How to Get Pet Urine Out of a Car Seat

Your dog or cat peed in the car: on a cloth seat, a leather seat, the carpet or a floor mat. This guide covers soaking it up fast, checking your owner's manual, testing a hidden spot, cloth versus leather seats, removable mats, urine that has soaked deep into the seat, drying, and how to stop it happening on the next trip. It uses what Kia and Polestar owner's manuals, the AKC, Humane World for Animals and the ASPCA say.

Step 1: Soak it up right away

The AKC says: "Regardless of what your dog has peed on, your best course of action is to act fast. The sooner you get to it, the more likely you'll be able to remove all traces of urine odor." Polestar's owner's manual gives the same advice for the cabin: "If you get a stain on the vehicle's interior, such as on the headlining or seat upholstery, clean it as soon as possible."

For fabric, Humane World for Animals says: "For pet urine removal, soak up as much of the urine as possible." Its method: "Place a thick layer of paper towels on the wet spot and cover that with a thick layer of newspaper." Press down rather than scrub. Polestar's manual says: "Never scrape or rub dirty surfaces. Instead, use gentle circular motions."

Sources: AKC, How to Get Rid of Dog Pee Stains and Smells; Polestar 3 owner's manual, Cleaning fabrics and textiles; Humane World for Animals, pet stains and odors.

Step 2: Check your owner's manual and test a hidden spot

Car interiors are not the same as a sofa at home. The AKC notes: "Upholstery or car interiors may require deeper cleaning or specialized products designed for those surfaces." Your owner's manual is the place to start. Polestar's says: "Only use cleaning agents and vehicle care products recommended by Polestar, and follow the instructions for each product." Kia's warns: "Using anything but recommended cleaners and procedures may affect the fabric's appearance and fire-resistant properties."

Kia's manual also says: "If necessary, use a mixture of warm water and mild non-detergent cleaner (test all cleaners on a concealed area before use)."

Two warnings matter in a car. Kia says: "Never allow water or other liquids to contact electrical/electronic components inside the vehicle as this may damage them." And if your seats have side airbags, Polestar says:

"Never spray a cleaning agent directly on the sides of seats with side airbags. Instead, wipe them clean with a cloth lightly dampened with a suitable cleaning agent."

Sources: AKC; Polestar 3 owner's manual, Cleaning fabrics and textiles; Kia owner's manual, Interior care.

Cloth seats

Kia's manual says: "Remove fresh spots immediately with a fabric spot cleaner. If fresh spots do not receive immediate attention, the fabric can stain and its color can be affected." Polestar's method for fabric is: "Clean the area with a neutral-colored, clean microfiber cloth that is lightly dampened with water or a colorless, mild cleaning agent." It also notes: "Cleaning only isolated spots on the upholstery can leave water rings or other marks."

Keep heat away from the stain. Humane World for Animals says: "Avoid using steam cleaners to clean urine odors from carpet or upholstery. The heat will permanently set the stain and the odor by bonding the protein into any man-made fibers." The AKC agrees: "Avoid heat or steam, which can lock in urine odors". Our guide to dog pee on a couch and Pet Cleanup Kit's guide to cleaning pet stains from couch upholstery cover fabric in more depth; check any method against your car's manual.

Sources: Kia owner's manual, Interior care; Polestar 3 owner's manual; Humane World for Animals; AKC.

Leather seats

Follow your carmaker's leather care instructions. Kia's manual says: "Remove all contaminants instantly." On cleaners, it says:

"When cleaning leather products (steering wheel, seats etc.), use neutral detergents or low alcohol content solutions. If you use high alcohol content solutions or acid/alkaline detergents, the color of the leather may fade or the surface may get stripped."

Polestar's leather page says: "Do not use a steam cleaner on leather." and "Let the leather dry fully before further use or applying any treatments."

Sources: Kia owner's manual, Interior care; Polestar 3 owner's manual, Cleaning leather.

Floor mats and car carpet

If the accident landed on a removable mat, Polestar says: "Remove the mats for separate cleaning and access to the floor." Then: "Let the mat dry fully before putting it back."

Putting the mat back properly matters for driving. Polestar warns:

"Only use one mat for each seat and make sure the mats are properly fastened using all pins. If the driver's mat is not properly attached, it can move around and hinder driving by getting caught near or under the pedals."

Source: Polestar 3 owner's manual, Cleaning mats.

Step 3: Let it dry fully

Do not sit on a damp seat or put things back too soon. For fabric, Polestar says: "Let the material dry fully before use." The same manual gives matching advice for leather and mats, quoted above.

Source: Polestar 3 owner's manual, Cleaning fabrics and textiles.

When urine soaked into the seat foam

If the smell stays after the surface looks clean, the urine may be deep in the cushion. Asked why a smell remains after cleaning, the AKC says: "Urine may have soaked into padding, upholstery, or wood. Repeated treatments or professional cleaning may be necessary." It adds:

"If odors linger despite repeated cleaning, or if there are multiple or deep stains, professional cleaning may be the best option. This is especially useful for carpets, upholstery, and car interiors."

In that case, call a professional detailer or upholstery cleaner. For an older stain, read how to get old, dried pet urine stains out and our guide to enzyme cleaners for pet urine, and check them against your owner's manual.

See our guide to why pet urine smell can come back after cleaning.

Source: AKC, How to Get Rid of Dog Pee Stains and Smells.

Prevent it next time

Getting the smell out helps. The AKC says: "Lingering scent can draw your dog back to the same area, reinforcing accidents." Our guide on why dogs and cats keep peeing in the same spot explains more.

Seat covers. The AKC says: "If you're worried about your seats, there are plenty of dog car seat covers to protect your upholstery." It also says: "It's optimal for dogs to be in the backseat of the car over the front so that they're not harmed by air bags." For towels or blankets used in the car, see how to get pet pee smell out of clothes, bedding and towels.

Crates and carriers. The ASPCA says: "Keep your pets safe and secure in a well-ventilated crate or carrier." Humane World for Animals says: "The safest way for your dog to travel in the car is in a crate that has been anchored to the vehicle using a seat belt or other secure means." For cats: "Most cats aren't comfortable traveling in cars, so for their safety as well as yours, keep them in a carrier." If your dog has an accident in its crate, see how to clean dog pee in a crate or kennel.

Breaks. The AKC says: "Stop every few hours to give your dog a chance to go." Humane World for Animals says: "Stop frequently to allow your pet to exercise and eliminate".

If accidents keep happening, Humane World for Animals says: "If your pet is having regular accidents, have them checked by a veterinarian to rule out medical causes."

Sources: AKC, dog urine stains; AKC, How to Keep Your Dog Comfortable During Car Rides; ASPCA, Travel Safety Tips; Humane World for Animals, Travel safely with your pet; Humane World for Animals, pet stains and odors.

Using P-Cleaner

P-Cleaner is the Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator Foaming Liquid from Pet Cleanup Kit. The product listing says: "Our rinse-free, water-based formula tackles the toughest stains and odors from urine, feces, vomit, and other organic messes on carpets, rugs, upholstery, and hard surfaces." It also says: "Works on carpets, upholstery, tile, and more.", "No scrubbing necessary" and "Odor-Free & Residue-Free". Check your vehicle owner's manual first, and as Kia's manual says above, "test all cleaners on a concealed area before use". For leather seats, follow your carmaker's leather care instructions. Follow the directions on the product label.

Still hunting for spots? The full kit includes a black light.

Buy P-Cleaner on petcleanupkit.com

Quoted from the petcleanupkit.com product listing and the Kia owner's manual, Interior care.