10 Best

Pet Stain Removers

of December 2023

Some pet owners refer to their pets as “furry babies”. They’ll try to train their cat to “attend to the call of nature” in a litter box, or train their dog to do his duty outside the house. It’s not much different from toilet training a toddler! But, until your pet gets to that stage, there are going to be accidents inside your house. And cats can throw up unexpectedly as well. And when pets get older, they can also lose bladder control. If you want your keep your house clean from these unwanted odors, you’ll need a pet stain remover that doesn’t just mask the smell but removes the source of the smell entirely.

There are pet stain removers that are safe to use around pets and children, by avoiding common caustic cleaning materials. We’ll see that there are enzymatic cleaners that contain bacteria that break down the organic matter in feces, urine, and vomit. Other alternatives include peroxide bleach cleaners, as well as plant-based cleaners. We’ll take note of the advantages of each type, to help you decide which to purchase. You’ll want to have one on hand at all times, to be ready for anything your pet deals you!

Stain removers that are special for pets usually fall into one of three categories:

• Enzymatic formula: These formulas either employ bacteria that consume the source of the stain, or just the enzymes themselves. The stain can be feces, vomit, urine, or even a food stain. If the formula uses live bacteria, they’ll produce enzymes on contact, and these enzymes further aid in the breakdown of the odor-causing stain. Much like the human digestive system, bacteria will produce an array of enzymes, such as:

  • Protease: to break down proteins, as in blood, urine, and feces,

  • Amylase: to break down starches

  • Cellulase: to break down cellulose, as well as dirt and pet saliva

  • Mannanase: to break down sugars, but which is also effective to break down food and vomit stains

  • Lipase: to break down fats and oils

One enzymatic cleaning product is the Simple Solution Extreme Stain & Odor Remover.

Simple Solution Extreme Stain & Odor Remover

• Plant-based surfactant: A “surfactant” is short for a “surface-active agent”. They reduce the surface tension in water, and help lift stains out of fabrics and other materials. They can also cause fatty or greasy stains to mix better with water so that you can wash or blot them away. One such product that uses plant-based surfactants is the Skout’s Honor Professional Strength Stain and Odor Remover.

Skout’s Honor Professional Strength Stain and Odor Remover

• Oxygen bleach: These will contain hydrogen peroxide. An example is the Out! Oxygen Activated Pet Stain & Odor Remover. When hydrogen peroxide hits the stain, it starts to release oxygen, which reacts with the molecules in the stain to break them down. Out! also has chelating agents, which react with the metallic elements in the stain. This allows the other cleaning agents to work more efficiently.

Out! Oxygen Activated Pet Stain & Odor Remover

Looking at user’s comments about the products, you’ll gain a few more insights in how to best use your pet stain remover:

• Difference between treating a new and an old stain: Each product will have a designated time period that you let the active ingredients do their job. The Rocco and Roxie Stain and Odor Eliminator recommends spraying a fresh stain with their product and letting it sit for 30-60 minutes. You then blot up the excess moisture with a cloth and let it air dry. But, if you’re working with an old stain that has dried up, apply an amount of Rocco and Roxie equal to the amount of urine, and let it soak for 60 minutes, or even overnight. You can place a towel over the treated area, weighed down by some weight in order to absorb as much moisture as possible.

• Can also be used as a pre-wash: If your pet soiled your clothing, or any other item that you can throw in the washing machine, you can use one of these pet stain removers as a prewash. You can spray the product on your clothing on the area of the stain, and let it sit for 10 minutes. You can then launder it as usual.

Here are some tips from the manufacturers, on how to get the most out of your pet stain remover:

• Spot-checking the surface: The pet stain removers in the Best Reviews Guide list all try to avoid harmful, caustic chemicals, so that they’ll be safe to use around pets and children (after all, children can also have an occasional accident…). At the same time, they recommend performing a spot test on the surface first. For example, apply some of the product to a corner of your carpet, and then try to blot up the excess moisture with a paper towel. If you don’t notice any color on the paper towel, it should be safe to use on the rest of the carpet. As for use on wooden surfaces, you won’t want the surface to be wet for too long, because the wood may absorb moisture. It’s best to apply a spray for no longer than five minutes, and blot up the excess moisture with a paper towel.

• UV light test: Once a urine stain dries on your carpet, the smell still remains, even though you can’t see exactly where your pet urinated. But there’s a neat trick to help you find out. It happens that pet urine contains phosphorus, which gives a yellow-green glow in the presence of ultraviolet light. Also, the blood proteins in urine will also glow in UV light. The Angry Orange Pet Odor Eliminator comes with a handy UV flashlight, to help you hone in on the offensive spot.

Angry Orange Pet Odor Eliminator with UV Flashlight

• Which surfaces can be cleaned: Even these gentle cleaning products can damage certain fabrics. For example, the Out! PetCare Orange Oxy Stain & Odor Remover shouldn’t be used on silk, wool, or leather. Also, you shouldn’t mix this product, or any product containing hydrogen peroxide, with bleach. It can cause a violent release of oxygen gas, that can even explode!

• Not just for pet accidents: You’ll purchase a pet stain remover to get rid of pet feces, urine, vomit, and the odors that they produce. But these cleaners will also work on stains from other organic materials. Try them on food stains, coffee, grass, and blood.

Final Verdict

We took a brief look at some of the most popular pet stain removers on the market. It’s a great idea to have one of these on hand in the event of an “accident”. And with personalities as unpredictable as our pets, any time can be a time for an accident. These pet stain removers are also powerful and versatile for a number of other stains in the house. Try them and see!