Pet Urine Stains on Sub-flooring

Total Time: 3-4 hours - 2 days

Supplies:

• 1 box cutter or utility knife ($8.00)
• pry bar ($12.00)
• sand paper ($1.00)
• eye protection ($5.00)
• fine particle mask ($5.00)
• dishwashing gloves ($2.00)
• bleach or bleach spray ($3.00)
• Kilz or other primer ($7.00)
• dollar store paint brush ($1.00)
• new flooring alternative ($300.00)
• (optional) black light ($20.00)

Steps:

1. Sadly, you have to pull up your carpet and padding. Trust me, there is no other way. Using your pry bar, gently pull up a small edge of your carpet. You can pull up the whole carpet in the room, or cut it into small pieces to make it easier to handle. Use a box cutter with a very sharp blade. It is easier to cut from the bottom side, and far easier to cut in a straight line, when possible. Make careful cuts in doorways so you keep the carpet outside of the room intact. Next, use the pry bar to pull up the carpet strips. Be careful, they are full of tiny spikes that held your carpet to the floor.
Advertisement


2. Get that stinky carpet out of the house! Throw it away. If you cut it in smaller pieces, you might be able to fit it all in the trash can. (That's what I did.) Otherwise, you will need to haul it to a dump. You don't want to reuse any of it. The smell permeates the carpet.
3. Find the urine spots. Usually, you can see the stains, even old ones, on the sub floor. However, a black light will help you see a few you did not know were there. Turn off the lights and turn on the black light. Have a pencil or piece of chalk handy. Circle the areas that glow, and be sure to circle about an inch around them - just in case.
4. Turn the lights back on and start sanding. Be sure to use eye protection and a fine particle mask. The dust coming up is hazardous. You can sand by hand or use a sander. It does not need to be a fine grit - whatever you have on hand should work.
Advertisement


5. Make a mix of 1 part bleach to 3 parts water. This will be strong, so keep on the eye protection and mask. Also, you will want to protect your hands with dish washing gloves. Scrub the area with the solution. Allow it to dry, then repeat. You may do this a 3rd time, if desired. You can also simply use a bleach cleaning spray, as long as it actually contains bleach. Allow the spots to dry overnight. Be sure to leave the house and return, to make sure the odor is really gone (you can get used to it if you don't leave the area for a little bit). If needed, sand and scrub a few more times. (My odor was horrible, but it only took me 3 applications of the bleach cleaner spray).
6. After allowing the spots to dry, paint over them with Kilz. You can use a cheap brush from the dollar store for the painting. Allow it to dry. The odor should not return!
Advertisement


7. Now, it is time for some new flooring. You can always have the area re-carpeted. However, if you are worried about a repeat performance from your pet (I was), then you will not want to have to pull up a room of carpet again. I went with seamless carpet squares. These truly are seamless if laid correctly and vacuumed. If the pet stains again, you will only need to remove one or two squares and replace them (be sure to order extra). Other alternatives are vinyl plank "wood" floors. These are completely waterproof and very easy to lay and cut. Tile is another alternative. If you are worried about more stains, choose something waterproof or easily removable, with minimal replacement cost.
8. Follow the directions for laying your new floors.
9. Clean up! If your problem is a cat, as mine was, be sure to keep the litter box as clean as possible. If the problem is a dog, crating the dog while you are gone works well - and it does not have to be forever, just a few months should work. Good luck!
Advertisement