Dog urine is typically acidic, which is why it can break down the finish of a hardwood floor's surface; especially if the urine is allowed to dry up. It might leave a stain on the surface, make it lose its shine and cause discoloration.
Waterproof rug pads are your best line of defense against pet urine on area rugs. They provide a strong barrier that will prevent your dog's accident from seeping into your hardwood floors. This prevents the need for time-consuming refinishing required to remove pet stains from wooden flooring.
Dog urine can cause damage to your hardwood flooring, whether it is sealed or unsealed. If it leaks down into the subfloor, then it can cause even more damage and cause the subfloor to break down, which is never good.
The Best Floors for Dogs that Pee Often
Tile or LifeProof laminate are two of the top contenders. Vinyl plank flooring has come a long way and can look just like hardwood. Plus it's waterproof and simple to wipe down if there are any accidents.
Unlike water stains, pet stains leave a blackish green color. Another way to tell if your hardwood floor has pet damage is by the color of the stain. Typical water damage leaves a grayish stain, but pet stains leave a distinct blackish green color. If the urine stains are real heavy, this color will really stand out.
If the urine sat long enough and caused a stain, try hydrogen peroxide and a rag. White vinegar and water are an excellent wash for removing urine from wood floors as well. If these don't work, the oxalic acid mixture should be the next step. If there is lingering odor, try baking soda.
Hydrogen peroxide (3%) mixed with water is often the cheapest and most effective solution for animal urine cleaning. Simply moisten the rag or soft absorbent cloth like felt and apply to the spot. Allow the rag to sit \for few hours to thoroughly remove the urine stain and odor from the hardwood floors.
Many (but not all) dogs hate the smell of citrus, so using citrus smells like citronella, lemongrass, lemon, and even bergamot can repel some dogs from an area. You can use these smells in scented candles or sprays to see if it keeps your dog away from an area where you don't want them peeing.
White vinegar works to neutralize the ammonia in urine, and it's also a deodorizer. The typical recommended mixture contains 1/4 cup vinegar to 1 gallon of warm water. You can use this mixture on many others surfaces throughout your home in addition to hardwood floors—even for messes your pet didn't make.
Apply Hardwood Sealants
Your floor will be able to handle these accidents a lot better if you apply a sealant to it. Sealants create a protective barrier that will prevent urine from seeping deep into the wood. It will also stop your dog's nails from scratching up the floor when they're running around.
Don't use vinegar or baking soda.
Many DIY home cleaning solutions involve the use of vinegar or baking soda, but these are, in fact, the worst things you can apply to your wood floors. They actually damage and dull the polyurethane, which can irreparably ruin them.
WHITE VINEGAR AND GRAPEFRUIT OIL
Mix one cup of vinegar into a warm water-filled bucket and the add some drops of grapefruit oil to the solution to get rid of the odor. Scrub the floor with this safe cleaning solution, concentrating on the most prominent spots. As you scrub, the odor and stains should be disappearing.
Traditional household cleaning products such as vinegar, baking soda, soap, and the like seem to work at first because they eliminate some of the components of your pet's urine. White vinegar in particular is highly alkaline, which means it can act as a deodorizer for spaces marked with dogs' urine.
Not only will a vinegar and water solution eliminate urine odor if your dog has already peed on the rug, but it will also deter them from urinating on the same carpet again. The acidic smell of vinegar is known to repel dogs from peeing on area rugs as they do not like the smell of vinegar.
Because the vinegar is acidic, it will neutralize the bacteria in the dog pee, offsetting its odor. Vinegar is pet safe, effective, cheap, and eco friendly. Let the vinegar solution sit for 3-5 minutes or carefully follow the instructions on the cleaning product's label.
Dog urine is typically acidic, which is why it can break down the finish of a hardwood floor's surface; especially if the urine is allowed to dry up. It might leave a stain on the surface, make it lose its shine and cause discoloration.
Hydrogen peroxide works best for floors and carpets. The product is more oxidizing; therefore, it removes the ammonia smell from the urine. Trisodium phosphate is essential in removing bacteria and pee stains. Scrub the stained area with strong Trisodium phosphate.
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Deodorizing the Area
Apply a 1:1 solution of warm water and vinegar using a cloth towel. Wring the towel thoroughly to avoid adding excess liquid to the floor. Wipe the area gently, allow it to sit for a couple of minutes, then blot it dry. The vinegar should remove odors as it evaporates.
Shake some baking soda onto the surface, let it sit for 15 minutes, and vacuum to remove the baking soda and the odors it has absorbed.
You can do that with dish soap, 3% hydrogen peroxide, and a clean rag. Use a small bowl to mix a bit of hydrogen peroxide and dish soap. Soak the mixture and apply it to the pee stain using a rag. Keep it on the stain for at least 15 minutes so the products have enough time to work their magic.
Yet, when they're applied to a wood floor they can damage the finish by scratching away at the protective surface. Abrasives include natural cleaning agents like baking soda, as well as manufactured cleaning products like scrub pads and bottled cleaner and should be avoided at all times.
If you hire experienced professionals, you can expect to get good results. They would be able to remove the stained pieces of hardwood, and weave in new hardwood in its place. You can then opt for sanding and refinishing the entire room; it would look good and blend well.