If you notice a dog urine smell on your concrete patio you need to act fast to address the issue. This gives you the best chance of dealing with the smell and preventing stains, and you can seal the concrete later for lasting protection.
To clean dog urine from a concrete patio you need to use a positive ionization product or an enzymatic cleaner. These work the best at breaking down the compounds in dog urine that cause odors and stains.
In this article, we explain why you may have a dog urine smell (even if you don’t have dogs) and how you should prepare the area for proper cleaning. We go into the two most effective methods for cleaning dog urine and follow up with how you can protect your concrete in the future.
Why You Smell Dog Urine on Concrete Patio
If you have a dog then you understand how potent their urine can be. Most dogs like to go to the bathroom in the same area, and this can build up.
Concrete is more porous than people believe, so if your dog regularly goes to the bathroom here then all that urine gets soaked up and the scent starts to build up. The concrete holds onto the smell and will even start to stain if the issue is not dealt with.
If you don’t have a dog, you may have an animal visiting your concrete patio and treating it as a bathroom.
There’s also the chance that the people who lived in your home before you had a dog use the concrete patio as a bathroom. These smells can go dormant for years only to be reactivated by moisture in the future.
Dealing with dog urine on a concrete patio as soon as you notice it makes the job much easier than putting it off.
Prep Work for Cleaning Dog Urine from Concrete Patio
Before you get to work cleaning your concrete patio, make sure you rinse the entire area thoroughly. It’s best to clean the entire patio than wrongfully assume the urine is only in one area.
Three solutions work well for pre-treatment:
- Vinegar (2:1 with vinegar to hot water)
- Trisodium Phosphate (½ cup TSP crystals per gallon of hot water)
- Hydrogen Peroxide (2 cups Hydrogen Peroxide; 2 tsp baking soda; 2 drops of dish soap)
Make sure you wear protective gear like impermeable gloves and safety goggles (especially with TSP) and let this pretreatment sit for a while to help break down and neutralize the area.
Rinse the concrete thoroughly, then move forward with the cleaning method that works best for your situation.
Choosing the Right Method
The most effective methods for dealing with urine include enzymatic cleaners and positive ionization.
Enzymatic Cleaners
An enzymatic cleaner uses live bacteria to eat the odor-causing molecules before digesting them. This was once the most popular and recommended method of dealing with organic messes, but it’s losing popularity to positive ionization methods.
Enzymatic cleaners are the right choice if:
- You want to try to save money on your initial purchase
- You’re willing to put in the time and effort to save money
- You want to work with a more traditional method
Keep in mind that enzymatic cleaners have a shorter shelf life (about 6 months) before they lose potency, so you’re best off using everything you have in one go. You may also need to purchase more for follow-up applications in the future, and you need to allow ample time for the enzymatic process to work.
Positive Ionization
Using positive ions to clean urine is a more novel idea and may cost more, but it’s more effective at dealing with urine in concrete. The positive ions cancel out negative ones to break up dormant urine crystals, bringing them to the surface for proper neutralization.
This method is best if you can afford it, but it’s also well worth the investment if:
- You’ve already cleaned the area with another cleaner and there’s a lingering smell
- You need a more instant remedy
- You don’t like fragrances
- You plan on holding onto leftover material
Expect to pay twice as much for the same amount with a positive ionization cleaner, but consider that you may use twice as much of an enzymatic cleaner.
Cleaning Dog Urine from Concrete Patio with Enzymes
Pay attention to the label when using an enzymatic cleaner, and make sure you wear appropriate safety materials.
Once you’ve prepared the concrete surface, apply enough enzymatic cleaner to cover the cement. Cover it with a tarp or plastic liner to prevent evaporation, then leave the area alone for 24 to 48 hours.
If you live in a warmer area then you may need to reapply as the cleaner evaporates, but after you’ve let it sit you should assess the area. Rinse the concrete and let it dry in the sun, then check for lingering odor or stains.
If you notice either, treat the area again using the same method.
Your dog urine issue should clear up within 3 applications.
Cleaning Dog Urine from Concrete Patio with Positive Ionization
Some kits include odor eliminator liquid to help you prep the area, or you can use one of the methods above. You want to let this preliminary step soak down for a few minutes to help break up any old urine so the cleaner has the best chance of illuminating them completely.
The next step is to use odor-blocking granules to cover the wet area completely. Let these sit for at least 4 hours, then you can sweep them up or vacuum them away. The granules continue to pull apart the urine and draw it out. You may notice an increase in the odor and the granules may turn yellow.
The final step involves a fine powder that removes any remnants of odor. Let it sit over the area for as long as you can before vacuuming or sweeping up. This provides the finishing touch and addresses any leftover concerns.
How to Protect Concrete Patio from Dog Urine in the Future
After you are satisfied with cleaning dog urine from your concrete patio, look into using a concrete sealer to prevent this from happening again. This prevents the concrete from soaking up moisture, and it can lock in any leftover odors you may not notice.
You want a low-sheen sealer with a good anti-slip rating, and then you can enjoy your concrete patio without worrying about offending odors.
Conclusion
Cleaning dog urine from your concrete patio is a multi-step process, but it’s one that is well worth the effort. We hope this guide was helpful and that you can now enjoy your patio worry-free.
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