How To Get Rid Of Urine Smells

[SharonS]

Hi everyone, I have not posted here before, but have been around for a little while, and I have picked up heaps of useful and interesting information.

I hope some one can help me out here, to explain the situation, our house has a back room that is raised, wooden slat floor, screened and roofed, when we bought the house it was labelled as a Queensland room.

My two dogs and cats sleep in here at night, and are in and out during the day, we have lived here now for 3 years, the previous owners had dogs here too.

Now the problem is that under the floor is a space (you can walk almost standing up) and just dirt. My older dog does not wee in the room, but the puppy ( 6 months old) still does sometimes, but there has been a 'smell' ever since we moved in.

I have tried raking out the dirt every few months, spreading lime over the dirt and of course washing any wee spots as soon as I see them, with a mixture of hot water, disinfectant and floor wash.

I just can't get rid of the smell, does anyone have any other ideas, the smell is now causing problems with my OH who wants to get rid of the dogs because of it

In an attempt to stop the puppy weeing over night, the cats are now crated so the door can stay open for the dogs to go out, but thats only been a few nights now, so the pup has not quite worked it out, I take her out for a wee before I go to bed, usually around 11pm, and she does go and gets lots of praise.

Thanks in advance for any help anyone can offer.

[persephone]

plain white vinegar - and lots of it don't rinse off .

[Cosmolo]

White vinegar. And crate the puppy not the cats.

[gillbear]

3rd vote for the vinegar. Also make sure the floor wash that you are using is not ammonia based.

[Rebanne]

block off under the room as well as the pets may be peeing there and the smell wafting up. At 6 months your pup should be able to hold on over night, maybe take a look at your toilet training plan and see if you need to do more.

[GeckoTree]

If that strong pee smell has soaked into the under floor dirt over years from previous owners dogs? I dont really know how you could illiminate it? All I can think in that situation is a masking agent of some sort like an airwick freshener in the above room or other something or other. The ag lime should help a bit though.

I hope you can find a saving grace.

Edited October 5, 2011 by -GT-

[SharonS]

Thanks everyone, I will try the vinegar.

one of the first things I did when we moved in here was to block off under there, so it's only coming from above. And today I have caught the pup not going outside...so yes will go back a step with the toilet training

THanks for your suggestions.

[Guest Panzer Attack!]

Can you use vinegar on carpet? And does it stink once it's dried?

E x

[Fit for a King]

Urine Off Odour and Stain remover is a great product - can be used inside or out.....

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

I would get bicarb soda and sprinkle that over and then use a cloth soaked in vinegar to clean up. I would do a test bit of carpet where people couldn't see it before put vinegar on the carpet.

Bicarb is ok to shake over carpet (I use an icing sugar shaker but a sieve would probably work), and brush in then vaccuum off.

I would sprinkle bicarb in the space under the floor if I could access it, and then mist with vinegar and maybe lavendar oil (one teaspoon in one litre of water).

And if you can get a UV light (eg thinkgeek.com) you can find the pee spots in the dark - circle with chalk, turn light on and target cleanup in the right places. As long as pee spots remain, pee smell will remain too.

Vinegar doesn't smell once it's dry but I would sponge it out. I use a mist of 1cup vinegar, 1tsp lavendar oil in 1 litre of water over bicarb when I'm cleaning floors and that doesn't smell of anything in particular - not to me anyway.

[griff]

for the dirt under the house I would try some lime bought at Produce stores

we used it on our concrete stables floors and it worked for elimating horse urine odours .

[lovemyrottie]

i mix laundry powder and a little water (vet recommended in puppy school) in a spray bottle and spray over any "accidents", for me it works wonders!

[wire]

Having similar problems (even though back door was open), my breeder suggested I do this:

Clean up the area as the other posters said. Once that's done spray the area (I spray everywhere inside) with a mixture of lavender oil and water. Make sure it's the pure lavender, not artificial. Then, spray some oil mixture on your hand and rub pup under his chin, around the mouth area with this dilution. Go easy here.

The theory is that he won't be able to distinguish his own smell to that where he's been peeing on, so will stop the behaviour.

It's worked for us! I'm so grateful!

The trick is to do it every fortnight (or when a pee happens) as it does dissipate and the pup does it again. (well, mine did).

Although the oil is expensive, give it a go and good luck.

[SharonS]

I have given the vinegar a go today, and will crate the pup at night, so will see how it all goes.

THanks everyone so much for all your help.