Prepping the Area

• Use paper towels to soak up excess moisture from damp spots.Jupiterimages/Creatas/Getty Images
  
  Pick up any solid waste matter and use paper towels to soak up excess urine from damp spots. By removing a significant amount of the still-wet urine, you will have more luck at effectively treating the stain and the pheromones. If you have a carpet shampooer, hand-held spot cleaner or a wet-dry vac, then you could use this to remove as much of the urine from the carpet as possible. If you prefer not to use paper towels for eco-friendly reasons, then an old towel or wash rag will suffice. You will need to clean it thoroughly in your washing machine, however.
  
  

Hard Surface Solutions

• Vinegar is a must-have for stain and odor removal.Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
  
  For urine on hard-surface floors, a mixture of white vinegar, a mild dish soap and hot water can serve a dual purpose. The vinegar will disinfect the floors by breaking down and removing the urine pheromones; the vinegar will also help to clean the floor, giving it a nice shine. White vinegar is a natural bacterial killer and can help you to remove a variety of odors from your home. Be certain to use a mild dish soap on your hard floors; a strong and abrasive dish soap left on a hard wood floor for an extended period of time could slowly strip the oils out of the wood.
  
  

Carpet Solutions

• Scrubbing at stains may set the stain into the carpet.Digital Vision./Digital Vision/Getty Images
  
  If your dog has eliminated on your carpet, then you should still attempt to remove as much of the excess moisture as possible prior to moving on to the next treatment step. Once this has been accomplished, use a mixture of vinegar and hot water to soak into the carpet stain. Allow it to sit for up to 10 minutes and then vacuum up with your carpet cleaner. Allow the area to dry and then sprinkle ordinary baking soda onto the spot. Baking soda can help to remove the urine pheromones. Vacuum up the baking soda after two hours. To keep the smell from returning, spray the area with undiluted white vinegar. Allow the white vinegar to dry.
  
  

Cleaning Tips

• Avoid using bleach; it can make urine smells worse.Thinkstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images
  
  Products like bleach and peroxide should never be used to remove urine pheromones. Not only will they badly stain your carpets and hard floors, but they can also sometimes make the urine smell much worse. Enzymatic cleaners that have been designed specifically for removing smells related to pet elimination are a better commercial cleaner option for pet owners. If the stain has been allowed to dry into the carpet, then spray club soda onto the stained area first and blot with paper towels; this will allow you to better clean the stain.