How to Clean Human Urine from Carpet

Co-authored by Haim Shemesh

Last Updated: July 6, 2024 Fact Checked

Urine stains on carpeting can be tricky to get rid of, but luckily there are several methods you can try that are likely to clean them up. It's easiest to get rid of a wet urine stain, so always try to soak up the urine as soon as you see it.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Haim Shemesh
Carpet & Rug Cleaning Specialist

Expert Interview. 12 May 2020.} With a few minutes of time and some household items like salt, vinegar, or dish soap, your carpet will look as good as new.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Absorbing the Urine

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1
Soak up the stain as quickly as possible.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Haim Shemesh
Carpet & Rug Cleaning Specialist

Expert Interview. 12 May 2020.} Just like most other potential stains, it’s important to absorb the urine as soon as you see the stain so it’ll be easier to remove. If you see the stain and notice it’s still wet, act quickly to soak up as much of it as you can.^{[3]
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- If the stain is already dry, don't worry. Just pour a little bit of warm water on it to help loosen it up before you work on removing it.
2
Pour a little bit of cold water onto the stain to help rinse it out. This is especially important if the stain is starting to dry out. Pour cold water onto the urine so that the stain is entirely covered but your carpet isn’t soaking wet.^{[4]
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- Let the water sit for just a minute or two before absorbing it.
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3
Absorb as much urine as possible with paper towels or a rag. Cover the stain with a clump of layered paper towels or an absorbent rag. Press the paper towels or rag so the urine and water is soaked up, dabbing at the stain gently. Use small strokes and a slight pressure instead of rubbing the stain aggressively so it doesn’t get worse.^{[5]
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- If you use a regular towel to soak up the urine, make sure you wash it really well before using it again.
4
Use a shop vac to vacuum up the urine for a powerful option. Plug in your shop vac, if you have one, and vacuum up as much of the urine and water as possible. This is usually more efficient than soaking up the stain with paper towels because the shop vac can get up more of the urine with its powerful suction.^{[6]
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- If you don’t have a shop vac, you can try using a regular vacuum to soak up the stain, but it might not work as well.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Removing the Stain

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1
Mix dish soap with water to create an easy cleaning spray. Pour a couple of drops of regular dish soap into 1 cup (240 ml) of warm water. Mix the soap with the water so it’s well-combined and pour it into a spray bottle. Spray the urine stain with the spray and let it sit for 5-10 minutes before wiping it up with a towel.^{[7]
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- Remember to dab the stain instead of rubbing it aggressively when you go to remove the soap.
- It’s also okay to use a shop vac to remove the dish soap and water.
2
Pour salt on the stain to absorb the moisture and smell. Sprinkle salt on the urine so that it’s covering the stain in an even layer. If you notice the moisture leaking through the top of the salt pile, add more salt until the top layer stays dry. This is how you know you’ve absorbed as much of the urine as possible. Leave the salt on the stain for about 5-10 minutes and then vacuum the salt up to remove it from the carpet.^{[8]
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- The salt works best if the stain is a little wet, so if it has already dried up, add a little water to the stain first.
3
Use white vinegar to lessen the look of a urine stain. While vinegar might not fix your stain completely, it should definitely help get some of the urine out. Either spray plain white vinegar onto the stain or mix white vinegar with baking soda to form a paste and apply this to the stain instead. Let the vinegar sit on the urine for about 5 minutes before you carefully wipe it up.^{[9]
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- If you’re making a paste out of baking soda and vinegar, make the paste liquidy so it’ll seep down into the carpet.
- Use a rag to soak up the vinegar once you’re done, or use a vacuum to remove the baking soda paste.
Marie Kondo, Cleaning & Organization Expert

When tackling messes, whether a spill or stain, start by blotting liquids immediately with an absorbent cloth and scraping solids with a dull knife. Avoid rubbing the area, which can further embed the mess. For carpets specifically, lift stains by dabbing vinegar or club soda into the fibers before rinsing the area with cool water and blotting dry.
4
Combine hydrogen peroxide with water for a stronger cleaner. Pour 0.5 cups (120 ml) of hydrogen peroxide into 2 cups (470 ml) of cool water. Mix these two ingredients together and spray the mixture onto the stain so the carpet is saturated. Use a clean cloth to blot the mixture up to remove the urine stain.^{[10]
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- It helps if you sprinkle baking soda on the stain before spraying the hydrogen peroxide mixture.^{[11]
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  Expert Source
  
  Haim Shemesh
  Carpet & Rug Cleaning Specialist
  
  Expert Interview. 12 May 2020.}
5
Spray an enzyme cleaner on the carpet to get rid of heavy stains. Purchase an enzyme-based cleaning product that’s safe on carpets—many of them are already labeled as urine removers. Spray the urine stain thoroughly and let the enzyme cleaner sit for about 5 minutes before dabbing it up with paper towels or a rag.^{[12]
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- It’s best to spray enough enzyme cleaner onto the stain that you saturate the bottom layer of carpeting.
- Enzyme cleaners come in the form of a ready-to-use spray as well as a powder that you mix with water.
- If the stain is particularly hard to remove, you can also call a professional to complete the enzyme cleaning service for you.^{[13]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Haim Shemesh
  Carpet & Rug Cleaning Specialist
  
  Expert Interview. 12 May 2020.}

Expert Q&A

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Question

What takes urine smell out of carpet?

Haim Shemesh
Carpet & Rug Cleaning Specialist
Haim Shemesh is a Carpet and Rug Cleaning Specialist and the Owner of Sunlight Fine Rug Care & Restoration, a business based in New York City. Haim specializes in Oriental, Persian, handmade, and antique rug cleaning and repair. He also conducts rug restoration along with fire damage care. He has over 17 years of experience in the carpet cleaning industry. Sunlight Fine Rug Care & Restoration has been awarded Angie's List Super Service Award in 2017 and 2018. Their clients include Staples, Ace Hotel, Momofuku, Banana Republic, and more.

Haim Shemesh

Carpet & Rug Cleaning Specialist

Expert Answer

There’s nothing better than getting carpet cleaned professionally. Professional cleaning companies use a deodorizer built into the shampoo that they use, which helps neutralize the smells. Baking soda also has the ability to absorb smell. For example, we put baking soda in the fridge to absorb the smell of food. It can help a little bit.

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Wash your hands with soap and water as soon as you're done cleaning up the urine.

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Add a sprinkle of baking soda to your wash cycle when you wash the towels so they're extra clean.

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