Knowing how to remove black urine stains from hardwood floors will help you get rid of the ugly mess. It could also prepare you for what to expect when you bring pets home.

Pets are fun to have around: they are cuddly, playful, and loyal, just like kids. However, sometimes they misbehave and relieve themselves on your hardwood floor, resulting in a foul smell and ugly black spots.

This article will show you how to eliminate black urine stains and odor and ways to prevent it from happening.

Let’s dive in.

How to Remove Black Urine Stains from Hardwood Floors

You can use vinegar and grapefruit oil cleaning solution to remove black urine stains—Mix 1 quart of warm water with 1 cup of white vinegar and a teaspoon of grapefruit oil. Saturate the urine stain and scrub with an abrasive sponge. When the stain and smell fade away, pat the spot dry and let it air dry.

Proven Techniques to Remove Pet Urine Stains from Hardwood Floors

Before removing stains from wood, ensure you have located where each pee spot is. However, if you can’t find all the spots with your bare eye, find them using a black light.

First, switch off the lights and ensure the room is dark. Then shine the black light on all the areas of your floor. The pet urine stains will glow with a faint green or yellow color. Mark the spots and then start the stain removal process.

Technique 1: Blot out fresh urine on the spot using an absorbent cloth

Act fast when you notice a puddle of dog urine on your hardwood floor.

Step 1: Soak up the urine using several rolls of paper towels.

Step 2: Replace the paper towels and apply sufficient pressure to suck up every ounce of the pet urine. 

Step 3: When the wet spot is completely dry, wipe the area using a cloth dampened in fragrant soapy water. The fragrant dish soap will help to eliminate the dog’s urine smell

Technique 2: Remove stains with warm water and dish soap

Although this solution won’t tackle the black urine stains, it will help address a recently peed-on surface. You can make it more potent by adding a bit of baking soda and white vinegar or hydrogen peroxide.

Step 1: Prepare the cleaning solution by mixing a few drops of dish soap, baking soda, and vinegar or peroxide in warm water.

Step 2: Dip your brush or sponge into the mixture and rub it on the stained area. Saturate the spot and let the solution sit for five minutes to soak the urine.

Step 3: Wipe off the cleaning solution from the spot using a soft cloth. Let the hardwood floor dry.

Technique 3: Remove urine stains with grapefruit oil and white vinegar

This is a reliable solution for eliminating pet stains and odors from your hardwood floor. These products are probably already in your pantry.

Grapefruit oil is a foul odor remover, and white vinegar is a natural disinfectant that will lighten the black urine stain.

Step 1: Pour a quart of lukewarm water into a bucket or container.

Step 2: Add a cup of white vinegar to the bucket.

Step 3: Add a teaspoon of grapefruit oil.

Step 4: Stir the contents to create a well-mixed cleaning solution.

Step 5: Dip a non-abrasive sponge or brush into the solution and start scrubbing the stained area of the hardwood floor. Concentrate on the heavily-pigmented spots.

Step 6: Wipe the surface with a clean cloth once the cleaning process is complete and the stains have faded.

Technique 4: Use baking soda to remove pet stains

Baking soda works better as a supplement to vinegar solution or peroxide cleaning process. Baking soda helps to deodorize animal urine smell and dry up damp spots occasioned by dog urine or cleaning solution.

Use baking soda as a cleaning product.

Step 1: Mix baking soda with vinegar to get a soft paste.

Step 2: Brush the paste onto the stained floor. Apply more paste and let it sit for an hour.

Step 3: Clean the residues of the stain and cleaning process using a vacuum.

Step 4: Wipe the hardwood floor using a cloth dampened in water and let it dry.

Technique 5: Try commercial cleaners like enzyme cleaner

Enzymatic cleaners are non-toxic and efficient at eliminating urine. These commercial enzyme cleaners contain natural enzymes activated upon contact with urine stains and odor.

These enzymes neutralize ammonia crystals and organic matter until they are eliminated. This process removes lingering and unwanted smells and stains from hardwood floors.

Depending on the enzyme cleaner you use, apply it to the affected area following the manufacturer’s prescription. Repeat the process as many times as necessary, especially if you have old black stains.

Homemade citrus enzyme cleaner for removing black urine stains

You can make your enzyme cleaner for the stain removal process.

The steps

Step1: Place 1 ½  cup of lemon or orange peels into a container.

Step 2: Add 7 tablespoons of brown sugar and follow with 1 quart of water.

Step 3: Secure the lid on the container and shake to dissolve the sugar.

Step 4: Open the lid slightly and then store the product in a cool and dry place for 3 months. The opened lid will let gasses out as the contents ferment.

Step 5: After the 3 months, shake the container and strain the liquid into a spray bottle.

Spray your homemade enzyme cleaner on the stained area, and scrub the stain using fine-grade steel wool and a little elbow grease. Repeat the stain removal process until the stain is completely removed. 

Technique 6: Remove black urine stains using hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is a type of bleach cleaner that can cause mild discoloration on the treated wood. It removes the urine residue from the hardwood and lightens the surface.

Use this method, especially if the hardwood floor stains are old and heavily pigmented.

Step 1: Saturate a soft cloth with 3% hydrogen peroxide and use it to scrub on the urine stain. Ensure you cover the entire stained spot with peroxide chemical cleaner.

Step 2: Cover the affected area with a fresh absorbent cloth or paper towel.

Step 3: Pour peroxide on the cloth or towel to saturate the stained area.

Step 4: Cover the saturated surface with plastic film to keep it wet. Let the product sit for a few hours.

Step 5: Check if the urine stains have lifted off the surface. If not, repeat the process.

Step 6: Wash the wood floor with water and mild soap once the animal urine stain has come off completely.

Scuff the surface and refinish with a clear coat sealer if you notice mild discoloration on the hardwood floor.

 Technique 7: Remove black urine stains using wood bleach

If you have wood bleach at your disposal, you can use it to remove pet urine stains from wood floors. This product is a chemical cleaner; therefore, wear gloves and a respirator mask and only use it in a well-ventilated area.

Sand the surface slightly to open pores and then apply bleach to the wood. Let it work for the recommended time on the product’s user manual. Repeat as necessary.

Note: Only use wood bleach on light-colored woods; otherwise, wood bleach will cause some discoloration on dark wood.

Technique 8: Use hand scrapers

If the urine stains are old and extremely difficult to remove; or haven’t come off despite using the cleaning solutions mentioned above, it’s time to scrape off that top layer.

If you have the hand scrapers already, get to work! But if you need to buy them, go to the nearest hardware shop and sample the perfect one for the job.

Scrape the stains going in the direction of the wood grain. Also, don’t scrape too deep into the wood to avoid creating a nasty divot.

Don’t worry about the scratches you’re creating; sandpaper grit will smooth that out. Finally, clean the wood floor using a vacuum and then reapply the surface finish seal coat.

Technique 9: Sand and refinish the hardwood floor

You can sand off urine stains if they haven’t sunk too deep into the wood.

Sand the wood going with the grain. Start with medium grit and finish with a fine-grit sandpaper. Once you’ve sanded off the urine stain completely, vacuum the dust and wipe with a tack cloth.

Expect the sanded floor to look distinct from the rest of the space. And that’s when you refinish it with the same sealer coat applied to the entire hardwood floor. Make sure the entire floor is uniform.

Read also: Best pet-safe wood finishes

How to Prevent Animal Urine Stains on Hardwood Floors

Before we get to prevention, we first determine the trigger and then decide on the appropriate response.

Why do pets pee in the house? Pets can pee accidentally from excitement or fear, especially young ones. While some adult dogs, especially male dogs, can pee on the floor to mark territory.

Also, it could be that the pet needs retraining or they have an underlying medical condition.

Here are some ways to keep pets from urinating on hardwood floors.

Train or retrain your pet

Picture of Animal Urine Stains on Hardwood Floors

If you recently brought home young pets, you need to house-train them to use their litter boxes. However, if you have older pets and they randomly start peeing, you probably need to retrain them. 

Ensure that the pet litter box (large plastic tub) is large enough for male dogs to pee. You can buy pet litters from pet shops and ensure they have paper pellets that filter out pet odors.

Also, praise pets when they successfully use their litter boxes to encourage the behavior.

Give regular potty breaks

Just like kids, some pets can hold their pee longer than others. Overstretching their holding capacity will lead to pee accidents.

For example, let your puppies take a potty break hourly, after meals, after naps, and in the evening before bedtime.

Spay or neuter your pets

This is for the case of pet dogs marking territory with their pee. This is often a sign of sex hormones, and they need to mate. To prevent the recurrence of this behavior, spay or neuter them.

But if you have older pets marking the floor, it may be due to introducing a new pet or baby to the family. In this case, calm them and teach them to live with the new addition.

Check with the vet for underlying medical conditions

Sometimes accidents happen despite having trained your dog, and there’s no other physical trigger you can link to their behavior.

However, if the behavior becomes a pattern, take them to a vet. That way, you can treat or rule out medical conditions. 

Clean up pee accidents thoroughly

Pets, especially dogs, have advanced smell receptors. You may fail to notice a pee smell, but a pet can trace where it is and decide to urinate on the same spot.

It is essential to clean out urine stains thoroughly and eliminate the pungent odor. Use a cleaning solution that leaves your space looking and smelling clean.

FAQs

How do you get black urine stains out of hardwood floors?

You can rub a vinegar and baking soda paste on the stain and wipe it off after an hour. Alternatively, you can blot the black stains by saturating the spot with hydrogen peroxide for several hours. Finally, scrape the stained surface, sand, and refinish the hardwood floors if all else fails. 

Can dog pee cause black stains on wooden floor?

Yes. Dog pee is one of the major causes of black stained wood floors. Dog pee contains ammonia, which causes wood discoloration. In addition, when the urine sits on the wooden floor for long periods, it will seep into the wood, darken and make it hard to remove.

What is the best method to remove black dog urine stains from hardwood floors? 

Remove black dog urine stains from hardwood floors using hydrogen peroxide. Soak a clean cloth in 3% hydrogen peroxide and rub it on the stain. Then place an absorbent cloth on the stain and saturate it with peroxide. Let the peroxide-soaked cloth sit on the spot until the stain fades away. Finally, wash the floor with water and pat dry.

What is the best method to remove black cat urine stains from hardwood floors?

Baking soda and distilled white vinegar will remove cat urine stains from hardwood floors. First, mix baking soda with vinegar to get a soft paste. Then rub the paste on the stain using fine grade steel wool. Apply more paste and let it sit for an hour. Wipe off the residue with a dusting cloth.

How to remove water stains from wood

To remove fresh water stains from wood, start by blotting up as much of the water as possible with a clean cloth. Then, use a mild detergent and a damp cloth to gently scrub the stain. If the stain is still visible, you can try using a mild abrasive, such as sandpaper, to remove it. If the stain is stubborn, you may need to use a stronger cleanser, such as bleach or vinegar.

Related Post: Best Pet Safe Wood Finish

Conclusion

Now that you know how to remove black urine stains from hardwood floors and prevent them from happening, you’re well on your way to successful pet ownership.

Pet accidents happen, but they can easily morph into habits if you don’t act fast. Of all the various ways of removing black urine stains from wood, I prefer using hydrogen peroxide. You saturate the stain and let it work. 

If you have a urine stain to remove from wood floors, let us know which methods work for you.

Leave a Comment