How to Clean Fresh or Dried Dog Urine Stains and Smells from a Couch

Even the most trained or well-mannered dogs accidentally pee on the couch sometimes. Aged or younger dogs may sometimes forget they must use their appropriate potties and pee anywhere, including on the couch.

Medical issues, anxiety, behavioral problems, and environmental changes are other reasons your dog (or a friend's) may pee on the couch. Or why your cat might pee on it too.

Even with hypoallergenic dogs or dogs that don't smell otherwise, accidents still happen, and you may find dog pee on your couch. This write-up guides you on how to clean dog pee from your couch correctly.

You can remove dog pee from your couch using an enzyme cleaner, vinegar, and baking soda, or you can clean with baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and dish soap solution. Or you can hire professional upholstery cleaning company like Zerorez® who is trained and equipped to do pet odor treatments.

We shall focus on ways of removing pee stains, pee odor, and more yourself and then share why a professional still might be the best best, so keep reading to the end.

fluffy soft brown and white dog with its tongue hanging out sitting one a white chair in a white room

How to Clean Dog Pee From Couch (Fresh Stains)

You can use various products to clean fresh dog pee from the couch:

Enzyme cleaners
Baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and dish soap solution
Baking soda and vinegar

Option 1: Enzyme Cleaners

Use a high-quality enzyme cleaner recommended for your couch fabric.

Press paper towels or an absorbent cloth over the pee to soak up excess liquid. Don't rub or wipe the pee; doing so could make it spread to other areas or penetrate the couch fabric.
Saturate the spot with a safe and effective enzyme cleaner.
Allow the cleaner to soak into the couch fabric for 15 to 20 minutes to break down the uric acid in the dog pee.
Use several paper towels or absorbent clothes to blot excessive moisture from the area.
Cover the area with aluminum foil to prevent the pet(s) or family members from sitting on that spot before it dries. Allow the cleaner to evaporate completely, leaving the area completely dry. Since the broken-down uric acid will evaporate, you don't need to rinse the area after cleaning.

Option 2: Mix Baking Soda, Hydrogen Peroxide, and Dish Soap

Hydrogen peroxide makes removing the dog pee stains easy and disinfects the couch fabric as it break down the acid. However, it can bleach certain fabrics, so proceed with caution!

Don't use this solution on a microfiber couch; instead, use an enzyme.

Gently pat the pee with an absorbent cloth or a paper towel to soak excess liquid.
Make a solution of baking soda (3 tablespoons), hydrogen peroxide (300 ml), and dish soap (2-3 drops), put it into a spray bottle, and shake well. If you don't have hydrogen peroxide or prefer not to use it, use vinegar.
Spray the solution on the couch, saturating the stained area completely, and then allow it to sit for at least 60 minutes to work.
Blot the area with a damp cloth to rinse the dish detergent, then blot again with a dry absorbent cloth.
Allow the couch to dry fully for several hours or a day, then inspect. If you can, put the couch in direct sunlight as it dries.
If the stain is still there, repeat the process. If not, your couch is ready for use!

Option 3: Baking Soda and Vinegar

Vinegar neutralizes the ammonia in dog pee, breaking up the odor. If the pee odor is so strong, use pure white vinegar, undiluted.

If you're cleaning a microfiber couch, use rubbing alcohol instead of a mixture of water and vinegar to avoid leaving water stains.

Change the microfiber cloth, towel, or paper towel as needed.

Use an absorbent material such as a microfiber cloth, towel, or paper towel to draw as much moisture from the couch as possible. Blotting the dog pee (not rubbing or wiping) lowers the chances of a urine stain on your couch.
Put 4 parts water and 1 part distilled vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray a thick layer on the spot.
Using a sponge, scrub from the inside of the peed area towards the outside to remove the pee on the couch.
While the couch is still wet, sprinkle a generous amount (520g) of baking powder on the just-cleaned area. If you have an essential oil you would love to use, add about 10 drops to the baking soda before application to help remove the pee odor and stains from the couch.
Allow the baking soda to sit on the area for at least 4 to 6 hours if you're in a rush or 12 hours if you're not using the couch soon. Allowing enough time allows the couches underneath to dry completely, preventing mold growth or the occurrence of a foul smell on the previously cleaned spot.
Remove the baking soda over the spot using a vacuum cleaner. Your couch should now be free of dog pee and its odor.

tan brown fluffy down sitting on a white couch with gray pillows on it in a living room

How to Remove Dog Urine From Couch (Dry Stain)

You may use natural products or an enzyme-based (protease) cleaner to remove a dry dog urine stain from the couch.

Option 1: Natural Products

Remove dry/old dog urine from the couch using natural products such as vinegar and baking soda. Follow the steps below.

Apply a generous amount of vinegar to the affected area.
Sprinkle enough baking soda over the vinegar.
Allow 12 or more hours for the baking soda to dry, then vacuum clean to remove it.
Inspect the area and repeat if there's a stain or a lingering smell on the spot.

Option 2: Enzyme-based (Protease) Cleaner

Protease is a natural enzyme that breaks down the protein found in dog urine into smaller chains of amino acids, making them easier to remove from fabrics.

Apply an enzyme-based (Protease) cleaner to the spot. Angry Orange, Nature's Miracle Pet Stain and Odor Remover, and Rocco & Roxie are Enzyme-based cleaners that quickly and easily remove old dog pees from couches.
Allow the cleaner to sit for 15 to 20 minutes or, as the manufacturer recommends, to break down the uric acid.
After the enzyme-based cleaner has done its thing, blot up the remaining moisture.
If the stain or lingering smell persists, repeat the process twice or thrice until you get satisfactory results.

How to Remove Dog Urine Smell From Couch

Even with the pet spot cleaned up, the urine smell might still be lingering in your couch's fibers. Use white vinegar and/or baking soda to treat the smell of dog urine from the couch.

Always spot-test before using the products on the spot.

Blot the stain: Blot it using an absorbent cloth or paper towel if it is fresh.
Apply vinegar: Some couch fabrics can tolerate pure vinegar, while others may not. If your couch fabric can't tolerate 100% vinegar, dilute it with water (1:1 ratio). Allow the vinegar to sit on the spot for about 5 minutes and blot dry.
Sprinkle baking soda: Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda over the vinegar and cover the area with a damp cloth for at least 24 hours.
Rinse: Dampen a towel or a microfiber cloth with distilled water, blot the spot, and vacuum clean it.

Professional Couch Cleaning

Sometimes a pet spot on a couch is more than we want to deal with, or the whole couch could use a good cleaning anyway. Trust Zerorez to do the dirty work for you with our professional upholstery cleaning knowledge.

Zerorez's professional furniture cleaning treats even the most stubborn dog spots and odors on couches. Our professional couch cleaning services are affordable and readily available.

We use an industry-leading hot water extraction cleaning process, our proprietary Zr™ Water, and other treatments to ensure your couch is urine and odor-free.

We also offer Professional Pet Odor Treatment Services for carpets which: