The majority of pet owners know that pet stains are near impossible to remove from carpets, but many are unaware of the damage that can be caused by dog urine on hardwood floors. Urine can seep into the wood and cause discoloration, warping, and even rotting of the wood, resulting in expensive and time consuming repairs. Furthermore, the ammonia in pet urine can etch the protective coating on your hardwood floors and leave them vulnerable to dirt and debris. In this blog post, we will explore the potential damage caused by dog urine on hardwood floors, as well as tips on how to prevent and treat the damage.
What Happens When a Pet Urinates On Hardwood Floors?
We must first determine what happens to the urine once it lands on the hardwood floors in order to comprehend why it is so bad for your pet to urinate there. There are a number of issues that are simple to predict and a number of issues that will permanently harm your hardwood floors.
We always like to remind everyone about these things, especially if you can’t train your pet to use the restroom outside, when they keep their pets inside their homes. Most typical house pets can be quickly trained to only urinate in designated areas, but there will still be brief instances of random urination on the floor.
When your pet defecates on your hardwood floor, the sneakiest and most troublesome thing that starts to happen is the rotting that starts to occur. Some urine will leak through the hardwood floor’s imperfect seal and collect in tiny puddles below the surface.
These areas are difficult to access, and because they do not dry out, the nearby wood begins to rot as bacterial growth increases. Your hardwood floors will slowly deteriorate in this way, and the only way to fix it is typically to replace most, if not all, of the floor.
You will notice that there will be some mold growth in areas where the pets are frequently urinating much more quickly than the spread of your wood rotting. This can be avoided if you catch it in time, but it can also be fatal because once your pet starts to urinate on your floor, black molds tend to grow the fastest.
People frequently believe that black mold is simply a type of stain or dirt that has become stuck and will be simple to remove. However, these molds can be hazardous to have around the house and even more hazardous when cleaning because they are typically hazardous once you breathe them in.
You should always keep in mind that if you have pets in your house, their urine will eventually stain your hardwood floors. Since wood typically has a layer of protection, urine typically needs to be on the floor for a while before it stains.
Depending on how severe they are, these stains can be a pain to remove; however, surface-level stains are simple to stain or sand away. The stained boards, however, must be replaced if the stain is too big and deep because they can no longer be repaired.
The fact that hardwood floors are not designed to withstand water in this way is what causes the bigger problems with urine on them. The urine eventually leaks through the floorboards of hardwood, sitting just below the floor’s surface or leaking down into the basement or crawlspace.
One of the main reasons people need to replace their hardwood floors is the urine leaking into other areas of their homes. Many people believe that urine will always stay on the surface and won’t leak into cracks or any other area of the house.
No one anticipates their hardwood flooring to crack or warp, despite the fact that it is a common occurrence. Some areas of the floor may begin to warp and bend as a result of pet urine, while areas that have only been urinated on once may begin to crack as they lose their protective coating.
Hardwood flooring that has not been properly maintained oftentimes has cracks and is incredibly warped. For best results, a hardwood floor that has begun to split and crack needs to be completely replaced.
Pet urine on hardwood floors will cause damage to the floor, but it will also start to do something much more immediate and sinister. The smell will gradually get worse over time due to the cracks and the floor’s propensity to absorb moisture.
The hardwood floors will eventually absorb the urine odor and become permanently stained with it, making it impossible to wash or sand it away. There is almost nothing you can do to get rid of this smell once the floor has absorbed it, short of tearing most of the house apart.
Does Dog Urine Damage Hardwood Flooring?
Dog urine can cause damage to your hardwood flooring, whether it is sealed or unsealed. If it leaks down into the subfloor, then it can cause even more damage and cause the subfloor to break down, which is never good. It may not impact the structural strength of the actual wooden floor, but it’s still a situation that needs your immediate attention.
Depending on the PH levels of the floor, whether it is in the sun, and how long the urine has been on the floor, you may see black or white rings instead of structural damage to your floor. The key is perseverance because these stains can be challenging to remove. Remember that urine can cause mildew and mold to begin growing and even bring in pests, so you need to take action right away.
Making peace with the messes a dog leaves behind is a small part of having a dog. It’s likely that you will have to deal with urine on your hardwood floors at some point if you have them in your home. Dog urine can quickly deteriorate wooden floors, so cleaning them thoroughly and right away can go a long way toward preventing permanent stains.
4. You must now apply an enzyme-based stain remover to the stained area. Ensure that the stain remover you select is safe for use on hardwood floors. To make sure the cleaner won’t leave stains on your floor, it’s a good idea to test it first in a discreet location like inside a closet.
1. Get to the mess your pooch has created very quickly. You wouldn’t want his feces to dry out on the floor after soaking in. 2. In addition to cleaning, you might want to thoroughly deodorize the area. Make sure your dog can’t smell his urine in that same location or he may keep going back to it. 3. Avoid using ammonia or any product that contains it to clean up your dog’s mess because they both tend to smell like dog poop. 4. A vinegar and water mixture is not a good cleaning agent because it encourages dog marking. 5. Cleaning a few more inches around the stain is necessary to ensure that the area has been completely deodorized because liquids have a tendency to seep down and outward.
2. Next, try liberally dusting the area with baking soda. While the floor is still damp from the previous step, complete this step quickly. In order for the baking soda to absorb more effectively, it must be applied to a damp wooden floor.
1. First, use paper towels to absorb as much urine as you can. Wipe from the outside in to the center to prevent urine from spreading. Once you have removed all of the wet urine with a blotting motion, try wiping the same area with a damp paper towel.
FAQ
What kills dog urine smell on hardwood floors?
Apply a paste made of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to the hardwood floor to eliminate the smell of dog urine that has seeped into it. A natural deodorizer like baking soda will quickly eliminate the odor.
Does dog pee ruin floors?
Dog urine will damage laminate flooring, real wood flooring, engineered wood, and tile grout unless you are a quick draw with the mop. Unfortunately, a lot of flooring will allow urine to seep into the subfloor or into the floor itself, which makes solving the problem difficult and expensive.
How can I protect my hardwood floors from dog urine?
Apply Hardwood Sealants If you apply a sealant to your floor, it will be much more resilient to these mishaps. Sealants form a shield that will stop urine from penetrating the wood deeply. Additionally, it will prevent your dog from running around and damaging the floor with their nails.
Does dog urine rot wood?
Puppy peeing on the deck is unavoidable if you have one. However, if you’re not careful, pet urine can ruin high-quality decking boards, particularly wooden deckings. The decking board will take up urine, rotting the wood as a result.