8 Best Cleaners for Dog Urine on Laminate Floors – 2024 Reviews & Top Picks

Dog urine has a powerful smell that can quickly overtake the whole house. It needs to be cleaned up quickly and efficiently before it is allowed to soak in, at which point it can become even more challenging to effectively get rid of. While laminate floor does prevent some liquid from soaking in, the urine can still get in any cracks and pores, not to mention getting through gaps in the laminate tiles, and the smell will sit inside the laminate material.

Whether it’s a one-off accident or a regular problem, finding an effective cleaner to help get rid of the smell or prevent it from really taking hold, is important. Below, you will find details of eight of the best cleaners for dog urine on laminate floors, including those for all budgets and requirements.

A Glance at Our 2024 Favorites

The 8 Best Cleaners for Dog Urine on Laminate Floors

1. Hepper Advanced Bio-Enzyme Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator Spray – Best Overall

There’s a whole lot to love about our pets, but that doesn’t mean that pet ownership is glamorous all the time. Pets are messy and can bring lingering odors into our homes. Whether you’ve got vomit, drool, urine, feces, or just a wet-dog smell in your house, the Hepper Advanced Bio-Enzyme Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator Spray is your best chance at cleaning up the mess. 

Hepper’s recipe binds to the stain and odor before lifting it away permanently. The eliminator spray is safe to use on most surfaces, including carpet, hardwoods, and upholstery; however, you will need to perform a spot test to ensure that it doesn’t discolor anything. 

This spray comes in a large, 32-ounce bottle that lasts for months. Better yet, Hepper even offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee, so if you’re not happy with your purchase, they’ll offer you a refund. 

At this time, Hepper only offers the fragrance-free formula, which is great because we don’t want to mask odors, but some homes love a good fragranced scent to finish up a cleaning job. That said, we still feel that the Hepper spray is the best overall cleaner for dog urine on laminate floors you can find on the market today!

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2. Simple Green Oxy Dog Stain & Odor Oxidizer – Budget Buy

From the same manufacturer, Simple Green Oxy Dog Stain & Odor Oxidizer is a hydrogen peroxide-based cleaner that can be used to mop the whole floor or sprayed to treat specific problem areas. It comes in a large gallon bottle and is the cheapest cleaner on our list, making it our choice for the best cleaner for dog urine on laminate floors for the money.

Because the cleaner uses cosmetic-grade hydrogen peroxide, there should be no danger of damage to the floor or toxicity to people or pets. And because it combines peroxide with surfactants, it does a good job of clearing up new messes as well as existing and old stains.

The price of this cleaner makes it a good option if you’re on a budget, but it does have a strong smell that is found in a lot of peroxide-based cleaners, and it isn’t as effective against stubborn and tough stains as some other cleaners on the list.

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3. Aunt Fannie’s Vinegar Wash Concentrate Lavender Floor Cleaner

Aunt Fannie’s Vinegar Wash Concentrate Lavender Floor Cleaner uses a combination of vinegar, essential oils, and plant-based ingredients to offer a non-toxic and safe formula that can be used around kids and pets. Vinegar is an acidic compound that is strong enough to be able to break down and dissolve many types of dirt and grease. The addition of lavender to this formula helps ensure that your floor and your home won’t smell of vinegar and that the cleaner gets rid of the smell of urine.

Aunt Fannie’s Vinegar Wash is well priced, but it does need to be diluted, which means a little extra work before you can use it, and you will need to test the cleaner on a small and inconspicuous area of the laminate floor before you proceed to clean the whole room. It isn’t as strong as some of the peroxide and solvent-based cleaners, but it is safe even if your dog investigates everything by licking. Also, there is still a slight hint of vinegar smell left after the floor has been cleaned.

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4. Simple Green Bio Dog Stain & Odor Remover

Simple Green Bio Dog Stain & Odor Remover uses beneficial bacteria to break down and then consume the bacteria that cause stains and odor. It comes in a spray bottle so is easy to use and can be applied to the affected area rather than the whole floor.

As well as being useful for laminate floors, it can also be used on other hard floors, carpets, and rugs, and can even be put in carpet cleaners to clean entire rooms or patches of carpets and rugs. Simple Green claims the cleaner leaves a pleasant, clean smell, although the smell might be too strong for some owners. The cleaner is reasonably priced. It has a convenient spray bottle, and the enzymatic formula does a good job of lifting stains and odors, making it the best overall cleaner for dog urine on laminate floors.

However, the spray lid can fail, which means that the contents will spill if the bottle is dropped or if you lay it on its side.

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5. Aunt Fannie’s Vinegar Wash Concentrate Eucalyptus Floor Cleaner

Another of Aunt Fannie’s Vinegar Wash Concentrate floor cleaners is the eucalyptus scented cleaner. This cleaner needs diluting before use and because vinegar is an acidic solution that can react with some surfaces, you will need to test it on a small area of floor that is out of sight. Leave the solution to dry naturally and, if all goes well, you can proceed to clean the whole floor.

Vinegar is commonly used in homemade solutions because of its ability to break down dirt and grease, while the addition of eucalyptus helps to mask some of the vinegar smell. The use of natural ingredients means that it is safe if your dog comes to lick the area after you’ve cleaned, too. The formula does not need rinsing after cleaning, which means that you can spray or mop and then leave the floor to dry naturally.

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6. Nature’s Miracle Dual Action Hard Floor Stain & Odor Remover

Nature’s Miracle Dual Action Hard Floor Stain & Odor Remover is a bio-enzymatic cleaner that eliminates the odor and stain producing molecules that are contained in dog urine. It also works on any other organic dirt, including blood and feces.

The cleaner comes in a spray bottle so is easy to apply, and it doesn’t need rinsing after use, allowing the good bacteria to effectively kill off the offending bad bacteria. It’s considered safe for all hard surfaces, including laminate, although you can still test a small area to be on the safe side. Although it comes in a handy spray bottle, it can suffer the same fate that many such bottles do: the lid can rupture, leaving you with a puddle of cleaner on the shelf. It also has a strong and somewhat unpleasant smell, although this does dissipate over time, it can last for a couple of days and may be enough to put some people off using the cleaner. It’s also a very expensive alternative to other cleaners.

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7. Odoban No Rinse Neutral pH Floor Cleaner

Odoban No Rinse Neutral pH Floor Cleaner is a neutral pH floor cleaner that is cheap, comes in a large 1-gallon jug, and can help remove urine from the floor while preventing stains and odor. Because it has a neutral pH, it won’t leave streaks and it won’t leave you with a slippery floor surface.

The liquid does need diluting before use, according to the scale of the problem, and it has an added citrus scent that will leave the room smelling fresh and pleasant once it has dried.

Although the product is cheap and it does prevent slippery surfaces, the citrus scent is too mild and doesn’t really leave a smell behind. It isn’t suitable for use on unsealed floors, so you should test it before use, it needs diluting, which does add a little extra work to the cleanup.

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8. Nature’s Miracle Advanced Dog Stain & Odor Remover Spray

Nature’s Miracle Advanced Dog Stain & Odor Remover Spray is an enzymatic cleaner that comes in a spray bottle and includes surfactants that help lift the urine off the surface so that the enzymes can effectively destroy and consume the molecules responsible for the bad smell and staining created by dog urine.

The spray is expensive and, while it does come in a convenient spray bottle, the bottle top can fail, as is the case with a lot of spray bottles, and leave you with a puddle of cleaner. And, while the spray can be effective for its intended purpose, it has a very strong smell that can overpower the room after cleaning.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose a Cleaner for Dog Urine

Dog pee can be a nightmare. It has a strong odor, tends to run into channels and through cracks of some flooring surfaces, and if you don’t spot it straight away, the smell can get stronger and stronger, and the stain increasingly difficult to remove.

Quick action is vital because if the urine is left to soak in, it can get right into the layers of the laminate and be impossible to reach even with a mop and a good cleaner. As well as fast action, a good cleaner is important. As well as those that effectively mask the smell and make it easier to mop the urine liquid up, there are some cleaners that use bio-enzymatic good bacteria to break down the urine molecules and then consume them.

Below, we look at the different factors to consider when shopping for the best cleaner for dog urine on laminate floor, including the criteria we used when compiling the list above.

How to Clean Dog Urine Off Laminate Flooring

Even the best trained dogs can have accidents once in a while, and if the accident is liquid in nature and occurs on your laminate floor, you will want to take action quickly. If you’re lucky, the urine will remain and pool on the surface: in which case, you might be able to mop or blot it up before applying a disinfectant. If you’re unlucky, the urine will get through the gaps between laminate sheets and into the structure of the tiles, becoming virtually impossible to easily remove.

With new urine stains, the trick really is to get moving as soon as the first drop lands. Use a good cleaner, dilute it according to the instructions, and then either use a damp cloth or a mop to apply the cleaner. Some cleaners will need drying or rinsing afterwards but most are a rinse-free formula.

If your dog hid away while having their accident, you may not have spotted the urine straightaway. It’s likely that the first time you really noticed was when the unmistakable urine smell first hit you. Although more challenging, it is still usually possible to get most of, if not all of, the urine and stain up. Wipe the area with a damp cloth first and try using baking soda or a diluted vinegar solution. Once you’ve done this, dry the area thoroughly and, if any smell or stain remains, repeat the process until the floor looks and smells clean.

Can Dog Urine Ruin Laminate Floors?

Dog urine can ruin just about anything. When first produced, dog urine has a neutral pH, but it becomes more and more acidic over time. This is why you may not notice the smell straight away and it’s why, once you do notice the aroma, it means that the urine has sat for a while and has probably started to stain the floor surface.

Unfortunately, urine is a liquid, and liquids can be absorbed by porous surfaces and can run between cracks and gaps between the laminate sheets or tiles. If the liquid is allowed to seep into the laminate, it not only smells but it can cause the bottom layers of the laminate to swell. If it gets right through to the underfloor, it will likely be a case of having to lift the laminate to remedy the problem underneath, as well.

Test the Floor First

Cleaning laminate floors is something of a fine balancing act. You need water to be able to clean effectively, but water has some of the same swelling and damaging effects as urine so you can’t use too much of it and you may need to dry any excess water from the surface once finished.

Some chemicals and other cleaner ingredients can cause problems of their own, too. For this reason, it is a good idea to test the cleaner that you are going to use on the floor that you want to clean. Try and find a discreet and small area of floor that you can test. Mix the cleaner according to the manufacturer instructions and apply a small amount. Let it dry naturally and check the results. If there is any sign of swelling or other form of damage to the area, do not use the cleaner on the rest of the floor.

Preventing Your Dog From Peeing on the Floor

Once you’ve cleaned the urine from the floor, you should try and prevent your dog from using it as a toilet again. Unfortunately, if it wasn’t an accident, your dog will likely come back to the same spot, sniff around, and potentially pee again. Using an enzyme cleaner can help. When your dog sniffs the area, they are more likely to pee again if they can smell their original puddle. Because enzymatic cleaners consume the urine molecules, they work to get rid of the smell completely and this will deter most dogs from peeing in the same spot again.

Set a toilet routine for your dog. Dogs are creatures of habit that like to eat at the same time, and they will often drink water on a schedule, too. This means that they will usually need the toilet at the same time each day, and by encouraging a set routine in this way, it is possible to ensure that you know when they need to go out.

If you have an older or ill dog that can’t help when it urinates or that leaves urine spots behind when it sleeps or gets anxious, look for ways to protect the floor where they sleep or discourage them from sleeping on the laminate altogether. Inspect the floor regularly and be prepared for more frequent cleaning to help eradicate the problem.

Types of Floor Cleaner

Different cleaners use different techniques to get rid of stains and eliminate or prevent bad odors. Some of the most common are:

Enzymatic Cleaners

Enzymatic cleaners contain cultures of good bacteria. These bacteria release an enzyme that attacks urine molecules, breaking them down into smaller and more manageable molecules. The good bacteria will then eat these small molecules and you should be freed from the smell and the appearance of urine. This type of cleaner takes time to work and experts suggest using a minimum of two different types of enzyme to ensure the molecules are properly disposed of.

Solvent Cleaners

Solvent cleaners are what might be considered industrial cleaners, but they do still find some use in the home. It can be tempting to turn to the strongest possible cleaner if you are tackling something like dog urine but do be prepared to test these pungent cleaners on small areas of floor before you jump in and tackle the whole room. They are strong which means that they can cause damage to some floors.

Hydrogen Peroxide Cleaners

When used at appropriate levels of concentration, hydrogen peroxide is not only an effective cleaner, but it is considered safe for pets and children, too. It dissolves the proteins in dog urine which means that it doesn’t fight the smell or the stain directly, but rather tackles the molecules that are responsible for creating them. Hydrogen peroxide can have a distinctive smell to it, which might deter some owners from using this kind of cleaning solution.

Neutral pH Cleaners

Neutral pH cleaners have a pH of between 6.5 and 7.5, which is said to be neutral. They do not contain hydroxides or other acidic or alkaline chemicals. They are considered non-hazardous and they have the added benefit that they do leave smears on the floor and they do not leave a slippery surface behind when you’ve finished cleaning. Neutral pH cleaners tend to work best on fresh dog urine, because this type of solution can struggle with stains that are either too alkaline or too acidic. They are also considered gentle, which means that you might need something harsher to tackle particularly difficult stains.

Other Factors

As well as the cleaner itself, there are other factors to consider when buying laminate floor cleaners.

Conclusion

Laminate floors are easily damaged, especially by liquids and even more so with strong liquids. While dog urine starts out as a neutral liquid, it becomes acidic over time. As it does, it starts to smell, causes staining, and is more difficult to clean. Above, we have listed 8 of the most effective cleaners for dog urine on laminate floors and provided you with a guide to choosing the best for your needs.

While compiling the reviews, we determined the Hepper Advanced Bio-Enzyme Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator Spray to be the best overall cleaner for the purposes: it is reasonably priced and does a great job of eliminating stains and odors. The Simple Green Oxy Dog Stain & Odor Remover is a good budget option, costing a fraction of most others and using peroxide to get rid of even some of the most stubborn urine patches.

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Featured Image Credit: Syda Productions, Shutterstock