If you are searching for how to remove black urine stains from hardwood floors, then you must have come home to find an enormous black urine stain on your hardwood floor is one of pet owner’s many fears.
Our little furry friends sometimes get overly anxious when left by themselves and may express that by peeing over all available surfaces, even your hardwood floor.
Thankfully there’s a way to restore your floor and remove any stain left by urine; with a few items you probably already have in your pantry, not only can you get rid of the stain, but you can also eliminate the urine smell.
Find out: Can dog urine cause mold?
How To Remove Black Urine Stains From Hardwood Floors
Table of Contents
Clean your Floor
The first step you need to take when you find a urine stain on your floor is to cleaning the hardwood. Start by wiping the puddle or the wet spot and remove as much wetness as possible with an absorbent cloth.
Soak up the moisture by applying sufficient pressure, and use as many clothes as needed to soak up the liquid from the floor. This will make the stain removal process easier.
Read: How to keep your cat from scratching carpet
Using White Vinegar And Grapefruit Oil
White vinegar is a natural disinfectant and deodorant, and you may already have it in your kitchen; it is a great tool for removing urine stains.
Mix together one cup of white vinegar and warm water in a bucket and add a couple of drops of grapefruit oil to the solution; this is to get rid of the odor.
Use a firm bristled brush to scrub the floor with this homemade cleaning solution, making sure to concentrate on the most prominent spots. Scrub the floor till the odor and stains disappear.
Read: can you use vegetable oil on hardwood floor
Use Hydrogen Peroxide
If the urine has already been absorbed deep into the hardwood, you may have to soak the stain spots with hydrogen peroxide.
First, use a peroxide-soaked cloth to scrub the stain and let them dry. If the stains and odor persist, you can cover the stain with a paper towel or soft wipe saturated with peroxide.
Allow the towel to sit on the stained spots for a few hours, and repeatedly check every hour to see if the stain is removed. Once the stain is removed, you may notice mild discoloration on the floor, and as a result, it may require some refinishing.
Use Baking Soda
Baking soda can also be used to amp up the effects of the vinegar or peroxide cleaning process; it can be used to soak up any dampness or residue and deodorize as well.
Simply sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda over the area. Allow the baking soda to sit on the floor for about an hour before vacuuming. You can repeat the procedure if the floor is still damp.
Use Enzymatic Cleaner
Enzymatic cleaners are non-toxic and are very effective in breaking down urine stains and odors. Most enzyme cleaners are designed specifically for the elimination of pet odors.
Natural enzymes can be used to neutralize and thus eliminate the urine completely, but ensure to apply them accordingly to packaging instructions and apply it only on the stained spots.
You may need to repeat this process a couple of times before the stain and odor can be completely removed.
With a little elbow grease, you are bound to eliminate the stain but keep in mind that the stain and cleaning process may affect the wood; this may cause it to require a small sanding or touch-up.
Use dusting cloths and a brushless vacuum to clean and refreshen your hardwood floor frequently as well.
Read: Why your vacuum cleaner smells like dog
Use Hand Scrapers
If the urine stains are small and fresh, you can remove them with a hand scraper. You would need to scrape the floor with the grain but avoid scraping the area too deeply; this is to prevent the formation of a nasty divot.
You can purchase hand scrapers at home improvement stores. Scraping your floor with a hand scraper may mark the floor, but you can use grit paper to remove the mark by hand sanding over the area.
Lastly, with a shop vac, clean the floor and seal the area with a surface finish.
Use Wood Bleach
You can also use wood bleach to remove pet urine stains. But this might only remove lighter urine stains from the hardwood floor.
The wood bleach would work the best if the affected area was sanded first. Sanding enables the bleach to penetrate the wood better and remove the black urine spot.
Ensure to wear gloves and properly ventilate the area by opening up a window before using this product. Also, make sure to apply it accordingly to packaging instructions.
Sand And Refinish The Area
Sanding and refinishing is a great way to get rid of the urine stain. Sanding can be used to remove every speck of stain on the floor, especially if the stain is not stubborn.
Make sure to match the newly sanded area with the surrounding area so they blend together and the newly sanded area does not stand out on its own.
Keep in mind that sanding may eliminate the stain but not the smell, so you may need to opt for another odor elimination method.
Read: How to refinish terrazzo floors
How to Stop your Pet from Peeing in your Home
Spay or Neuter your Pet
If your pets are still intact, they are much more likely to engage in urine marking behaviors. Spaying or neutering your pet helps to reduce or eliminate the behavior.
If you have an older pet, it’s more likely that the urine marking has become a habit, and you may need to employ other techniques as well to completely control that behavior.
Read: Best trashcan for dog poop
Clean Up Accidents Properly
Even if you don’t notice a smell, pets have advanced smell receptors so they can pick up lingering odors that invite them to return to the scene of the crime. This is why it’s very important that you clean up your home thoroughly whenever your pet urinates in the house.
You need a good enzymatic cleaner as they are different from regular household cleaners, which leaves the area looking and smelling clean to you, but do not thoroughly remove lingering odors.
Read: 10 best mop for dog hairs
Give Lots Of Potty Breaks
Depending on age, breed, size, and type of pet, some animals just can’t hold it as long as others. It’s important to make sure that your pet is getting the chance to relieve himself as often as they need.
No matter how well trained, your pet’s bladders have their limits, and going beyond those limits usually leads to accidents. If you have dogs, it a general rule to allow the puppies out every hour. Then add one additional hour for each month of age.
Read: How tp fix dog scratches on hardwood floor
Train Your Pet
If you have young pets, peeing in the house frequently means that they just need more training. If you have older pets, you may need to revisit the house training process to solves the issue.
It takes time, patience, and consistency to train your pet. Constant supervision is needed to prevent accidents from happening.
Read: Why your carpet smells like urine
Conclusion
This article discusses how to remove black urine stains from hardwood floors. Pet accidents might leave a disfiguring stain on your floor and an awful urine smell; thankfully, we covered steps on fixing this flawlessly.
To prevent future accidents. you need to know how to stop your pet from peeing in your home. Ensure to train your pet well and give your pet’s potty break so they can control they bladder and not touching.
