
Getting rid of dog pee smell from a concrete patio can be a challenging task, but it's definitely possible with the right tools and methods. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you eliminate that stubborn odour:
1. Prepare the Area:
- Gather the necessary materials, including a wet or dry vacuum cleaner, trisodium phosphate (TSP), protective gear such as goggles and rubber gloves, and cleaning products.
- Identify the exact spots where your dog has urinated using a UV lamp. This is especially useful if the urine has already dried and there are no visible signs.
2. Clean the Area Thoroughly:
- Start by sweeping or vacuuming the concrete surface to remove any dirt or debris.
- Remove any furniture or items that could be damaged by the cleaning products.
- Mop the floor with mild soap and water, then rinse thoroughly with warm water. Allow the surface to dry completely.
3. Treat the Stains:
- For recent urine stains, sprinkle baking soda on the affected area, then pour a small amount of vinegar and let it react. The acid in the vinegar will help neutralise the odour.
- For more stubborn stains or persistent odours, use an enzymatic cleaner. Urine contains uric acid crystals that cling to porous surfaces like concrete, and enzymatic cleaners break down these crystals, effectively removing the smell.
- Another powerful option is to use trisodium phosphate (TSP), a heavy-duty cleaner that is effective on concrete surfaces. However, TSP is not environmentally friendly and can irritate the skin and eyes, so use it with caution and follow the instructions carefully.
4. Repeat and Waterproof:
- Allow the concrete surface to dry overnight after treatment. If you used an enzymatic cleaner, consider covering the floor with plastic sheeting to slow down evaporation and enhance its effectiveness.
- If the odour persists, repeat the treatment process with the enzymatic cleaner.
- For a more drastic and expensive solution, consider waterproofing your concrete floor. This will make future cleaning easier and give your patio a more uniform appearance. However, ensure that you completely eliminate the urine odour before waterproofing.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
First Step | Clean the area thoroughly with soap and water |
Second Step | Sprinkle the urine stain with baking soda and pour a little vinegar |
Third Step | Use an enzymatic cleaner |
Fourth Step | Use Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) |
Fifth Step | Let the concrete surface dry overnight |
Sixth Step | Consider waterproofing your concrete floor |
What You'll Learn
Use baking soda and vinegar
Baking soda and vinegar are classic cleaners that work best on recent urine stains. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to use them to get dog pee smell out of a concrete patio:
Step 1: Clean the Area
First, sweep or vacuum the concrete patio to make the surface as smooth as possible. Then, remove any furniture that could be damaged by cleaning products. Next, mop the floor with mild soap and water. Rinse thoroughly with warm water and allow it to dry completely.
Step 2: Apply Baking Soda and Vinegar
Sprinkle the urine stain with baking soda. Then, pour a little vinegar and let the acid in the vinegar neutralise the unpleasant smell. You can also make a paste of baking soda and vinegar and put it on the area, leaving it there until it dries, then brush it away.
Step 3: Rinse and Dry
After the baking soda and vinegar have had time to work, scrub the concrete surface and rinse it thoroughly with water to remove any residue. Finally, allow the concrete surface to air dry completely. This will help eliminate any remaining odours.
Additional Tips:
- If the bad smell persists, repeat the process or consider using specialised odour-eliminating products designed for concrete surfaces.
- For stubborn stains and strong smells, you may need to use an enzymatic cleaner or trisodium phosphate (TSP) in addition to the baking soda and vinegar.
- To find the spot of an old stain, use a UV lamp to reveal the site.
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Try an enzymatic cleaner
If you have a dog, chances are they've peed on your concrete patio at least once. Unfortunately, urine can seep deep into concrete and conventional cleaning agents like water, soap, vinegar, and baking soda are often not enough to get rid of the smell. This is because urine contains uric acid crystals that cling to the concrete, and these crystals reform and release a gas with a pungent odour when they come into contact with moisture.
To get rid of the smell, you'll need to use an enzymatic cleaner that attacks and breaks down the uric acid crystals. Here's a step-by-step guide to using an enzymatic cleaner to remove dog pee smell from your concrete patio:
Step 1: Identify the urine areas
Use a UV light or black light to identify the exact areas affected by urine. Hold the light no more than three feet off the concrete as you scan the floor in sections. Old urine stains will stand out as blue, green, or yellow markings. You can also use your nose to sniff out the source of the odour.
Step 2: Clean the affected areas
Before applying the enzymatic cleaner, it's important to properly clean the area to remove bacteria and other residual urine elements. Mix ½ cup of trisodium phosphate (TSP) with 1 gallon of hot water and scrub the solution onto the urine stains using a short-bristled nylon brush. Keep the area wet for at at least 10 minutes to allow the solution to soak into the concrete. The smell may increase as you soak the concrete due to a reaction between the urine residue and uric acid crystals.
Step 3: Rinse and dry
Once the area has been scrubbed and soaked, pour clean hot water over the treated area and then vacuum up the water using a wet/vac or carpet cleaner. Repeat this process at least twice, or three times for heavily soiled areas. Allow the concrete to dry completely, preferably overnight or for 24 hours. Enzymatic cleaners work best when the concrete is completely dry.
Step 4: Apply the enzymatic cleaner
Pour the enzymatic cleaner directly onto the stained area and scrub it in with a deck brush. Keep the area wet for at least 10 minutes to allow the concrete to absorb as much of the solution as possible. You can cover the wet area with a cheap painter's tarp to slow down evaporation and give the cleaner more time to soak in. Particularly bad-smelling areas may require multiple treatments.
Step 5: Let it dry
Allow the concrete surface to dry overnight. If the odour persists, treat the surface again with the enzymatic cleaner and repeat the process until the smell is gone.
It's important to be patient and not rush the process. Enzymatic cleaners require time to work effectively. The good bacteria in the cleaner need to break down and digest the uric acid crystals, so make sure to follow the directions on the product label and allow enough time for the cleaner to do its job.
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Use trisodium phosphate (TSP)
Trisodium phosphate, or TSP, is a highly effective cleaner for concrete surfaces affected by dog urine. TSP is particularly useful because it becomes alkaline when mixed with water, which helps to kill bacteria and remove germs that cause ongoing urine smells.
To use TSP, you should first dilute it by mixing 1/2 cup of TSP crystals with a gallon of hot water. This solution is very strong, so it's important to wear protective gear like gloves and goggles when handling it. Once you've mixed the solution, scrub it onto the affected area of your concrete patio and then rinse it away.
You can also use TSP in conjunction with an enzymatic cleaner for even better results. Enzymatic cleaners contain microorganisms that release enzymes, which eat away at the proteins in organic stains like urine, causing the urine molecules to shrink and the smell to disappear.
When using TSP with an enzymatic cleaner, it's important to follow the correct steps. First, locate the urine stains on your concrete patio using a black light. Then, scrub the TSP solution onto the affected area and let it soak for at least 10 minutes. Rinse the area with clean water and allow it to dry completely. Finally, apply the enzymatic cleaner according to the instructions on the product, allowing it to soak into the concrete for at least 10 minutes. You can repeat this process if necessary until the urine smell is completely gone.
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Bleach the patio
Bleach can be an effective way to clean concrete patios and get rid of dog pee smell. Here is a step-by-step guide to bleaching your patio:
Step 1: Prepare the Area
Remove all furniture, grills, and other items from the patio. Sweep the area thoroughly to get rid of any loose debris. If you have grass or plants nearby, water them to protect them from the bleach. You can also place a tarp or plastic sheeting over shrubs for extra protection.
Step 2: Mix the Bleach Solution
For a lightly soiled patio, mix 3/4 cup of liquid bleach with one gallon of water in a large bucket. You can also add 1/8 cup of liquid dishwashing detergent to the solution to help with cleaning. If you have stubborn stains, you may need to use oxygen bleach to create a paste with the consistency of peanut butter.
Step 3: Apply the Bleach
Pour the bleach solution onto the concrete and spread it evenly with a broom. Make sure to wear old clothes and waterproof gloves to protect your skin. Let the bleach sit on the concrete for about 20 minutes.
Step 4: Scrub and Rinse
After the bleach has had time to work, use a stiff broom to sweep away the softened grime. For stubborn spots, use a scrub brush to scrub the area. Finally, rinse off the patio with a hose, starting at one end and working your way across. You can also use a power washer if your patio is made of poured concrete, but avoid this if you have pavers.
Important Safety Precautions
Always remember to protect your skin and eyes when working with bleach. Do not mix bleach with ammonia, as it will create toxic gas. Keep in mind that bleach can kill plants, so be careful not to get it on any surrounding greenery.
Bleaching your patio can be an effective way to get rid of dog pee smell, but it may require multiple treatments. If the odour persists, you may need to try other methods, such as using an enzymatic cleaner or sealing the concrete.
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Seal the concrete
Sealing your concrete patio is a drastic and expensive solution to facilitate cleaning and give your concrete patio a more uniform appearance. However, this solution should be used only after the complete elimination of the smell of urine.
The only type of sealer that will work is a non-breathable, topical concrete coating. Garage floor coatings are a great example. Garage floor coatings are film-forming and do not breathe. They will block odour molecules from transferring through the coating. Acrylic sealers and penetrating sealers will not work. They are breathable and will allow the odour molecules to pass through.
The least expensive option is EpoxyShield by Rust-Oleum. Do not use 1-part epoxy paint as it is not a true 2-part epoxy coating. Paint breathes and will not seal out the urine odour.
Applying a garage floor coating requires grinding or etching the concrete before application. The concrete prep process will open the pores of the concrete and allow pet enzymatic cleaners to be absorbed into the concrete more easily. It will also allow for slightly more air transfer. The result will be a quicker and more effective use of the cleaner.
Once the coating is applied and has fully cured, it should effectively block any odours that remain in the concrete.
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Frequently asked questions
First, gather your materials: a wet or dry vacuum cleaner, trisodium phosphate (TSP), protective goggles, and rubber gloves. Then, find the spot where your dog peed using a UV lamp.
Clean the area thoroughly with soap and water. Mop the floor with mild soap and water, then rinse thoroughly with warm water and allow it to dry completely.
Sprinkle the stain with baking soda, then pour vinegar on it. The acid in the vinegar will help neutralise the smell as it dries.
Use an enzymatic cleaner. Urine contains uric crystals that conventional cleaning agents can't dislodge. Enzymatic cleaners break down and detach the uric acid from the concrete.
Yes, you can use trisodium phosphate (TSP). TSP is a powerful product often used for heavy-duty cleaning. However, it's not environmentally friendly and may irritate your skin and eyes, so use it with caution.
Allow the concrete surface to dry overnight. If the odour persists, treat the surface again with the enzymatic cleaner.