Puppy Accidents: Cleanup Steps That Stop Repeat Spots

Your puppy had an accident indoors. How you react and how you clean the spot both matter, because a spot that still smells can become the next accident. This guide covers the cleanup side of house training, using what the AKC, the ASPCA, the RSPCA, Humane World for Animals and UGA Extension say. For the full training plan, see Pet Cleanup Kit's potty training basics and its new puppy or kitten cleanup checklist.

Why puppies go back to the same spot

The AKC says: "Lingering scent can draw your dog back to the same area, reinforcing accidents." Its potty training guide adds: "In many cases, lingering odors are the culprit. Dogs frequently return to areas that still smell like previous accidents."

Humane World for Animals says: "As long as your pet can smell their personal scent, they may continue to return to the "accident zone."" Our guide on why dogs and cats keep peeing in the same spot goes deeper.

Sources: AKC, How to Get Rid of Dog Pee Stains and Smells; AKC, How to Potty Train a Puppy; Humane World for Animals, pet stains and odors.

Step 1: In the moment, interrupt calmly and go outside

The RSPCA says: "If you notice your dog about to go in the wrong place, interrupt them but in a way that doesn't punish them, for example calling their name." The AKC says: "If you catch your puppy beginning to urinate or defecate indoors, calmly pick them up and move them outside immediately."

Humane World for Animals says: "Calmly take your puppy to their outdoor potty spot. Praise and reward if they finish there."

Sources: RSPCA, How to Toilet Train Your Puppy or Dog; AKC, How to Potty Train a Puppy; Humane World for Animals, How to potty train your dog or puppy.

Step 2: Skip the scolding

Humane World for Animals is direct:

"Never punish your puppy for accidents. Scolding or rubbing their nose in it will only make them fearful and slow progress."

The ASPCA says: "But a dog will not learn anything by being scolded for a past accident, even one a few minutes old. Just clean it up and soldier on." On rubbing a dog's face in it, the ASPCA adds: "If she thinks that the waste itself is what you dislike, she'll only get sneakier about hiding it from you."

Sources: Humane World for Animals, How to potty train your dog or puppy; ASPCA, House Training Your Dog or Puppy.

Step 3: Clean the spot thoroughly

Speed helps. 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."

Humane World for Animals says: "Clean soiled areas thoroughly to remove scents that might encourage repeat accidents." For a wet spot on carpet, its stain guide says: "For pet urine removal, soak up as much of the urine as possible." and then: "Rinse the "accident zone" thoroughly with clean, cool water and blot dry."

The RSPCA suggests: "Simply clean the area using a warm solution of biological washing powder (one part washing powder to nine parts water) and rinse with water. This should remove the smell and reduce the chance of your dog using this area again."

Before you use any cleaner on carpet or fabric, UGA Extension says: "Always pretest each cleaning agent on an inconspicuous area first to determine colorfastness." Rugs need extra care, so see our guide to getting dog pee out of an area rug. On hard floors, see how to clean pet urine from laminate and vinyl plank floors or how to clean dog pee from tile and grout.

For poop or diarrhea, see our guide to how to clean dog poop and diarrhea out of carpet.

Sources: AKC, How to Get Rid of Dog Pee Stains and Smells; Humane World for Animals, potty training; Humane World for Animals, pet stains and odors; RSPCA; UGA Extension, Remove Stains From Urine (Human, Animal).

Step 4: Neutralize the odor

Getting the stain out is not the finish line. The AKC says: "Be sure to clean the area thoroughly using a odor-neutralizing product that removes lingering scents that could attract your puppy back to the same spot." Humane World for Animals says: "To get the smell of urine out of a carpet, use a high-quality pet odor neutralizer once the area is clean."

The AKC sums it up: "Thorough cleaning is essential to remove scent markers and discourage repeat behavior." For how odor cleaners work on urine, read our guide to odor cleaners for pet urine.

Sources: AKC, How to Potty Train a Puppy; AKC, How to Get Rid of Dog Pee Stains and Smells; Humane World for Animals, pet stains and odors.

What not to clean with

Humane World for Animals warns:

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

It also 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."

Source: Humane World for Animals, pet stains and odors.

Step 5: Block the spot or change what it means

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."

You can also put the scent to work in the right place. Its potty training guide says: "When cleaning up accidents outside the designated potty area, place the soiled paper towels or rags in the appropriate spot to help your puppy associate the scent with the correct bathroom location."

For a dog that marks, see our guide to dog marking indoors.

Sources: Humane World for Animals, pet stains and odors; Humane World for Animals, potty training.

Step 6: Supervise and limit space

Fewer unseen accidents means fewer spots to find later. The ASPCA says: "Limit the dog's run of the house to the one or two rooms where you are able to see her at all times." and "As the training begins to take hold, you can slowly enlarge her territory."

The AKC says: "Many owners expand access to the home too quickly." and "Gradually increasing freedom tends to be more successful than giving unrestricted access too early." On crates, it says: "The principle behind crate training is simple: dogs generally prefer not to soil their sleeping area." If your puppy has an accident in the crate, see how to clean dog pee in a crate or kennel.

Humane World for Animals adds: "If your puppy has been confined for several hours, take them straight to their potty spot as soon as you return." and "If your dog has an accident, try shortening the time between breaks." The schedule itself is covered in Pet Cleanup Kit's potty training basics.

Sources: ASPCA, House Training Your Dog or Puppy; AKC, How to Potty Train a Puppy; Humane World for Animals, potty training.

Missed spots and old stains

A spot you never found keeps drawing your puppy back. Humane World for Animals suggests: "Use your nose to sniff out soiled areas." For spots that have already dried, read how to get old, dried pet urine stains out.

Source: Humane World for Animals, pet stains and odors.

When to talk to your vet

If accidents keep happening despite clean spots and steady routines, the AKC says: "If the problem persists, talk to your veterinarian."

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

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". Test a hidden spot first: as UGA Extension says above, "Always pretest each cleaning agent on an inconspicuous area first to determine colorfastness." 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 UGA Extension, Remove Stains From Urine (Human, Animal).