How to Clean Pet Urine From Laminate and Vinyl Plank Floors

Your dog or cat peed on a laminate floor or on luxury vinyl plank (LVP or LVT). This guide covers wiping it up fast, why standing liquid and seams matter, which cleaners and mops the floor makers say to use or avoid, finding dried spots, what to do when urine got under the planks and how to stop repeat accidents. It uses what Pergo, Quick-Step, Shaw, COREtec, Mannington, the AKC and Humane World for Animals say.

Step 1: Wipe 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."

Mannington's laminate care page says: "Promptly remove all liquid spills, including pet urine." For luxury vinyl, Shaw says: "Immediately blot spills with a clean, white, absorbent cloth or paper towel."

Sources: AKC, How to Get Rid of Dog Pee Stains and Smells; Mannington, Laminate Care and Maintenance; Shaw Floors, Luxury Vinyl Care.

Why standing liquid and seams matter

On laminate, watch the joints between planks. Pergo explains: "It is important not to let moisture penetrate joints". It warns that "Even if the floor appears to be dry shortly afterwards, wetting the floor often can cause the surface to fade, the floor to become discoloured, swell, curl up or even cause the laminate to fall apart." Mannington's tip is short: "Never flood the floor with water."

For vinyl plank, COREtec says:

"COREtec luxury vinyl planks are a 100% waterproof flooring option because they won't swell or crack when exposed to water. Nonetheless, you should still remove wet spills as soon as possible."

Sources: Pergo, Can I steam clean my floor?; Mannington; COREtec, Your Guide to Cleaning LVP Flooring; Shaw Floors, Luxury Vinyl Care.

Step 2: Rinse and dry the spot

On luxury vinyl, COREtec's steps for a wet spill are: "Use a white cloth or paper towel to dab the spill and absorb the moisture. Use a damp white cloth or paper towel to rinse any spill that isn't water. Blot the area dry."

If you need a cleaner on vinyl, COREtec says: "Just make sure you select one that is pH-neutral and neither acidic nor alkaline. Using any other type of cleaner could damage your vinyl flooring planks or their finish." Shaw also says to "Use a Shaw recommended neutral ph cleaner."

For laminate, Shaw's laminate page says: "Use cleaning products made specifically for laminate floor care" and "Do not wash or wet mop the floor with soap, water, oil-soap detergent or any other liquid cleaning product." Quick-Step adds: "We advise you to choose cleaning products that are recommended by Quick-Step" and "Always follow the instructions on your maintenance products".

Sources: COREtec; Shaw Floors, Luxury Vinyl Care; Shaw Floors, Laminate Care; Quick-Step, How to maintain & repair your laminate floor.

Cleaners to keep off the floor

Shaw says for luxury vinyl:

"Avoid using abrasive cleaners, ammonia-based products, vinegar-based products and harsh chemicals, as they can damage the luxury vinyl's surface. Always refer to your care guide for a complete list of products to use and avoid."

COREtec says to prevent damage "by refraining from the use of products that contain detergent, vinegar, wax, citrus or floor polish." For laminate, Shaw says: "Avoid using steel wool, abrasive cleaners, or strong ammoniated or chlorinated type cleaners."

Humane World for Animals says: "Avoid cleaning chemicals such as ammonia or vinegar. Strong chemical odors may encourage your pet to reinforce the urine scent mark in that area."

Sources: Shaw Floors, Luxury Vinyl Care; COREtec; Shaw Floors, Laminate Care; Humane World for Animals, pet stains and odors.

Steam mops and wet mopping

On steam cleaning, Pergo explains: "Steam cleaners force moisture down into the floor". It recommends instead: "Instead of steaming, we recommend that you vacuum the floor as often as you can and damp mop it once a week. Avoid using bleach and wet mops."

For luxury vinyl, COREtec says: "You should refrain from using a steam mop to clean your luxury vinyl flooring, unless this cleaning method is specifically approved for use in the manufacturer's cleaning guidelines." Its FAQ says: "Stay away from steam mops, unless they are approved for your specific product".

About urine smell, the AKC says: "Avoid heat or steam, which can lock in urine odors".

Sources: Pergo, Can I steam clean my floor?; COREtec; COREtec, Flooring FAQs; AKC.

Finding dried spots

Humane World for Animals says: "In some cases, old messes will have dried invisibly and be hard to locate." Its tips are:

"Use your nose to sniff out soiled areas."
"Examine the suspect area closely to catch hard-to-find soiling."
"If you have a black light, use it to identify soiled areas and lightly outline the areas with chalk."

The AKC says: "Urine stain detectors help identify spots where your dog has peed, even if they're not wet anymore." See how to find pet urine with a black light for the full method.

For a dried spot on luxury vinyl, COREtec says: "Gently agitate a damp white cloth or paper towel over the spot. Then blot the area dry." If the smell stays, read how to get old, dried pet urine stains out and our guide to enzyme cleaners for pet urine, and check them against your floor's care guide.

Sources: Humane World for Animals; AKC; COREtec.

When urine got under the planks

If the smell keeps coming back after the surface is clean and dry, the AKC is worth reading closely. Asked why a house still smells 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."

If a laminate plank is damaged, Pergo says: "With a laminate floor, it is easy to replace a broken panel." Quick-Step says: "Sometimes, however, a board is damaged so badly that you'll have to replace it". Pergo also notes: "A skilled floor installer can cut out and replace a plank using generally the same method as with a parquet floor." If your floor is real wood rather than laminate, see how to clean pet urine from hardwood floors. For tile, see how to clean dog pee from tile and grout.

Sources: AKC; Pergo, How can I change a plank in the middle of the floor?; Quick-Step, How can I repair a damaged laminate board?.

Prevent repeat accidents

Asked whether a dog will keep peeing in the same spot, the AKC says: "Yes, if odor remains. Thorough cleaning is essential to remove scent markers and discourage repeat behavior."

Humane World for Animals suggests:

"Once the area is clean, make it unattractive and/or unavailable to your pet and make the appropriate bathroom area attractive."

"Watch your dog when they are indoors for signs that they are thinking about urinating and calmly take them outside."

It also says: "If your pet is having regular accidents, have them checked by a veterinarian to rule out medical causes." Read more in why dogs and cats keep peeing in the same spot. For a puppy, see puppy accidents: cleanup steps that stop repeat spots.

If urine also reached a wall, see our guide to how to clean dog pee off baseboards and walls.

Sources: AKC; 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 floor maker's care instructions first, as Shaw advises above: "Always refer to your care guide for a complete list of products to use and avoid." 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.