How to Clean Pet Urine From a Wool Rug

A dog or cat has peed on your wool rug: a handmade, hand-tufted, Persian or oriental, or flatweave rug. This guide covers what to do first, how much water to use, testing for dye bleeding, drying, the backing and pad, and when to call a rug cleaner, using what WoolSafe, The Woolmark Company, the Carpet and Rug Institute, rug makers, the AKC and Humane World for Animals say.

Act quickly

The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) says: "The key is to act quickly!" The rug maker Surya says the same in its rug guide:

"Clean spills immediately. Once a stain is set it becomes much more difficult to clean."

Jaipur Living's advice for wool is short: "For 100% wool rugs, blot spills right away with mild soap and cold water."

Sources: Carpet and Rug Institute, Cleaning and Maintenance; Surya, Rug Guide; Jaipur Living, rug cleaning guide.

Blot, do not rub or scrub

Soak up as much urine as you can before you add anything. The CRI says:

"Blot liquids with a dry, white absorbent cloth or plain white paper towels (no prints or colors). Using a printed or colored material may transfer ink or dye to your damp carpet. Continue blotting until the area is nearly dry."

A loose rug lets you reach the underside too. Humane World for Animals says:

"Place a thick layer of paper towels on the wet spot and cover that with a thick layer of newspaper. If possible, put newspaper under the soiled area as well. Stand on this padding for about a minute and repeat until the area is barely damp."

Do not rub. Surya says: "Work from the outer edges of the spill towards the center to prevent spreading. Never rub a spill as this forces the spill deeper into the rug." The CRI adds:

"Warning: do not scrub or use a brush. Bristles and scrubbing can damage carpet. Fraying and texture change are the likely results."

Sources: Carpet and Rug Institute; Humane World for Animals, pet stains and odors; Surya, Rug Guide.

Use a little water, not a soaking

Surya's method for what is left after blotting:

"To remove any residual staining, dampen a cotton cloth or clean paper towel with clean, cold/lukewarm water. Gently blot with the damp cloth and quickly absorb the moisture on the rug."

WoolSafe warns against too much water on wool carpet:

"With all wet cleaning techniques, it is important to avoid over-wetting the carpet as this will greatly lengthen the drying time and may cause problems with discolouration of the pile."

Sources: Surya, Rug Guide; WoolSafe, The Cleaning and Maintenance of Wool Carpets (PDF).

Test for dye bleeding first

Before any cleaner touches the rug, check the label and test it. Jaipur Living says: "Always check the back of your rug for specialized cleaning rules." The Woolmark Company's stain tips for wool say:

"When possible, pre-test any treatment in an unseen area to check for any appearance change, colour loss or dye-bleeding."

Household cleaners are a risk on wool. WoolSafe's guide for wool carpets and rugs says:

"Never use any detergents such as dish washing liquids, soaps or other cleaners recommended for general household use. Although they may clean your carpet satisfactorily they will almost certainly cause problems such as rapid re-soiling, colour bleeding or other damage to the pile or backing of the carpet."

WoolSafe also names alkaline products: "high alkalinity (often, but by no means always, reflected in high pH) can cause colour bleeding with dyed yarns".

Sources: Jaipur Living; The Woolmark Company, Removing stains from wool; WoolSafe, The safe way to care for your wool carpets and rugs (PDF); WoolSafe, The Cleaning and Maintenance of Wool Carpets (PDF).

WoolSafe's steps for a fresh urine stain

The WoolSafe Stain Wizard lists these steps for "Urine (fresh stain)":

"Blot up as much of the spill as possible using a clean white cloth, tissue or paper towel"
"Apply WoolSafe Approved Pet Stain Remover (if available in your region) to a white cloth and blot. Repeat until no more stain transfers to the cloth"
"Repeat the blotting with clean water again to remove any residues"
"Dry the treated area with white cloth, tissue or paper towel"
"Groom cut pile carpet with a soft brush to align the pile (not necessary for loop pile carpets)"

Keep heat off the spot. The CRI says:

"Don't use a steam cleaner when dealing with urine spots because the heat will set the stain and the smell. Instead, extract the spill with a wet vacuum and rinse with cool water to reduce the odor."

Sources: WoolSafe Stain Wizard, Urine (fresh stain); Carpet and Rug Institute.

When urine reaches the backing or pad

Turn the rug over and check the back, the rug pad and the floor. On how hand-tufted rugs are built, Jaipur Living says: "A cotton-latex backing offers the rug stability and helps hold the yarn in place." The AKC explains why a smell can stay after cleaning:

"Urine may have soaked into padding, upholstery, or wood. Repeated treatments or professional cleaning may be necessary."

For more, see our guides to pet urine in carpet padding and getting dog pee out of an area rug, which covers the floor under a rug.

Sources: Jaipur Living; AKC, How to Get Rid of Dog Pee Stains and Smells.

When to call a professional rug cleaner

For old urine, the WoolSafe Stain Wizard says: "This type of stain requires immediate action by a professional cleaner." Nourison's stain chart lists pet urine with the advice "Call a reputable cleaner". For handmade rugs, Surya says:

"Handmade rugs require a different cleaning process than wall-to-wall carpet, so be sure to choose a professional rug cleaning expert."

For Persian and oriental rugs, the CRI says: "Clean imported rugs according to the carpet manufacturer's specifications or use a professional cleaning service. Be gentle with fringe. For heirloom-type rugs, hire professionals." WoolSafe's advice on choosing a cleaner: "To get a really expert job done entrust the work to a WoolSafe Approved Service Provider."

For older spots, see how to get old, dried pet urine stains out.

Sources: WoolSafe Stain Wizard, Urine (old stain); Nourison, Rug and Carpet Care; Surya, Rug Guide; Carpet and Rug Institute; WoolSafe (PDF).

If the smell comes back

The AKC says: "If odors linger despite repeated cleaning, or if there are multiple or deep stains, professional cleaning may be the best option." Our guide to pet urine smell that came back after cleaning goes through the common reasons.

Source: AKC.

Stop repeat accidents on the rug

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

"Once the area is clean, make it unattractive and/or unavailable to your pet and make the appropriate bathroom area attractive. As long as your pet can smell their personal scent, they may continue to return to the "accident zone.""

"If your pet is having regular accidents, have them checked by a veterinarian to rule out medical causes."

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." The listing does not mention wool. Check your rug's care label and test a hidden area first, as The Woolmark Company advises above. Follow the directions on the product label.

Buy P-Cleaner on petcleanupkit.com

Quoted from the petcleanupkit.com product listing.