So, your dog keeps peeing in the yard and you need to know how to eliminate dog urine odor outside. As someone who has dealt with this problem before I know how hard it can be to find a solution. It can be hard enough dealing with an odor problem indoors, but when the odor is outside the scale of the problem can seem insurmountable. The following article will go over the options you have to finally control your dog urine odor problem once and for all.
How Do You Get Rid of Dog Urine Smell?
The first thing you have to consider is if you want to go with a commercial product, or a homemade odor control method. Both options have their pros and cons, but you are probably asking yourself what gets rid of dog urine smell faster. The quick answer is that commercial products generally work quicker, but if you want to know more about the pros and cons of each method then the following sections will go over each one in more detail.
Commercial Products
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One of the quickest and easiest ways to deal with dog urine odor is to use an off the shelf product. These products will start working immediately and don’t require much extra effort on your part. Moreover, the best thing is that you will have a wide selection of products to choose from that work well on both grass and hard surfaces.
Most of the commercial dog urine odor removal products use completely natural non-toxic chemicals to break down the offending odors. Most liquid odor eliminators incorporate natural bacteria and enzymes to break down dog urine into less offensive smelling compounds.
Some other popular liquid odor eliminators use a mix of bacteria and a fragrance to both treat the odor problem over time and to mask the smell while the product is working. These types of products are great if you need to get your backyard smelling fresh quickly for an impromptu barbeque or family get together.
There are also odor control products available that use dry granules to absorb the smells before they become a problem. These types of products are great if your dog urinates on one spot over and over again. The only real limitation with odor absorbers is that they don’t break down the waste which is at the root of the odor problem. That’s why in general it is a good idea to use a combination of liquid and dry odor treatment methods to get full control of dog urine odors.
Homemade Yard Odor Eliminator
If you prefer to make your own odor eliminator then you do have a couple of options available. The first and easiest thing you can do is thoroughly flush the offending area with fresh water. By diluting the urine with water the smell will be reduced, and it might also help discourage your dog from using the same spot as their permanent toilet.
Of course, water will only go so far, so if you want to try another homemade solution baking soda is another good option. Baking soda works similarly to commercial odor absorbers, but it is a little less potent. If you have a particular spot in your yard where the odor is rather pungent just sprinkle some baking soda on it periodically. This should help reduce the odor, and it will also dry out the spot so the smells are less likely to volatilize into the environment.
One last homemade natural method you can try is to use crushed citrus rinds to mask the odor. Citrus oils have a very strong pleasant smell that will cover up urine odor for a while, and the scent might discourage your dog from urinating in the same area. Another nice benefit of citrus is that it will also deter cats and other small animals from entering your yard.
Best Dog Urine Odor Removers
Liquid Odor Remover
Simple Green Outdoor Odor Eliminator
Simple Green Outdoor Odor Eliminator (Buy Online) is one of the most popular liquid odor eliminators on the market. The simple green formula uses natural non-toxic microorganisms to break down waste into less offensive compounds. The microorganisms in this product are safe to use around pets as long as you let the area you sprayed totally dry before you let your dog back in it.
The microorganisms in simple green outdoor odor eliminator will actually benefit your lawn and your plants by making the nutrients in dog urine more readily available. This is due to the fact that the microorganisms reduce the ammonia in dog urine into nitrite and nitrate.
This product is also completely safe to use on hard surfaces like wood or concrete. Since simple green outdoor odor eliminator doesn’t contain any dyes you won’t have to worry about it staining or causing any discoloration. Just be sure to test it on a small area to make sure the material can handle it before you commit to a whole treatment.
Simple Solution Yard Odor Away! Hose Spray
Simple Solution Yard Odor Away! Hose Spray (Buy Online) breaks down urine and feces odors with a powerful combination of bacteria and enzymes. This highly concentrated spray bottle will cover an area of up to 25,000 square feet which is just about a ½ acre. It can also be used on almost any surface, and it is safe to use around pets and children.
This product uses naturally derived microorganisms to break down dog urine into less offensive byproducts. Simple Solution Yard Odor Away also contains enzymes which help aid in the degradation of organic compounds that lead to the bad odors that come from dog urine.
Simple Solution Yard Odor Away will work on both natural and artificial turf. In addition, it will also work on concrete, wood, brick and even patio furniture fabric. No matter where your odor problem is coming from Simple Solution Yard Odor Away has got you covered.
NaturVet Yard Odor Eliminator Plus Citronella Stool & Odor Deodorizer
NaturVet Yard Odor Eliminator Plus Citronella Stool & Odor Deodorizer (Buy Online) will not only neutralize dog urine odors it will also mask them. The citronella in this product will allow you to have some immediate relief from the offensive smells, while the active ingredients slowly work to control the odor.
The main active ingredient in NaturVet Yard Odor Eliminator is Alkyl Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chloride. This chemical is most commonly used in hand sanitizers and anti-bacterial soaps.
The way NaturVet yard odor eliminator works is by suppressing microorganisms from feeding on dog urine. By killing off the microorganisms that feed on the dog urine the odors that the bacteria would have released during their natural digestion process are reduced.
This method of odor control is almost the polar opposite of other products that use bacteria to help control odors. The main benefit of this method is that you get quicker results, but the odor-causing chemicals are still left behind, there just aren’t any odor-causing bacteria left to feed on them.
The only downside of this anti-bacterial method of odor control is that it does little to address the root of the odor problem. Once the anti-bacterial effect wears off the dog urine will still be there and it will eventually cause bad odors.
One really nice thing about this product is the added citronella. Citronella is well known for its ability to repel biting insects. If you have a mosquito and a dog urine odor problem, then this product has the good combination of chemicals to help alleviate both of your problems.
Granular Odor Remover
Earth Care Odor Absorber
Earth Care Odor Absorber (Buy Online) is a very effective granular odor absorber. The main ingredients of Earth Care Odor Absorber are Silicon Oxide, Aluminum Oxide, Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium, and Calcium.
These chemicals work together in a synergistic fashion to lock away odors and to suppress further odor problems. Earth Care Odor Absorber doesn’t just mask or cover up odors, it traps them in its crystals so they can’t escape into your environment.
These granules can be spread over grass or artificial turf, and they can also be applied to hard surfaces. These granules can also be used inside your house to address indoor odor problems. To use it that way all you will need to do is get the Earth Care Odor Absorber that comes in a permeable bag and then place it in any area in your house that has an odor problem.
Nature’s Pure Edge Yard Odor Eliminator
Nature’s Pure Edge Yard Odor Eliminator (Buy Online) uses an extremely effective granular odor control formulation. This product uses a combination of both zeolites and activated carbon to lock away odors.
Zeolite is very effective at locking away odors. The way it works is by chemically bonding with the odor molecules. You can also “recharge” zeolite by exposing it to sunlight, which makes it infinitely reusable. Zeolite is also completely natural, and it is safe to use around pets and landscaping.
Activated carbon is also another very powerful odor absorber. Activated carbon works very similar to zeolite since it chemically bonds to volatile organic compounds. The one difference is that activated carbon maintains a stronger chemical bond, so you never have to worry about the odors escaping from the carbon component of Nature’s Pure Edge Yard Odor Eliminator.
Artificial Turf Odor Control
BioTurf BioS + BioFill Combo Package Artificial Turf Pet Odor Elimination Power Pack
The BioTurf BioS + BioFill Combo Package (Buy Online) is great for someone who has a urine odor problem on a patch of artificial turf. This package comes with everything you need to clean and deodorize any size area.
First, you get a bottle of enzyme cleaner that you can attach to a hose. This will allow you to thoroughly clean off any dog urine with a powerful stream of water. As the liquid solution dries the enzymes will help break down the urine into less offensive smelling compounds.
This package also comes with an additional one-gallon container of enzyme solution, so when your sprayer bottle is empty you can easily refill it.
Then to top it all off this combo pack comes with a 5-pound bucket of odor absorbing granules. These granules can be spread out evenly on the artificial turf to lock away smells in between liquid cleanings. Overall this package has everything you need to clean dog urine off artificial turf, and if used regularly it will keep smells from ever becoming a problem.
