

To successfully remove the urine smell from carpets, we need to address both the carpet and the floor underneath. The first stage in getting rid of the smell is to remove the urine stain. Follow these steps to get rid of the urine stains from carpets, mattresses, or upholstery:

Step 1: Act Quickly and Blot the Urine

The first step in tackling urine odor is to act swiftly. The longer urine remains on your carpet, the more it penetrates the fibers and surrounding areas. Grab a clean cloth or paper towels and gently blot the affected area to absorb as much urine as possible. Avoid rubbing, as this can push the urine deeper into the carpet. If the urine is already dry, dampen the area slightly with water to rehydrate the urine before blotting.

Step 2: Prepare a Homemade stain Remover

Now that you’ve removed the excess urine, it’s time to prepare a homemade cleaning solution to tackle the odor. Here’s the best homemade remedy to treat human urine in carpet you can make using common household ingredients:

Ingredients

    1. 1 cup of white vinegar
    2. 1 cup of warm water
    3. Baking soda
    4. 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide 3%
    5. 1 teaspoon of mild dish soap

Instructions

In a spray bottle, mix the white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, warm water, baking soda, and dish soap until a homogenous mixture is formed.

Step 3: Apply the Cleaning Solution to the Carpet

how to get human urine smell out of carpet

With the homemade cleaning solution ready, it’s time to treat the urine stains from your carpet. Follow these steps to apply the solution effectively:

    1. Spray the cleaning solution generously onto the affected area, ensuring it is thoroughly saturated. 
    2. Allow the solution to sit on the carpet for 10-15 minutes. This will give it time to penetrate and break down the uric acid crystals.
    3. After the dwell time, use a clean cloth or paper towel to blot the treated area. Press firmly to absorb as much moisture as possible. Repeat this process until the carpet is damp but not soaking wet.
    4. Once the carpet has dried, check if the stain is gone. If it is still there, repeat the process or proceed to the next step.

Use Carpet Cleaner

A carpet cleaner can make life easier for you when removing urine stains from your carpet. These carpet cleaners contain two compartments, one for the cleaning solution and one for the dirty water. These automatic cleaners take the necessary cleaning solution from the compartment and agitate the carpet fibers with their motorized bristle brush. The suction then sucks up all the dirty water and the messy gunk into the dirty water compartment.

How to Get Human Urine Smell out of Carpet?

Once the stain is gone, it is time to get rid of the pee smell. Most of the urine odor will diminish to a great extent during the stain removal process. Vinegar and hydrogen peroxide act as odor neutralizers. If the smell still persists, follow these steps to completely get rid of the foul odor:

Use Baking Soda

Baking soda is known for its odor-absorbing properties. It works by neutralizing bad odors rather than just masking them. When it comes into contact with odorous molecules, it reacts chemically to eliminate them, effectively removing the foul smell. It can absorb a wide range of odors, including those caused by bacteria, acids, and volatile compounds. Its fine particles penetrate porous materials, such as carpet fibers, mattress, and upholstery to reach deep and work their magic. 

To remove the human urine smell from the carpet surface, follow these steps:

    1. Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda onto the area
    2. Depending on the intensity of the odor, you might have to leave the baking soda on the spot overnight 
    3. Once the smell is gone, use a carpet sweeper or a vacuum cleaner to clean off the baking soda from the area.

Use Lemon Juice

use lemon juice to remove human urine smell from carpets, mattress, or upholstery

Lemon juice can also neutralize urine smell. It contains citric acid, which has natural deodorizing properties. The acidic nature of lemon juice helps break down the compounds in urine that cause the unpleasant odor.

To use lemon juice to neutralize urine smell, follow these steps:

    1. Squeeze fresh lemon juice onto the affected area of the carpet, mattress, or upholstery. 
    2. Allow the lemon juice to sit for a few minutes to penetrate and interact with the urine molecules.
    3. Blot the area with a clean cloth or paper towel to absorb the lemon juice and urine.
    4. Rinse the area with water to remove any residue.
    5. Blot the area again to dry it thoroughly.

It’s important to note that lemon juice may cause discoloration on certain fabrics or carpets, so it’s always a good idea to test it on a small, inconspicuous area first.

Use Enzyme-Based Urine Odor Removers

Enzymes are biological catalysts that break down organic compounds, such as uric acid, that cause the odor. Look for enzyme-based urine odor removers specifically designed for carpets. Follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer for the best results. Follow these steps to remove urine odor:

    1. Apply the enzyme cleaner directly to the affected area, ensuring it saturates the urine stain.
    2. Allow the cleaner to sit for the recommended amount of time specified on the product label. This allows the enzymes to work on breaking down the urine molecules.
    3. Blot the area with a clean cloth or paper towel to remove the cleaner and dissolved urine.
    4. Rinse the area with clean water if instructed by the product, and blot again to dry.

Use Steam Cleaner

If after all these DIY remedies the urine smell is still lingering around, you can steam clean your carpet for better results. Steam cleaning helps penetrate the carpet fibers and reach the underlying layers, effectively eliminating the urine odor. Here’s how to steam clean your carpet:

    1. Rent or purchase a steam cleaner specifically designed for carpets.
    2. Thoroughly vacuum the carpet to remove any loose dirt and debris.
    3. Fill the steam cleaner with hot water according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
    4. Add a carpet-cleaning solution to the steam cleaner’s reservoir. Look for a product that is specifically formulated to neutralize urine odors.
    5. Begin steam cleaning the carpet, following the machine’s instructions. Ensure you cover the entire affected area, including the surrounding areas to prevent any uneven cleaning.
    6. Pay special attention to areas where the urine odor is particularly strong or where stains are visible. Steam cleaning helps to break down and extract the uric acid crystals embedded in the carpet.
    7. Once you have steam cleaned the entire area, allow the carpet to dry thoroughly. Proper ventilation and air circulation can aid in the drying process.
    8. After the carpet has completely dried, assess if any odor remains. If necessary, repeat the steam cleaning process or consider seeking professional carpet cleaning services.

Precautions While Tackling Urine Odor

    1. Avoid using ammonia-based cleaners: Ammonia can actually intensify the urine smell, making it more difficult to eliminate. Stick to the homemade cleaning solution, enzyme-based cleaners, or steam cleaning methods mentioned above.
    2. Test for colorfastness: Before applying any cleaning solution to the entire carpet, it’s important to test it in an inconspicuous area first. This ensures that the solution does not discolor or damage your carpet fibers.
    3. Address underlying issues: If urine odor and stains are recurring problems, it’s crucial to identify and address the underlying cause. This may involve potty training pets, seeking medical assistance for incontinence issues, or addressing any other factors contributing to the problem.
    4. Professional carpet cleaning: If you’ve tried the above methods and the urine smell persists, it may be time to consult professional carpet cleaners. They have specialized equipment and expertise to tackle even the toughest urine odors and stains.

Conclusion

Dealing with the smell of human urine on your carpet can be frustrating, but with the right approach, it is possible to eliminate the odor effectively. Act quickly, blot the urine and use a homemade cleaning solution to break down the uric acid crystals. If needed, turn to enzyme-based cleaners and consider steam cleaning for deep odor removal. Remember to take precautions, test solutions, and address underlying issues. With persistence and the right techniques, you can restore your carpet to its fresh and odor-free state.

Billie Kelley
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