Did you grow up with dogs and carpets?
If so, you know that the two can be a messy combination. When house training a puppy or if your older dog is having accidents, here’s how to remove stubborn dog poop stains (& smells) from your carpet.
I want to save your carpet (and your nose) from the horrors of dog poop stains.
To do this, I’ve compiled a guide on natural, synthetic, and homemade stain removers that are pet safe.
I also give some advice on how to prevent your dog from pooping in the house in the first place.
Let’s begin!
1. Remove Stubborn Dog Poop Stains Using Natural Stain Removers
You might be worried about the presence of synthetic chemicals in your home, but that doesn’t mean that you must live with stinky poop stains on your carpet!
There are many effective stain removers out there that use natural ingredients to clean away stains while not compromising your family’s safety.
(If you’re on a budget or enjoy DIYs, scroll to our ‘Homemade Stain Removers’ section for solutions that use common household items.)
Buncha Farmers Stain Stick
Image Credit: Amazon
If using an all-natural stain remover is important to you, then you’ll want to try Buncha Farmers’ 100% biodegradable stain remover stick.
Made in Canada, this product has a pleasant lemon scent and won’t leave discoloration marks on your carpet.
Materials Needed:
- Buncha Farmers Stain Stick
- Hot Water
- Container
- Clean white towel
Method:
Step 1: Spray or pour hot water directly onto your carpet stain.
Step 2: Rub the stain stick directly onto the dampened stain to apply, or fill a spray bottle with hot water and grate some of the stick into the bottle. Mix well before spraying.
Step 3: Finish cleaning your carpet as you normally would!
Simple Green Oxy Dog Stain & Odor Oxidizer
Image Credit: Amazon
This popular cleaner uses the natural power of peroxide to remove tough stains like urine, feces, and vomit from both hard and carpeted surfaces.
Remember to test in a hidden spot for discoloration first and always use a white towel to avoid transferring color onto your carpet!
Materials Needed:
- Simple Green Oxy Dog Stain & Odor Oxidizer
- White towel or paper towel
- Water
Method:
Step 1: Clean up the poop mess as much as possible.
Step 2: Saturate the area thoroughly with the product.
Step 3: Let it sit for five-minute before blotting gently the stain with a white towel or paper towel.
Step 4: Dampen your towel and blot the area with water to rinse. Allow the carpet to dry completely before using it again.
Also Read: How To Stop a Dog From Peeing In the House
2. Removing Dog Poop Stains Using Synthetic Stain Removers
Synthetic stain removers use chemical compounds to cleanse and remove stains in a way that regular soaps can’t.
Although they get a bad rep, most synthetic stain removers are safe for use around kids and pets as long as they are used as directed and stored out of reach.
Nature’s Miracle Advanced Stain and Odor Eliminator for Severe Dog Messes
Image Credit: Amazon
This highly recommended synthetic stain remover uses an enzyme-based formula to fight severe messes and chlorine dioxide to disinfect.
It helps stop your dog from pooping in the same spot again by removing odors that are hard to get out.
Materials Needed:
- Nature's Miracle (Undiluted)
- Clean cloth or soft bristle brush
Method:
Step 1: Clean up as much of the mess as possible then soak the stain with the product
Step 2: Allow the product to work for 15 minutes.
Step 3: To remove a stubborn stain, use a clean cloth or soft bristle brush for one minute before allowing the carpet to air dry for 24 hours.
Folex Instant Carpet Spot Remover
Image Credit: Amazon
Folex is a USA-made stain remover that’s been around for 40 years.
It’s a good product to have because it works on all kinds of stains, including pet accidents, food, red wine, coffee, dirt and more.
Materials Needed:
- Folex Instant Carpet Spot Remover
- Clean towel
Method:
Step 1: Saturate the stain with your Folex spray bottle and watch it start to work instantly.
Step 2: Use a clean cloth to blot the stain.
Step 3: Let air dry.
3. Remove Dog Poop Stains Using Homemade Stain Removers
If you’re on a tight budget or live somewhere remote and can’t buy a good quality natural or synthetic stain remover, don’t fret.
Many pet owners have shared their Do It Yourself, homemade stain removers online and some of them work just as well as the ones you can buy pre-made.
Homemade Lemon Carpet Cleaner
Homemade lemon carpet cleaner can be made using ingredients that a lot of people have at home already.
This natural cleanser may need to be applied more than once for tough stains, and remember to test it on a small section of carpet first in case it causes discoloration.
Materials Needed:
- 1 cup of distilled white vinegar
- 1 cup of hot water
- 2 tbsp of baking soda
- 20 drops of lemon essential oil
- Spray bottle or bucket
- Clean cloth
- Towel or paper towel
Method:
Step 1: Mix all of the ingredients in a spray bottle or bucket and mix until the baking soda is fully dissolved.
Step 2: Soak your carpet and blot the stain with a clean cloth.
Step 3: Use paper towel or a dry hand towel to soak up excess moisture.
Dawn Dish Soap
Dawn dish soap is known for getting greasy stains out of carpets, but for protein-based stains like pet accidents, Dawn Plus is the better option.
Keep in mind that this is only safe for carpets that don’t have silk or wool fiber.
Materials Needed:
- Two buckets
- Two white rags
- 1 tbsp Dawn Plus dish soap
- 1/4 cup White distilled vinegar
- Towel
Step 1: Combine 1 tbsp of Dawn Plus dish soap with 2 cups of warm water in a bucket.
Step 2: In second bucket, combine ¼ cup vinegar with 4 cups of warm water.
Step 3: Dip a clean white rag into the soapy water and blot the stain to clean the area.
Step 4: To remove the soap, dip the second clean rag in the vinegar solution and blot the area again.
Step 5: Rinse again using plain water and soak up the excess moisture with your dry towel.
Another successful miracle stain remover combination is using original blue Dawn, Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide as explained by this YouTuber getting rid of baby poop stains. Mix 2 parts peroxide to one part Dawn and one part baking soda. Do a small test patch first to ensure your carpet doesn't get damaged.
How to Prevent Dog Pooping in the House
Here are three questions to ask yourself if you want to prevent your dog from pooping in the house:
1. Are You Taking Your Dog Out Enough?
According to the Humane Society, puppies should be taken out frequently, “at least every two hours—and immediately after they wake up, during and after playing, and after eating or drinking.
Pick a bathroom spot outside, and always take your puppy (on a leash) to that spot.”
Older dogs can last about four to six hours in between bathroom trips.
As a general rule of thumb, a healthy adult dog should be able to hold their pee for about 8 hours if needed.
If you work long days and your dog is having accidents in the house you may need to consider coming home on your lunch or hiring someone to let your dog out once or twice a day.
For puppies or adopted adult dogs that are being house trained and senior dogs that have trouble getting up in time to make it outside using using dog diapers are great at preventing housetraining accidents or incontinence in older pets.
Also See: How Long Can a Dog Go Without Pooping?
2. Does your dog need to see the vet?
If you know you’re taking your dog out often enough and they are still pooping in the house, you may be due for a visit to your veterinarian.
In an article for PetMD, DVM Christina Hawkins explains why it’s so important address underlying health conditions if your dog is continuously pooping in the house.
Your vet can help you spot problems like intestinal parasites, allergies, or separation anxiety, which are all treatable.
3. What other factors could be causing your dog to poop in the house?
Let’s say you bring your dog to the vet and they get a clean bill of health. What next?
At this point, you need to ask yourself, “Are any changes in my dog’s life recently?” Some examples of things to look for are:
- Changes in your dog’s diet
- Distractions when they are outside to pee/poop
- Fears/phobias
- Using negative reinforcement instead of positive reinforcement
This could include punishing your dog by yelling hours after an accident happened. Instead, make sure to use positive reinforcement when your dog poops outside. - Big life changes like a move, new baby, new puppy, or passing of a companion pet
There could be many possible reasons for a dog to poop in the house.
The best-case scenario is to get to the root of the problem and stop it at the source.
In the meantime, use the techniques and products highlighted in this post to magically disappear those dog poop stains (and smells) from your carpets for good.
