Easy Ways to Get Rid of a Pee Smell in Your Yard + Prevention Tips

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Eliminate dog or cat pee smells in your yard once and for all
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Having animals around is a joy, whether they're pets or wildlife. However, if those animals come with a urine smell that just won’t go away, you might be wondering how to get back to enjoying the great outdoors. Luckily, we’ve compiled a few different ways you can get rid of a urine smell outside, depending on where it is and what kind of surface it’s on. Keep reading to learn how you can give your yard a deep clean, and get back to enjoying your outdoor space!

How to Remove Urine Smells from Your Yard

  1. Hose the area down with water daily to dilute the urine.
  2. Spray a natural solution of vinegar and water on the area.
  3. Spray the area with a baking soda and water solution.
  4. Use a pet-safe enzymatic cleaner formulated to tackle odors.
  5. Apply some garden lime on the area.
Section 1 of 5:

How to Remove Urine Smell from a Lawn & Yard

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  1. Surprisingly, the most effective way to get rid of urine on soil or grass is to dilute it with water over time, and this is also an all-natural solution. Hose down the area your animals use the most at least once a day, or point an oscillating sprinkler toward the area. After a couple of days, you’ll notice that the urine smell has decreased (and it may even go away completely!). [1]
    • Not only will the water dilute the urine, but it will allow it to slowly sink into the soil, too.
  2. In a spray bottle, mix a 1:1 ratio of water and white vinegar. Add 1  tsp (4.9 mL) of lemon juice for some extra odor-fighting power. Mix the ingredients together, then spritz the urine-infested areas with your mixture. [2] Let it sit for about 10 minutes, then hose the area down with water to rinse it away.
    • If urine from neighborhood cats is your issue, try this method—not only will it get rid of the urine smell, but citrus deters cats and can help keep them out of your yard.
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  3. Baking soda is a powerful deodorizer, and it’s very effective at neutralizing the ammonia smell from pet urine. To use it on your lawn, simply mix 1 tsp (5.7 g) baking soda into 4 cups (1 liter) of water. Spray this solution onto the smelly areas of your lawn lightly, being careful not to saturate the soil fully. [3] Let it sit for about 30 minutes, then hose down the areas to rinse it off.
  4. If gentler methods aren’t cutting it, there are several commercial enzymatic cleaners available formulated specifically for removing pet urine smells from your lawn. These products are made to be pet-safe too, so you won’t have to worry about using them in areas where your pets play. Popular options include:
    • Simple Green Outdoor Odor Eliminator
      • Pros: Affordable, safe for use on grass, turf, concrete, and decks pet-safe.
      • Cons: Some customers mention that it needs to be reapplied often.
      • Customer Ratings: 4.5 average star rating on Amazon.com.
    • EcoStrong Outdoor Odor Eliminator
      • Pros: Chemical free, works on grass, turf, concrete, wood, and furniture, pet-safe.
      • Cons: Slightly more expensive
      • Customer Ratings: 4.4 star average on Amazon.com.
  5. If all else fails, head to the garden supply store and pick up a package of garden lime. Sprinkle the stinky patches with lime, then get the lime damp with a hose. Let the lime sit for a week, then cover the patches up with top soil. [4]
    • If you have any dead patches of grass in your yard from urine, you can sprinkle grass seed on top of the topsoil to reseed the area.
    • If you use this method, you’ll want to make sure the lime is fully incorporated into your soil before using your lawn again or letting your pet play on it, since lime dust can irritate the lungs, eyes, and skin. [5]
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Section 2 of 5:

How to Remove Urine Smell from Concrete

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  1. If you just noticed a urine spot and it’s still wet, grab a hose or a watering can and wash the urine away. It’s especially important to work fast on porous surfaces like concrete, so you can remove the urine before it soaks into it more deeply. [6]
  2. If it’s been a few hours (or a few days) since your pet peed on the concrete or cement surface, water probably won’t be enough to get rid of the urine smell. A commercial enzymatic cleaner like EcoStrong Outdoor Odor Eliminator or Simple Green Outdoor Odor Eliminator (which are both safe for concrete) will likely work best in these situations.
  3. For porous surfaces like concrete, enzymatic cleaners actually might not be enough. If the smell is lingering, try covering the affected area with a thick layer of baking soda (the more, the better). Let the baking soda sit for one hour to really absorb the urine smell. Then, pour white vinegar over the area to neutralize the baking soda and get rid of the urine. After you're done, rinse the area with water. [7]
    • Don’t worry if it starts to bubble and fizz—that means it’s working!
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Section 3 of 5:

How to Remove Urine Smell from a Wood Deck

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  1. Enzymatic cleaners are usually the best choice for cleaning up urine on wood decks. The enzymes in the cleaner speed up the biological process of the urine breaking down, which gets rid of the smell faster. Head to your local pet supply store and buy a bottle of enzymatic cleaner , then spray it onto your deck or patio. [8]
    • Just make sure the bottle of the product you’re buying specifies that it’s safe to use on wood.
    • These are sometimes called commercial odor removers. Just make sure they say “enzymes” or “enzymatic” somewhere on the bottle.
Section 4 of 5:

How to Remove Urine Smell from Outdoor Furniture

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  1. If your outdoor furniture has removable covers, start by taking them off. Dab the urine-stained area of the fabric with warm water, then add a thin layer of enzymatic laundry detergent on top. Let it soak for up to one hour, then throw the fabric cover into your washing machine and wash it according to the instructions on the care label. [9]
    • If the care label also says it’s bleach safe, you can add some chlorine bleach to the cycle for some extra cleaning power.
    • Make sure to check the tag to see whether or not you can use bleach. If you can’t, just wash the fabric cover using normal laundry detergent.
  2. If you can’t remove the fabric from your outdoor furniture to wash it, mix 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of dish soap with 2 cups (470 mL) of cool water. Dip a cloth into the cleaning solution, then gently blot the urine stain with it. Use another clean cloth to blot the liquid until all of it is absorbed. Keep adding cleaning solution and blotting it up until the urine is gone. [10]
    • You’ll probably have to do this process 2 or 3 times before the urine stain is completely gone.
    • If the stain is still there, add a few drops of hydrogen peroxide and 2 drops of ammonia. Then, sponge the area with cold water and blot it dry.
  3. If your outdoor furniture is wicker, mix together a 1:1 ratio of water and white vinegar, then dip a sponge or a cloth into the mixture. Scrub your wicker furniture down, focusing on the areas the urine got on. Afterwards, sprinkle the area with baking soda to neutralize the odor, then let everything dry. Finally, vacuum up the baking soda to remove it, and the urine smell should be gone. [11]
    • Wicker furniture is prone to mold and mildew, so make sure it’s thoroughly dry after the cleaning process.
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Section 5 of 5:

How to Keep a Urine Smell from Coming Back

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  1. Try to train your pet to pee in one designated place on your lawn. This keeps them from going to the bathroom near concrete or wooden decks, which can hold strong urine smells longer than grass. It might be helpful to add a marking post where you want your dog to go, like a bird bath or a lawn ornament. Then, praise them with with treats and affection when they go in the right spot. [12]
    • Remember to keep a close eye on your dogs when they’re playing in your backyard. That way, you can prevent them from peeing in the wrong places, and address any accidents right away.
    • “I think that the most important thing is not to give the dog too much space or freedom, not letting them run around unattended or supervised. That's where most of the accidents happen,” explains professional dog trainer Elisabeth Weiss. [13]
    • If training doesn’t work, consider putting in a fenced dog run. That way, your animals can only access a certain part of the yard when they need to pee.
  2. If your animals aren’t the problem, there are ways to keep stray and neighborhood animals off your lawn. For cats, you can try adding a tall fence or using motion-activated sprinklers to keep them away from your property. For dogs, try spraying your yard with baking soda or vinegar to deter them and keep them off your lawn. [14]
    • If your neighbor’s animals are the problem, try chatting with them to see what you both can do together to keep their animals off your lawn.
  3. If humans are the problem, try to make your area an unappealing place to pee in. Most people look for a dark, secluded spot to urinate when they’re out and about. Instead, make your area bright with lights, and put up cameras so people are afraid of getting caught. Add a sign that says “Smile for the cameras!” so people know they’re being filmed. Hopefully, they’ll move onto somewhere else to relieve their bladders.
    • You could also put up signs to encourage patrons to speak up if they see someone using your building as a urinal.
  4. Ammonia carries a strong scent, which can actually be counterproductive to your cleaning efforts. If an animal smells a strong chemical smell, they may try to mask it with their own urine. Stick to enzymatic cleaners that aren’t super smelly to discourage your animals from peeing in the same spot. [15]
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do you get urine smell out of air?
    Kadi Dulude
    House Cleaning Professional
    Kadi Dulude is a House Cleaning Professional and the Owner of Wizard of Homes, a New York City-based cleaning company. Kadi has over 10 years of experience and manages a team of over 90 registered cleaning professionals. Her cleaning advice has been featured in Architectural Digest and New York Magazine.
    Kadi Dulude
    House Cleaning Professional
    Expert Answer
    Leave bowls of vinegar around the room. While you're at it, wash all possible surfaces with pure white vinegar. It will smell strongly of vinegar while you're cleaning, but vinegar tends to "take" all bad smells with it as it fades away.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8255.pdf
      2. ↑ https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/home-living/diy-dog-safe-cleaning-solutions-to-mix-at-home/
      3. ↑ https://www.weekand.com/home-garden/article/homemade-formula-spray-lawn-rid-urine-smell-18068355.php
      4. ↑ https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/extension-gardener-handbook/1-soils-and-plant-nutrients
      5. ↑ https://extension.umaine.edu/gardening/2022/03/23/is-lime-safe-on-lawns/
      6. ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2015/05/easy-remedies-for-three-common-pet-messes/index.htm
      7. ↑ https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/how-remove-pet-stains-and-odors
      8. ↑ https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/how-remove-pet-stains-and-odors
      9. ↑ https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/home-living/how-to-get-rid-smell-dog-urine/
      1. ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/tips/a15958/stains-urine-may07/
      2. ↑ https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/how-remove-pet-stains-and-odors
      3. ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2015/05/easy-remedies-for-three-common-pet-messes/index.htm
      4. ↑ Elisabeth Weiss. Professional Dog Trainer. Expert Interview. 27 September 2022.
      5. ↑ https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/home-living/how-to-get-rid-smell-dog-urine/
      6. ↑ https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/how-remove-pet-stains-and-odors

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