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Urine is one of the most difficult carpet stains to treat. Not only does it leave a stain and foul odor, but as any pet owner can tell you, it attracts pets to the spot over and over again and encourages them to mark their territory.

The key to dealing with urine stains is to not just remove the appearance of the stain and the odor, but to completely eliminate the urine. This will, by default, take care of the stain and the noticeable odor, and will also take the spot off of pets’ radar.

The problem is, most carpet spot treatment products are not designed to eliminate urine.

Enter Urine Off

I was very intrigued when I first learned of Urine Off, a product specifically formulated to eliminate urine from carpet, as well as upholstery, mattresses, and other textile products. Urine Off, manufactured by Bio-Pro Research, offers a money-back guarantee that it will successfully remove the stain and odor caused by urine.

How it Works

The science behind the product sounds a bit complicated at first, but is actually quite simple. Urine contains a component called uric acid, which is comprised of tiny crystals. These crystals are the primary source of the problem in urine stains, because they are insoluble, meaning they cannot be dissolved by water or traditional cleaners.

Urine Off contains enzymes and microorganisms (bacteria) that eat away the crystals in the uric acid. Thus, the problem disappears, along with the stain and the odor.

Urine Finder

An accessory product to Urine Off is the Urine Finder, an ultraviolet flashlight designed to cause urine to fluoresce or glow.

One word for this product: wow. You have no idea what lurks in your home until you have gone through it with the Urine Finder. I was shocked, and completely grossed out! I shone the light, expecting to see some glowing around the cat’s litter box, but little else. What I found were some ‘dribbles’ in the family room (likely caused by an excited or anxious dog), and that the (human) males in my household miss the toilet more than I ever realized. Yikes.

Cleaning it Up

The directions state that for the best effectiveness, the spot should be saturated. This is not a product to be used sparingly. When it comes to Urine Off, the wetter, the better, for longer. In other words, you don’t want the spot to dry too quickly, or it will not have a chance to work. For older stains or really tough spots, it is recommended that you saturate the spot and then cover it with plastic to prevent premature drying.

After applying the solution, allow it to dry naturally. In the event you have covered the spot with plastic, remove the plastic after approximately 12 hours and blot dry. If the stain or odor persists, you may reapply Urine Off and follow the same steps.

Does it Work?

Yes. With minimal effort on my part, the urine stain on the carpet was eliminated. Admittedly, I didn’t have a highly visible stain or noticeable odor to begin with, as I wasn’t even aware of the spots until I used the Urine Finder. But when I turned off the flashlight and turned on the regular lights, sure enough, I could see the dribble stain faintly. 24 hours after applying Urine Off, the stain was no longer visible under regular light.

I have also heard a lot of feedback from my customers, most of whom have had larger and more noticeable urine stains to deal with than I did. I continually hear how well the product works to eliminate the stain and the odor.

Bonus Uses

My favorite use for Urine Off doesn’t actually involve urine. The product works on many natural causes of stains, including vomit and feces. I regularly use this product to eliminate stains caused by my cat’s hairballs, and I used it -- with very impressive results -- when my sick dog had diarrhea all over my carpet.

Drawbacks

One downfall is that the product can be a bit on the pricey side, especially when you are using a fair amount for each stain. However, I have had many customers tell me they feel the price is worth it, and I have to say that I agree. In most cases, you apply the product and let it do the rest -- you don’t have to “get your hands dirty”, so to speak. (Although, if you have used a lot, you may want to rinse with cool water and blot dry after the stain has been removed to ensure there is no residue left on your carpet, which can lead to soiling.)

Another thing that was somewhat disappointing to me was the fact that after treating a urine stain with Urine Off, the spot may still glow under the ultraviolet light of the Urine Finder. According to the product’s website, “removal of all fluorescence is simply too costly and time-consuming for most people.” The manufacturer advises that the measure of success should be the removal of the odor and the stain as seen in regular lighting.

While it is definitely true that the primary concerns for removing urine are eliminating the visible stains and the odor, and the product delivers on those aspects, it was still a bit anti-climactic to turn on the light post-treatment and see the same spot glowing.

The Bottom Line

Urine Off does what it promises to do (remove urine), and more (remove other types of stains). I don’t particularly care for its scent, although it is much nicer than the smell of whatever you are trying to clean, and it does a good job of masking the foul odor until it has eliminated the source of the odor. It is wonderfully simple to use, and overall is very effective in removing the stain from the carpet.