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With a new puppy, accidents happen and if you are not careful your home can end up smelling like urine. With our Ellie, we’ve had accidents and most of these all of these are from us not paying close enough attention to her cues and signs that she needs to attend to personal matters.
With odor attracting dogs to return to a spot it is very important that the urine is cleaned thoroughly. There are dozens of products on the market begging for our dollar and promising us they will eliminate odor and stop your puppy for peeing again in the same spot. They might work but it is likely you could spend lots of green trying different products that don’t end up working and ruin your carpet in the long run.
Some of the best combinations I have found use both cornstarch and vinegar.
Does Cornstarch Absorb Odors?
Cornstarch is a bit of a miracle powder when it comes to absorbing things. Because it is so fine and powdery, it not only absorbs oils and liquids but it absorbs odors as well.
That is why it is the number one item I use when trying to get things out of carpet or even smelly shoes or bags.
In this case, we are also going to use it after vinegar, which is a great way to remove stains and liquids and ensure a clean surface to start with.
Here are some cornstarch products you can quickly grab online.
The Vinegar Cleaning Method For Dogs
What works for me consists of water, Four Monks Vinegar and corn starch! Cheap and effective! No need to buy expensive cleaning options, just use what you have at home (or make sure you have all three at all times).
Here is the exact method I use for cleaning up after Ellie
1. Soak up the urine with a dry cloth.
2. Blot the spot with water to dilute any urine.
3. Using a vinegar and water mixture (50/50) spray on the spot where the dog urinated. This will neutralize the odor. I do not soak the area.
4. Sprinkle with corn starch to soak up the wetness, even into the padding.
5. Cover with a chair or stool to mark the area and let dry for 24 hours.
6. Vacuum up the corn starch.
This has worked very effectively for me. When I touch and smell the spot the next day it is dry and there is no odor.
Becuase I’m also not using anything toxic or hazardous to my family or the pet, this is also the perfect solution. And an added bonus is that my carpet is not ruined in the process!
Training Your Dog
Another thing to keep in mind is that although you can solve this problem with this simple solution, ultimately you need to train your dog not to do it in the first place.
It is not as simple as “rubbing your dog’s nose” in the accident. That achieves nothing but confusing your dog. There are actually some great methods for teaching your dog how to deal with this and not do it again.
Here are some books you might want to try:
How to Housebreak Your Dog in 7 Days
I've used the vinegar/water solution for just about everything incl cleaning up puppy accidents but never thought of the cornstarch! What a great idea!!