Oh no! Your dog just had an accident on your concrete patio. You may be glad that it didn’t happen inside the house. Of course you are relieved it happened outside, but the porous nature of concrete makes it a lot harder to get urine off of it successfully.

The good news is that there are some ways to clean dog urine from concrete surfaces. Even better, you probably already have some of the items you need to get the job done. Let’s get started learning how to clean dog urine off a concrete surface like a patio.

Cleaning Dog Urine from Your Patio

You may not have even realized how porous your patio is until your furry family member stopped and peed on it. But concrete is made by mixing seven materials together, and one of them is cement. This is why you may notice your patio floor has a bunch of tiny little holes.

These holes are super tiny, and barely even noticeable. But they are big enough for dog urine to seep through, especially if you haven’t sealed the concrete surface. Here is a simple three-step process to use to get rid of urine and its odor.

Step 1: Get rid of any debris in the area.

Sometimes, you can smell the odor of urine, but you can’t find exactly where it comes from. Dog urine has a strong odor, but it doesn’t always stain concrete. If you cannot find exactly where your pup peed, you have two options.

1.       Go ahead and clean the entire patio floor using these steps.

2.       Wait until it is dark outside, then use a UV light or a blacklight to locate the precise spot.

If you are really lucky, you’ll catch your pup peeing on the patio, but we can be sneaky. (Hey, everyone uhm, every dog needs some privacy sometimes!) If you see it when it happens, you can use any absorbent item, like a towel or mop, to soak up as much of the urine as possible. This is ideal since you can keep the urine from escaping into all those tiny little porous holes.

Either way, you will want to get all the debris out of the area. It’s sometimes easiest to grab a broom and sweep away any dust, dog toys, leaves, or other items.

Step 2: Wash the Area with Soap and Water

Even though washing a urine spot on your concrete won’t remove odors, it will still give you a clean surface to work from. If you have a hose handy, you can just rinse the affected area. Use the narrow, high-pressure setting to rinse the patio floor.

If you do not have a hose, or you can’t rinse it off easily, you’ll still want to wear some gloves and wash the area with soap and water. Use a rag or sponge that you can throw away when you are done. Don’t go overboard with scrubbing, just give it a good going over.

Step 3: Apply a Deodorizer

You can use different deodorizers depending on what you have on hand. Or you can go to the store and purchase a special canine urine deodorizer. This is the best option and probably the most effective method for
removing the urine and its odor. Here are a few suggestions of popular ways to deodorize your concrete floor.

·         Trisodium phosphate

·         Hydrogen peroxide

·         Baking soda and vinegar

·         Store-bought enzyme odor remover

You probably already have some of these items on hand. Some of these are more potent than others, so be sure to keep your pets and kids away from the area until you’re done cleaning.

Which one should you choose?

Trisodium Phosphate: This is the most toxic option on this list. However, it’s also the most effective option to remove urine odor and stains from the concrete.

Baking Soda and Vinegar: This is a safe, natural remedy for cleaning dog urine from concrete surfaces. Just sprinkle a layer of baking soda over the affected area. Pour vinegar on top of it and let it set for a while before washing it away. The downside of using this option is that it is most effective when done right after the accident occurred.

Hydrogen Peroxide: You probably have a bottle of peroxide in your medicine cabinet. It’s an exceptional disinfectant, but it may not be strong enough to control urine odors for long.

Enzyme Odor Remover: Using an enzymatic or ionized cleaning solution can be your best, most effective option for totally removing odors. There are several options available, some are more expensive than others. Just make sure to choose an option that is safe as some household items can be toxic to pets.

Why Can’t I Use Bleach to Clean Dog Urine from Concrete?

Bleach is a good option for disinfecting concrete where your dog has urinated. However, it won’t get rid of the smell. In fact, it will have its own overwhelming odors before revealing the smell of dog urine once it fades away.

About the Author: Hazel

Hazel is the head engineer at Pawer Lab. He develops and tests the latest pup-focused inventions for the Pawer Lab. He is passionate about enjoying the small things in life. The border collie’s hobbies include riding in the car, stalking the mailman, and fetching tennis balls.