Tips on cleaning potty accidents

One of the downsides to owning a dog is cleaning up after occasional potty accidents. Here are some tips based on my own personal experience.

Cleaning up accidents on hard surfaces (hardwood, laminate, or tile) is the easiest. I usually soak up the pee or pick up poop with a paper towel, wipe the surface with plain water, and lastly spray with Nature’s Miracle.

Cleaning up accidents on carpet is more difficult. Soak up the pee with paper towels by pressing down. Do not rub, scrub, or move side to side, as this will set the pee in more. Simply press down and get the paper towel to absorb the moisture. This process usually takes many paper towels and a bit of time. Generously dribble more water on the area and repeat. Finally, after all the moisture is out, spray down the area with Nature’s Miracle.

I usually do not do anything else, unless it’s a bad stain or there is poop. In this case, you can steam clean your carpets, which we have done before with a rented Rug Doctor. Or you can try the following method:

I learned of this method from Suki & Maximus who recommended it as a way to remove dog stains from carpet. I used this method to clean dried dog pee stains that were on my mattress (I know… eww… gross!). Start with some carpet cleaner (I used some from Rug Doctor, although others say Resolve works great too). Generously apply the cleaning solution to the stain. Then put a clean washcloth over the stain and weigh it down with something heavy. (I used a large laundry basket full of clothes. You might want something heavier for carpet.) Leave it there for a few hours (I waited 4-5 hours). Lastly, remove the cloth and weight, and let the mattress or carpet completely air dry with nothing on it. I found that this method of cleaner, cloth, and weight worked very well for my mattress.

Do not scrub. I attempted to scrub my mattress. This ruined part of the top of my mattress (I wasn’t smart enough to not scrub at all, but was smart enough to stop after I saw some damage).

Do not use ammonia based cleaners. They will attract your dog to have more accidents at the same spot.

Use a solution like Nature’s Miracle that will eliminate all pet odors. This part is critical. The pet specialty solutions will break down the odor causing enzymes that other regular cleaners won’t.

Use cold water. Warm or hot water will set protein stains (urine is a protein stain) into fibers.

Happy Cleaning!