How to Clean Pet Urine From Carpet

By Best Pick Guide Editorial Team · Updated October 22, 2026

Pet urine is harder to clean than most spills, because it soaks through the carpet into the padding underneath. Getting the surface clean is only half the job. Here's how to deal with both fresh and old accidents.

For a fresh accident

1. Blot, don't rub. Press paper towels or an old towel firmly onto the spot to soak up as much liquid as you can. Stand on it if you need to. Rubbing spreads it and pushes it deeper.
2. Rinse lightly with cool water and blot again.
3. Apply a pet stain cleaner. Enzyme cleaners made for pet urine break down the compounds that cause odor. Follow the directions, including how long to leave it.
4. Extract the moisture. A carpet or spot cleaner pulls the cleaner and urine back out of the fibers. The BISSELL Little Green Max Pet is made for spot jobs like this.
5. Let it dry fully, with a fan if possible.

For an old or dried stain

• Find it. Old spots can be hard to see. A UV flashlight often makes urine stains visible.
• Wet it, then treat it. Dampen the area so the cleaner can reach the dried urine, then apply your enzyme or pet formula and let it work.
• Extract and repeat. Old stains often need two or three rounds.
• Use a full-size cleaner for large areas. Machines with a pretreater, like the BISSELL ProHeat 2X Pet Pro Plus, treat and extract in one pass.

Mistakes to avoid

• Don't use heat or steam on urine first. Heat can set the stain and odor into the fibers. Clean with cool or room-temperature water and the right formula.
• Don't use ammonia-based cleaners. Urine contains ammonia, and the smell may encourage a pet to go in the same spot again.
• Don't oversaturate. Too much water soaks the padding and slows drying.
• Test first. Try any cleaner on a hidden spot to check it doesn't discolor your carpet.

When to call a professional

If the odor keeps coming back after several treatments, the padding or subfloor may be affected. A professional carpet cleaner can treat or replace the pad.

Prevent repeats

Pets often return to spots that still smell to them. Clean thoroughly, and talk to your vet if accidents are new or frequent, since they can be a sign of a health issue.

For five carpet cleaners compared for pet stains, see our carpet cleaner for pet stains comparison.