Get rid of the smell of dog urine outside

Has your backyard developed an unpleasant smell? It could be that pet urine has taken its toll. Even though you might think that all of the urine would get washed away, or that the smell wouldn’t penetrate the outdoor air, there are many places where urine smells can remain and become incredibly annoying and unpleasant, so how do you get rid of them?

What Causes Dog Urine Odor In the Backyard?

If your pet tends to go in the same area you might get a build-up of urine, and if there is concrete or other porous material then it might be absorbing the urine and causing it to smell even more. Nasty. In the summer months when it doesn’t tend to get washed away this may be especially bad.

Getting rid of Pet Urine Smell in the Backyard

So, let’s have a look into the methods you can use to actually get rid of the smell rather than just mask it. Ensure your guests still want to visit and spend time in your yard.

Install Artificial Turf

Get rid of the smell of dog urine outside
Get rid of the smell of dog urine outside

Artificial turf can have excellent drainage which means that the pee smells get washed away. When it rains, the artificial turf can be the perfect solution, as it lets the water straight through and allows the urine to go back into the ground, dissipating and avoiding causing unwanted odors.

Use Your Garden Hose

Get rid of the smell of dog urine outside
Get rid of the smell of dog urine outside

The first thing you should try is using your garden hose to rinse the urine and wash as much of it away as possible. Generally, this will do a really good job of getting rid of the smells and help to clear any buildups that could be causing the odor. Find the area you want to target and sprinkle with a hose to try and wash away the smells on the yard.

Vinegar for pet urine odor removal

Get rid of the smell of dog urine outside
Get rid of the smell of dog urine outside

These sorts of tips are all about neutralizing the acidity of the urine. Pets’ urine can smell really bad because of this acidity and you can improve this greatly by using a little vinegar mixed with water, spraying it on the area, and then rinsing it away.

Use a citrus solution

Get rid of the smell of dog urine outside
Get rid of the smell of dog urine outside

Citrus does the same job of neutralizing the smells but with the bonus of not being such an unpleasant smell in itself. It is much nicer to have the scent of fresh lemon than some of the alternatives like vinegar. Water it down and apply to the areas, but be careful not to use too much as this can be bad for organic life, too.

Sprinkle Baking Soda on The Spots

Get rid of the smell of dog urine outside
Get rid of the smell of dog urine outside

Baking soda…is there anything it can’t do? When it comes to cleaning products, this is a “hack” that has been recommended in blogs for many years. Baking soda actually has some incredible cleaning properties and you can sprinkle a little in the area in the hope it absorbs and neutralizes the offending urine.

Use Enzymatic Cleaning Products

With the effect of both neutralizing the smell and cleaning the bacteria that it can leave behind, enzymatic cleaning products have become really popular among pet owners. This is usually the sort of thing you would use if your dog or cat has an accident in the house and you want to get rid of the smell after it soaks into a carpet, but these products can be good for concrete and other surfaces in the yard where pee might have caused a nasty smell. Don’t forget that both cats and dogs have the potential to urinate up against items that are in your yard so it isn’t about cleaning the grassy areas, it could be about cleaning your garden furniture.

Turn Your Soil

Get rid of the smell of dog urine outside
Get rid of the smell of dog urine outside

This is the hardest work out of all of the options, but it is very effective if you’ve got areas built up within the soil where the urine smell has become overwhelming.