If you have a concrete floor, perhaps an area in your basement, garage, patio or under your carpet in your home that seems to be permanently stained with Dog urine. You can smell or see your dog’s urine stains that no matter how much you bleach or wash with vinegar don’t go away. So, how to clean dog urine from concrete patio easily and permanently?
It’s as if you have to settle with the fact that once dog urine has seeped into concrete, it’s there forever and urine odour, constantly releases odorous and offensive fumes. Fortunately, this nightmare is not going to bother you anymore.
How To Clean Dog Urine From Concrete Patio
Let’s take a look at how we can remove the dog urine stain permanently from concrete step by step in the right way to make sure you have clean-smelling floors again.
Prepare The Area For The Treatment
Clean The Area Of Any Dirt Or Debris
If there is residue stuck to the floor, such as old carpet adhesive, remove it with a scraper. Starting off with a clean floor means you won’t create a muddy mess when you start adding the cleaning chemicals, nor will you drive any of the grime down into the porous surface of the concrete.
Remove any furniture that might get in the way or could be harmed by the harsh chemicals you will be using and tape off any baseboard trim.
Select An Enzymatic Cleaning Solution
Urine contains uric acid crystals, which are insoluble and bond tightly with the surface, in this case, the hard, porous concrete. Regular cleaning agents like soap and water won’t bind to the uric acid, so no matter how many times you clean the area, those crystals stay put. An enzymatic cleaner will break down the uric acid and finally release it from the concrete.
Even if you think the smell is gone after using conventional cleaning products, it will only take a little bit of moisture to revive the smell of urine. The presence of water causes the uric acid to release a gas, which creates a strong, foul odour.
Use Your Nose Or A Uv Flashlight To Find The Urine
A UV or blacklight can sometimes reveal the site of an old stain, which can be helpful if you’ve already washed the floor several times and there’s no visual sign of the urine. Turn off the lights in the room and hold the UV light one to three feet from the floor. The stain may show up as a yellow, blue, or green mark. Use a piece of chalk to mark the spot if you only plan to spot-treat the floor.
If the UV light doesn’t work, you can also try smelling out the spot. Air the room out and then simply sniff the room until you’ve zeroed in on the area.
Pre-treating The Concrete
Purchase A Heavy Duty-cleaner Like Trisodium Phosphate (TSP)
A heavy-duty cleaner will ensure that all the other elements of the urine (like the bacteria) are completely removed and the enzymatic cleaner can work faster to dissolve the uric crystals. Make sure you wear protective goggles and rubber gloves, as TSP can damage your skin.
Consider it like some DIY projects for your own home!
- Mix TSP in a bucket of very hot water at a ratio of 1/2 cup for every 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water.
- If you don’t want to use a heavy-duty chemical like TSP, try cleaning with a water and vinegar mixture (2 parts vinegar to 1 part water) instead.
- Pour the TSP mixture onto the floor and use a scrubbing brush to lightly scrub the area.
- Work in small increments (about 3×3 feet). It is important you do not allow the TSP to dry out too quickly. It should sit wet on the surface of the concrete for at least 5 minutes, the deeper the mixture can penetrate the concrete.
- You will probably notice the urine smell grows very strong as you pre-treat the floor. This is a normal reaction of the uric acid crystals and the water.
- Don’t use fans to speed the process along–your goal is still to saturate the concrete and loosen up as much of the urine residue as possible.
- If you use a carpet cleaner, add water to the tank instead of pouring water on the ground and run it in a rinse/removal cycle.
Treating the Concrete
Prepare The Enzymatic Concentrate According To The Instructions
Some cleaners are mixers of carpet cleaning solutions, while others just require the addition of water. Follow all instructions carefully, and be sure you don’t dilute the concentrate by adding too much water.
Make sure the floor is entirely dry from the pre-cleaning the day before you begin applying the enzymatic cleaner
Saturate The Area With The Enzymatic Cleaner
You want to work in small sections of about 3×3 feet. Use enough of the solution that there is standing water in the area for at least 10 minutes. Add more solution if the area begins to dry out again, it is essential the liquid permeate every layer and every pore of the cement so it can break down the uric crystals.
- For easier application, use a clean deck or household sprayer. Using a dirty sprayer will cause whatever residue (like mildew or dirt) to be sprayed into the absorbent concrete and may result in another bad smell.
- Pay extra attention in areas where you noted the urine stain with the UV light. You may want to get a scrub brush and use that to really work the enzymatic cleaner into those areas.
- The most heavily marked areas may bubble. Take note of these areas, as you may need to treat them again if the smell persists.
- Repeat the process until you have treated the entire floor.
Allow The Floor To Dry Overnight Once You Have Finished Your Treatment
To prolong this process and give the enzymatic solution more time to work, you can cover the floor with a plastic tarp. This will slow the evaporation rate of the solution.
- If the smell persists, treat any of the heavily soiled areas with another round of enzymatic cleaner.
Consider Sealing Your Concrete Floor Once The Smell Has Truly Been Eliminated
This will make your floors much easier to clean in the future, will seal any pores and usually looks more attractive
FAQ’s
How to clean dog urine from concrete patio queries:
Does dog pee damage concrete?
Answer. The single most common effect of all animal waste on concrete is that it will wick into the gel pore system of the concrete and allow bacteria to grow. Solids that can be removed easily from the surface are not as bad as urine, which is more readily absorbed into the concrete
How to Clean Dog Old or Tough Urine Stains on Concrete Floor?
Answer. For concrete in particular, especially if the stains are old and hanging on, you may have to use something stronger. If the urine situation is tough enough, a multi-step process using a mixture of trisodium phosphate (TSP) and you might need water too.
Can I Use My Usual Household Cleaning Products?
Answer. You might use household cleaning products and think the urine smell has gone, particularly during dry weather, but when moisture gets into your concrete patio, the odour can come back, sometimes more pungent than it was before. This is because uric acid releases gas when it comes into contact with moisture, and the gas causes the smell.
What kills the dog’s urine smell on concrete?
Answer. The best product for getting the urine smell out of any surface (both porous and non-porous) is Purodora Urine Odor Neutralizer. It works miracles on concrete, hardwood or floating floors, carpets, mattresses or sofas – and best of all, it’s safe for you and your pet, nor will it damage the concrete
