How To Remove Dog Urine Stains From Concrete (4 Simple Steps)

Having a dog can be so much fun. They bring companionship, love, and joy into our lives. But as any dog owner knows, dogs also have a habit of peeing (in the wrong place) – and that urine can cause damage to concrete surfaces like a basement floor, patios and porches.

We have had our dog for a long time now, so she is definitely getting older and stubborn in her old ways.

She pretty much pees wherever she wants these days.

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For whatever reason, she seems to like a concrete floor. So I have had to learn how to remove dog urine stains from concrete, so my house and garage floor don’t have that wonderful urine smell!

So if you have a dog like mine, you really need to know how to remove dog urine stains from concrete floors when necessary.

The best way to remove dog urine stains from concrete is to use a pre-treatment of TSP with an enzymatic cleaning agent (or both) to treat the stain. These cleaners will break down the uric acid crystals and other chemicals that cause odors and staining.

Let’s break out the rubber gloves and dive in!

*This post contains affiliate links. Full disclosure here.

Steps to Get Urine Smell Out of Concrete

1) Identify the stain

It’s not always simple to pinpoint the source of an odor; typically, pets urinate near where they spend most of their time. If you can’t readily identify a region, you’ll need to use certain techniques. Maybe you have just moved into a new house, or didn’t catch the stain when it happened.

In this circumstance, instruments that can quickly determine the source of the odor are required.

To identify pet stains and odors, use a UV or black light.

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Before investigating, shut the door and windows since it produces the greatest results in the dark and in closed-off areas. Keep the light at least three feet away from the concrete floor, and the urine stain will appear as a blue, green, or yellow hue on the concrete.

While using the light, examine the wall because occasionally pets urinate on the wall joint, which is not apparent if the wall is not scanned with a U.V. or black light. This will help to isolate the stain for cleaning.

Remember that, due to the absorption properties of the concrete, uric acid crystals may be further out, but under the concrete surface you cannot see them.

So use the black light as a guide and plan to treat well beyond the identified area. Those uric acid crystals are no joke!

2) Prepare Concrete Surface

Using TSP

When compared to tiles, marble, and wood floors, concrete floors are more permeable. If a liquid is allowed to stay on the concrete surface for an extended period of time, it is really difficult to remove dog urine stains from concrete.

When dog urine is exposed to air for an extended period of time, it forms a strong connection with the concrete.

This relationship became stronger and deeper with each passing day. This bonding procedure can sometimes last for days or even months. It’s only broken down when a proper cleaning solution is applied. Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) is just such an agent. It will penetrate the floor and loosen the bonds holding the uric crystals.

Once you have determined the area of the stain, fill a bucket halfway with boiling water and add half a spoonful of the TSP cleaning solution . Mix them together and apply the TSP cleaning solution to the afflicted region.

Allow at least 15 minutes for the TSP mixture to soak in and take effect.

Repeat this pre-cleaning process for best results; in high-traffic areas, this cleaning step may need to be repeated a third time. TSP efficiently destroys dangerous germs and eliminates pet urine odors from surfaces.

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3) Treat the Area

Enzymatic cleaners

When it comes to cleaning up a dog urine stain, an enzyme cleaner is an excellent choice. Proteins and bacteria that cause pet urine stains and odors are specifically broken down by these products.

Furthermore, an enzymatic pet urine cleaner usually contains compounds that neutralize odors as well.

To prevent a urine stain and pee smell odors from lingering, it is critical to clean up any accidents your dog has on the affected area with hot water as soon as possible.

Use a spray bottle of water to keep the afflicted area moist while the cleaner does its job. If you get too much water on the floor, you can always remove it with a wet vac.

Rocco and Roxie are professional odor remover products that can get rid of old urine stains on concrete surfaces. There are several types of pet enzyme cleaners on the market; avoid cleaners that require you to combine carpet shampoo with them.

Once the cleaner has soaked per instructions, you can wet vac the enzymatic solution to remove it. Rinse the area well once or twice to remove any residual cleaning solution. You may have to repeat this process several times as the solution gets deeper and deeper into the stain.

Use an enzymatic cleaner if:

• Saving money is important to you. It costs between $25 and $50 per gallon of enzyme cleaners. In the same size, ions-based cleaners are a little more expensive.
• You have time to make several passes. It takes time for enzymes to work because bacteria eat enzymes before the pet urine odor begins to disappear. In order to thoroughly clean dog urine odors, you may need to reapply several times.

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Using an ion based cleaner:

If you’ve tried to “wash” the pee smell away with another cleaner but haven’t succeeded in getting rid of the smell completely, an odor eliminator with ion technology is something to try. These cleaners use positive ions to molecularly break down the smell in your urine spots.

Use an Ionic cleaner if:

• Even after cleaning the area with another product (household cleaner or enzymatic cleaner), a urine smell still persists.
• The process of removing the contaminant cannot be repeated because you don’t have the time to wait and check for days. Stains rebalance instantly when ions rebalance, which eliminates urine odor immediately.
• If a fragrance temporarily covers or masks a smell you may have missed, you can use an ionic air purifier to remove urine odor from the air.
• You need a product that is 100% safe.
• There is a need for items that can be kept for a long time, like in a musty basement.

Oxidizing Agents

A pet urine smell can be treated instantly with oxidizers. Pet urine contains many nitrogen-containing substances, such as creatinine, urea, and uric acid.

Oxidizing agents will stop the nitrogen cycle and remove the odor immediately. However, once the oxidizing process is completed, the nitrogen cycle will continue and the smell will return, so you may have to follow up with an enzymatic cleaner.

This method works best for fresh stains, but can still be effective on older stains. If you are using an oxidization cleaner on an old stain, you may need to repeat the process a few times to fully remove the odor.

To use an oxidization cleaner, simply follow the instructions on the packaging. Most cleaners will require you to mix the solution with water before applying it to the affected area. Once the solution has been applied, allow it to sit for a few minutes before blotting it up with a clean cloth.

Use An Oxidizing Agent if:

• An oxidization cleaner should be used when cleaning up fresh pet urine because it will effectively break down the molecules that make up the stain and odor, resulting in a more thorough clean. It is important to use an oxidization cleaner as soon as possible after the accident occurs, as the longer the urine sits, the harder it will be to remove.

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4) Seal and Protect

Following proper cleaning and sanitization of your concrete areas, and after allowing everything to dry completely, you can apply a concrete sealer.

The concrete flooring will be encapsulated and sealed against moisture that can leak in and cause urine stains to be released. Sealed floors are much less porus than unsealed concrete.

As well as protecting your floors from future accidents, sealing will also make them look much nicer as well.

Sealing The Concrete

Sealing the concrete floor prevents pet urine from soaking into the floor. It keeps the pee on top where it can be effectively cleaned up. Many pet owners use concrete sealing to reduce odor. Concrete sealing ensures that less urine can penetrate so smells will be short lived.

Coating The Floor

There are several types of sealers on the market, but garage floor coating is the best for concrete floors. This layer prevents odor molecules from passing through the system indefinitely. So that stink does not pass through the covering and the dog has an odor-free existence.

You may use garage floor covering to keep your floor free of dog urine stains and odors. It’s a simple and efficient method for eliminating urine odors. Before putting the coating on the floor, it may need to be ground or acid-etched. If you’re having trouble figuring out how to perform garage floor coating, check with the manufacturer.

Epoxy Coating

One of the very best concrete coatings is epoxy.

Epoxy is a type of resin that forms a hard, durable surface when it dries. It can resist scratches, pet urine stains, and other types of damage, and it also helps to prevent dirt and dust from collecting on the floor. Applying an epoxy coating to your concrete floors is an easy way to keep them looking like new for years to come.

There are many benefits to using epoxy to finish concrete floors. In addition to being easy to clean, epoxy can also be used to create any color scheme. This makes it an ideal choice for businesses that want to create a professional look.

Epoxy is also very durable, meaning it will withstand heavy foot traffic and the occasional spill. Best of all, epoxy is a fairly easy DIY project. With just a little time and effort, anyone can transform their concrete floor into a work of art.

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DIY Concrete Cleaning Solutions

Your concrete garage floor will stay cleaner if you regularly clean it. There are many methods that can keep this job simple and effective for you.

Mopping with a solution of baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)and water is a very good way to keep concrete floors clean. As an all-purpose cleaner, mix half a cup of bicarbonate of soda with a gallon of warm water. You can also add hydrogen peroxide for extra cleaning power.

To remove light urine stains, you can also mix baking soda with liquid soap and a small amount of hydrogen peroxide to make a paste.

Warm, soapy water is a powerful tool for keeping your floors clean and removing minor dog urine stains. A nylon-bristle brush should be used to scrub a solution of one gallon of warm water and one-third cup of powdered laundry detergent on the treated area. Always rinse your garage floor after cleaning with a pressure washer or jet wand. This job is best done with the pressure jet since the powerful stream makes rinsing quick and easy.

Concrete garages are hardworking rooms where spills are inevitable. Effortlessly clean up existingdog urine stains, and respond immediately to new spills. Cleaning your concrete garage floor is easy if you do it a little at a time.

Using Vinegar

Two parts vinegar and one part hot water mixture will suffice since vinegar is strong. There is no better neutralizer than this.

Using Hydrogen Peroxide

Adding hydrogen peroxide with two tbsp of baking soda and two drops of dish soap to your recipe is a good first-pass cleaning solution, and is great to remove bacteria and odor. Let the hydrogen peroxide mixture soak over the affected areas once it has been mixed.

Baking Soda

The natural properties of baking soda neutralize urine odors from urine residue. If you have a damp spot or even an older dog urine stain, sprinkle the powder liberally on the area and work it into the floor gently. Bicarbonate of soda should be left overnight to ensure odors are completely removed, then vacuumed up the next day.

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Why Urine Is So Bad for Concrete

In concrete areas such as concrete basement floors, patios, and driveways, urine odors can be very strong and difficult to eliminate. Porosity is a characteristic of concrete. The urine dries tightly to the porous concrete and penetrates deeply into its pores as it dries. It can be particularly challenging to remove urine odors in this situation due to the odor-causing molecules within pet urine stains.

As long as the stench is not treated correctly, it can linger for months under the concrete surface after the liquid has been absorbed and dried. It then becomes re-activated each time moisture gets into the floor. If you want that pee smell odor completely gone, you’ll need to clean thoroughly.

Cleaning concrete is quite different from other floor surfaces in your house, like hardwood, or vinyl sheet goods. To get rid of stinky smells in your house, follow my steps. In this article, we’ll use a multi-step process. Here’s why:

The science behind urine stains in concrete

Traditional concrete floor cleaning methods may not effectively remove dog urine stains and odors. Concrete is very porous and urine (and other liquids), if not caught immediately, will soak well into your concrete floor, far below the surface.

Where urine is concerned, it will also form crystals that bond tightly to the particles in your concrete floor over time, making it especially difficult to remove.

As a result, it is critical to understand the correct cleaning method.

Simple surface cleaners may work temporarily, but the smell will return when the area is wet again.

What happens if I don’t clean urine stains on a concrete floor?

Over time, urine stains on a concrete floor will cause the concrete to discolor and may even lead to the deterioration of the concrete.

The best way to clean urine stains on a concrete floor is to remove them as soon as possible.

If the urine stain is already set, you can try using a power washer or a strong cleaner designed for removing stains from concrete.

However, it’s important to note that powerful cleaners can also damage concrete, so be sure to test the cleaner on a small area first.

If the cleaner doesn’t remove the stain, you may need to resort to sandblasting or other more extreme measures. In any case, it’s always best to consult with a professional before taking any action if the stains are truly that bad and have been left behind for years

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FAQ’s About Pet Urine Stains

Do household cleaners not work?

You can’t simply wash away pet urine with soap and hot water, no matter what concrete cleaner you use. Household cleaners will clean the surface, but are not designed to penetrate and break down the uric acid crystals that are found in urine stains.

But you can eliminate the urine smell from concrete with a few steps and a little patience.

Keep reading for a natural cleaning solution that doesn’t involve harsh chemicals.

Also you can use Pine Sol to help deter the pet from peeing there again.

Is dog pee toxic?

While dog urine may not be the most pleasant thing to come into contact with, it is generally not harmful to humans. However, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, dog urine can contain bacteria that can cause infections, so it’s important to clean any areas that have been peed on thoroughly.

Second, if a dog has a urinary tract infection, their urine may contain toxins that can be harmful to humans. If you suspect that your dog has an infection, it’s important to take them to the vet for treatment as soon as possible.

Finally, if you have any open cuts or wounds, you should wear gloves or avoid contact with dog urine until they have healed. While dog urine is not typically harmful to humans, it’s always best to err on the side of caution.

Is cat pee toxic?

While cat urine may not be the most pleasant smell, it is generally not harmful to humans. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. If a cat has a urinary tract infection, their urine may contain bacteria that can cause health problems if it comes into contact with human skin.

In addition, cats who are on certain medications may produce urine that is toxic to humans. If you have any concerns about your cat’s urine, it is always best to consult with a veterinarian.

Another thing to keep in mind is that cat urine can be very difficult to clean up. If you find yourself dealing with a lot of cat urine smell, you may want to consider using a professional cleaning service. Otherwise, you may just be stuck dealing with the smell for a while.

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Is Pet Pee Different Than Human Pee?

When it comes to urine, there are many different types. Pet urine, for example, is slightly different than human urine. The main difference is in the composition.

Pet urine contains more nitrogen and less potassium and sodium than human urine. This is due to the fact that pet food generally contains more protein than human food. As a result, pet pee is usually darker and has a stronger smell than human pee.

Another difference is that pet urine is often acidic, while human urine is more alkaline. This can be a problem if your pet urinates on your lawn, as the acidity can damage the grass.

Can I wash rugs soaked in animal urine in the washing machine?

Urine can cause permanent damage to your carpets and upholstery, and it can be difficult to remove the dog urine stains and odor. However, if you act quickly, you may be able to remove the urine before it causes irreversible damage.

If the area is still wet, start by blotting up as much of the urine as possible with a clean cloth. Once you have removed as much liquid as possible, mix one part white vinegar with two parts water and spritz the solution onto the pet urine stain.

Allow the vinegar to soak in for a few minutes, then blot it dry with a clean cloth. You can also try using a commercial pet Stain and Odor remover. Just be sure to test it on an inconspicuous area first to make sure it won’t damage your carpet or upholstery.

If the dog urine stain is already dry, you can try using a blacklight to locate it, then treat it with the vinegar solution. Once you have treated the area, be sure to vacuum it thoroughly to remove any lingering odor.

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Final thoughts

Concrete’s porous layer makes it easy to soak many sorts of liquids. Using pet enzymatic cleaners that quickly absorb into concrete, you can keep the concrete floor free of tough stains and odors.

Concrete also allows for air transmission, therefore moisten the stained area before applying any sort of liquid cleaning. Otherwise, it will absorb the solution too quickly.

Be prepared to attempt the process multiple times depending on how deeply the stain is set into the floor. In all, enzyme cleaner is your best friend for combating pee.

Many people are not aware of the proper way to maintain a litter box for an elderly cat. When cats get old, they often miss the box when they pee and end up going on the floor. This wreaks havoc on carpet adhesive and the carpet pad, and can be very difficult to clean up.

In order to avoid this, you should always include cleaning litter boxes and surrounding areas with an enzyme cleaner when you smell pee. This will help to keep your cat from going to the bathroom on the floor, and will save you a lot of time and effort in the long run.

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How To Remove Dog Urine Stains From Concrete