Top 5 Best Cleaners for Dog Urine on Hardwood Floors 2021

Having a pet can enrich any life and bring so much joy to your home. Unfortunately, along with this joy comes a lot of little messes, especially when your pup is very young or beginning to grow elderly. Fortunately, there are some pretty amazing products available to help clean up all of life’s little messes that come from your four-legged friend. From sprays to more intensive cleaning treatments, the options are endless and the market is absolutely massive, meaning you have quite a few different methods at your disposal to make sure everything pet ownership throws at you is completely manageable. Here are some of the top options for the best cleaner for dog urine on hardwood floors!

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Best Overall

Rocco & Roxie Professional Strength Stain & Odor Eliminator

Very effective
Enzyme activated
Works on a variety of surfaces

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Best for Hard Surfaces

Simple Solution Hardfloor Pet Stain & Odor Remover

Is an enzyme cleaner for hardwood floors
Non-damaging
Non-staining

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Best for Deep Cleaning

Planet Urine Small Hard Surface Cleaning Kit II

Very highly rated
Tons of steps to remove and treat a variety of urine stains
Very effective

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ANGRY ORANGE Ready-to-Use Citrus Pet Odor Eliminator Pet Spray

A clean, citrus smell
Very safe for pets and kids
Naturally based

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Resolve Urine Destroyer Spray Stain & Odor Remover

Great for fresh and old spots
Fresh scent
Enzyme based

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Overall #1 Rated Pick

Rocco & Roxie Professional Strength Stain & Odor Eliminator

Designed to eliminate stains, odor, and residue, this cleaner is fantastic for old and new spots alike. The enzyme activated formula works due to the added bacteria included in the recipe that is brought from dormancy by the enzymes specifically found in pet urine. The bacteria then devour the urine particles, removing the stain from the inside out and taking away all scent and sight of the former offensive area. Additionally, this product is effective for cat urine, as well, and is backed by a money-back guarantee, showing just how much this company believes in the product they have produced. Not only is the Rocco and Roxie cleaner safe for hardwood floors, but it also works on other pet surfaces like carpet, furniture, clothing, litter boxes, kennels, carriers, and even pet clothing and other common pet zones!

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Cleaner for Dog Urine on Hardwood Floors – Buying Guide

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Check out our list below for a summary of our results.

When buying a product that works to clean up your pet’s messes, you probably want something that minimizes your contact with the urine while still getting the job done. There are other things to consider, as well. Let’s go over some points that can help you make the right choice concerning your pet’s messes.

How to remove dog urine from hardwood floors

Hardwood floors are naturally a bit porous and can sometimes suck in liquids. This includes urine, which can result in a nasty stain and smell combo that has a tendency to stick around for quite a while despite being rather unwelcome and unwanted.

When removing dog pee on hardwood floors, it is important to not only treat surface staining and odors but to also make sure you are getting down into the flooring and removing what has been wicked into the boards. Most products designed to treat dog urine can do this, though you want to double-check the labeling.

Once you have a product in hand, apply it to the floor per the directions and let it soak in and do its job, then either vacuum it up if it is a powder or scrub it away.

Will dog urine smells go away on their own?

Surprisingly, urine can last for more than five years. Dog urine is very potent and can remain odorous for half a decade or more due to its ammonia content and ability to wick into flooring. Due to this, the off-gas time can be significantly longer and cause a lingering odor if not cleaned up. It will also be harder to clean up the urine if it sits for a period of time since it will sink further into the flooring.

Due to this, you will want to use a dog urine cleaner for wood floors when attempting to clean up a pet accident. This will work to neutralize not only the surface staining but penetrate deeply to fully treat the smelly bits that have sunken below the visible part of the flooring.

Sometimes, you may have to treat a spot several times if the stain is old or if there is soft padding beneath the flooring that the urine has seeped into. In some cases, your only option may be pulling up the flooring and replacing the padding if the area is significantly damaged. Typically, this is not the case but in some instances where multiple dogs have urinated in an area or there is urine present in multiple spots, this may be the only solution to fully fix the problem.

Can urine removers bleach the flooring?

When choosing a product, make sure it is enzyme-activated and bacteria-based to prevent it from potentially damaging or discoloring your flooring. Some older products contain bleach. These pet odor remover hardwood floor products are not good since they can do more damage while removing the staining, especially if they sink below the finish of the wood, which is probable if the spot is already compromised by urine.

The Best Cleaner for Dog Urine on Hardwood Floors

Here are some of our favorite products to help you remove urine from your hardwood flooring and fully treat the stains and odors that come with such spots. These products were selected based on their price, effectiveness, customer reviews, and a host of other factors and are what we believe to be the best. Let’s look at four more of dog urine odor remover for hardwood floors options.

The top best product [hide]

Rocco & Roxie Professional Strength Stain & Odor Eliminator

Pros

Very effective

Enzyme activated

Works on a variety of surfaces

Cons

Sometimes takes multiple uses

Has a strong fragrance

Some claim pet was attracted to the area after using the product

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Simple Solution Hardfloor Pet Stain & Odor Remover

Specifically designed for hard surfaces, this Simple Solutions product is made to work with no frills or fuss needed. Safe for sealed hardwood floors, stone floors, linoleum, vinyl, brick, concrete, marble, and ceramic tile, the company claims that this product can treat feces, urine, vomit, and other pet messes with ease. The unique three in one nozzle system works to give you more control over the spray of the product, allowing you to target specific messes without wasting any of the cleaners; plus, the stream, foam, and mist options are helpful to provide varying saturation for different types of messes. Best of all, this product is safe for use around humans and animals and is often cited as one of the best cleaner for dog urine options on the market.

Pros

Is an enzyme cleaner for hardwood floors

Non-damaging

Non-staining

Cons

Not safe for unsealed floors

Not safe for untreated floors

Some residue left behind

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Planet Urine Small Hard Surface Cleaning Kit II

Taking a bit of a different approach to treating urine, this product acts as a deep cleaning, permanent agent that includes a variety of different mediums for you to choose between. As a kit, you get to use the UrineOut Powder, a Urine Release Pre-Spray, a scrubber brush, a No-P Housebreaking Aid, and a Smells No More Spray to fully treat and remove the source of all urine odors and stains. Safe for hardwood floors, grout, wood floors, tile, concrete, and a ton of other surfaces, this universal tool is great to have on hand not only for clean-ups but also for potty training since it can help deter animals from using the same spot. Many people claim this is literally a miracle product and have reported it to be the only thing that works for older stains. With the brand’s money-back guarantee, you really have nothing to lose in giving this a shot!

Pros

Very highly rated

Tons of steps to remove and treat a variety of urine stains

Very effective

Cons

Messy

Labor intensive

Costly when compared to other products

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ANGRY ORANGE Ready-to-Use Citrus Pet Odor Eliminator Pet Spray

As an all-natural solution to pet-related messes, the Angry Orange product works by utilizing the disinfecting power of fresh oranges. There is no need to dilute this product, as it is already pre-mixed and ready to go, making to fantastic to have on hand for those sudden, unexpected messes that seem to always pop up at the worst possible time. Due to its gentle ingredients, this product is safe for use around children and pets and generally suits most household situations. It works well on carpet, tile, wood floors, driveways, litter boxes, grass, pens, and a ton of other pet used surfaces and is definitely a top contender for the best cleaner for dog urine and top tier laminate floor cleaner for pet urine. Plus, it smells like fresh oranges!

Pros

A clean, citrus smell

Very safe for pets and kids

Naturally based

Cons

Fairly expensive

Some reports of reoccurring smell in very old stains

Reports of sticky residue

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Resolve Urine Destroyer Spray Stain & Odor Remover

As an enzymatic cleaner for hardwood floors, the Resolve Urine Destroyer does a great job to treat and clean even set-in stains. The unique formula is safe for carpets, hard floors, and other surfaces that are sealed, meaning it can serve as a multi-use tool that is great to have on hand for accidents. The brand even notes that the product can be used for human messes and is safe for pets and kids when used as directed. It is also one of the best mop for dog pee accompanying products, as it can be mixed in with water to create a mopping solution for fresh urine spots to prevent it seeping into the flooring. The company also claims it is effective against remarking, as it discourages dogs from going to the same spot again and again!

Pros

Great for fresh and old spots

Fresh scent

Enzyme based

Cons

Contains soap-like agents that can be ineffective

Some reports of staining

Some reports of residue left behind

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FAQ

Will hydrogen peroxide damage hardwood floors?

No! Hydrogen peroxide is a great tool for cleaning up messes and is generally not risky for hardwood floor use as long as the flooring is sealed and properly treated. Unsealed flooring can suck up the peroxide, though, which can result in staining or discoloration if not remedied immediately so it may be best to steer clear of it if your home is unsealed.

How do you detect dog urine on hardwood floors?

Typically, urine can be detected by the smell or the appearance of an obvious stain on the surface of the floor. If you smell urine but cannot see where the spot is, it is not a bad idea to try using a black light or another detection tool to assist you in finding the offending area.

Can dog urine ruin a hardwood floor?

Unfortunately, dog urine can damage the finish and sometimes permanently stain a hardwood flooring setup due to the ammonia and chemical composition of its nature. This is why it is best to treat stains as soon as possible and never leave urine sitting once it is noticed.

How to protect laminate floors from dog urine?

If you have laminate flooring, you probably are all too aware of the damage urine and other messes can do. Laminate flooring can be heavily damaged if urine destroys the outer coating and can become warped from the moisture exposure. To prevent this, it is very important you potty train your dog and have potty pads or a kennel for when you are away. Laminate is one of the most susceptible types of flooring to dog urine damage so it is important to potty train right away.

Conclusion

Despite being messy, pet ownership is a beautiful thing that creates lifelong bonds. You cannot replace the love you get from a dog, even with the accidents that come with it. Fortunately, there are a lot of cleaners which can solve the problems.