Why pet urine is the hardest stain

Urine is usually noticed late, after no blotting was done while it was still acidic. As it decomposes it turns strongly alkaline and forms ammonia and an alkaline salt. Removing that salt is the first step in treating the stain.

1. Acid neutralizer

A technician neutralizes the salt so it dissolves quickly. Many neutralizers also deodorize and emulsify the body fats deposited with the urine. Those lipids resist water, so once they are gone, every water-based step that follows works better.

2. Oxidizers

Products with sodium percarbonate or sodium perborate, activated with hot water, create peroxide compounds that break down organic staining and the odors of decomposition. A 20 to 30 minute dwell time makes them effective, and because they reach into the pad and subfloor, heavy contamination sometimes calls for a second pass.

3. Beneficial bacteria

Ammonia and other gases from decomposition are the main source of odor. Friendly, non-pathogenic bacteria feed on urine components and act as an enzyme factory, producing exactly the enzymes needed to digest the complex molecules. Most bacteria are beneficial; they are what make our own digestion work.