Moving Out With Pets: How to Remove Pet Stains and Smells From a Rental

Pet stains and smells are among the most common worries when moving out of a rental with a dog or cat. Carpet that looks fine in daylight can still hold old urine spots, and a smell you have stopped noticing can be the first thing a landlord or the next tenant notices. The good news is that most of it can be found and treated before your final inspection if you start early enough.

This guide is about cleaning. Every lease and every local law is different, so check your lease and your local tenant rules for what is expected and what can be charged.

Start at least two weeks before move-out

Old urine spots often need more than one round of treatment, and each round needs time to dry fully before you can tell whether it worked. Thick carpet and pad can take a day or more to dry. Starting early gives you time to:

find every spot,
treat each one, let it dry and check again,
call a professional cleaner if something does not come out, and
air the home out before the inspection.

Step 1: find every spot

Do a full sweep of the home with a UV black light at night with the lights off. Dried urine usually glows under UV light. Humane World for Animals recommends using a black light to find soiled areas and outlining them with chalk so you treat the whole spot. Check:

corners of rooms and along baseboards,
behind and under where furniture stood,
near doors and where litter boxes, food bowls and pet beds were,
the lower parts of walls, door frames and curtains, where pets that mark often aim,
closets and rarely used rooms, and
stairs and landings.

Some things other than urine also glow, such as detergent residue and lint, so confirm each spot with your nose. Our black light guide explains what to look for.

It helps to move furniture out of the way, or check again once the rooms are empty, since that is where hidden spots often are.

Step 2: treat carpet spots

Rewet and extract. For old stains, Humane World for Animals suggests renting a carpet cleaning machine, an extractor that sprays water and sucks it back up, not a steam cleaner. Rinse each spot with cool water and extract several times.
Treat generously. Apply a pet urine odor product to each marked spot and a margin around it, using enough to reach as deep as the urine went. Test on a hidden area first, such as inside a closet, and follow the label.
Let it dry fully, then check again by smell and with the black light. Repeat on spots that still show.
Treat remaining discoloration last. If the smell is gone but a mark remains, use a carpet stain remover labeled safe for that carpet, testing it first.

Our full guide on how to get pet urine smell out of carpet has more detail, and the cat urine guide covers the extra steps cat urine often needs.

What not to do

Do not steam clean urine spots. Humane World for Animals warns that heat can permanently set the stain and odor. Treat urine spots first, then do any general carpet cleaning.
Do not use ammonia-based cleaners. The ASPCA notes urine contains ammonia, and Humane World for Animals advises against ammonia and vinegar on soiled spots.
Do not use bleach on carpet unless the carpet maker says it is safe. It can leave a permanent light patch, which may be harder to explain than the stain.
Do not mix products, especially bleach with ammonia, which can release dangerous fumes.
Do not just spray air freshener. It fades in days, and the smell often returns once the home is closed up.

Step 3: hard floors, walls and trim

Sealed tile, vinyl and sealed wood: clean with a product made for that floor type, paying attention to grout lines and the gaps between boards.
Unsealed wood and grout absorb urine. Treat spots promptly and follow the flooring maker’s guidance. Deep stains in wood may need a professional.
Walls, baseboards and door frames: check them with the black light. Humane World for Animals notes that washable enamel paints and some washable wallpapers may respond well to enzymatic cleaners. Test first, and wipe gently so you do not remove paint.

Step 4: pet hair, scratches and the rest

Vacuum thoroughly, including edges, stairs, vents and under radiators, where pet hair collects.
Wash or vacuum curtains and blinds if they came with the home.
Check door frames and floors for scratches. Small marks are usually a repair job rather than a cleaning one. Check your lease before you try to fix them yourself.
Clean the yard if you had one: pick up all dog poop and fill any holes.

Step 5: air it out

Open windows and run fans for a few days before the inspection if the weather allows. Fresh air helps clear any lingering smell from cleaning products and lets carpet and pads finish drying.

When to call a professional

The smell is still there after two or three rounds of treatment.
There are many spots in one room, which often means urine has reached the pad or subfloor.
The carpet is wool or another natural fiber, or the care instructions say professional cleaning only.

Humane World for Animals notes that if urine has soaked through to the pad, you may need to replace that section of carpet and pad, and clean or seal the subfloor beneath. In a rental, talk to your landlord before you replace anything.

Many leases ask for professional carpet cleaning at move-out, so check yours. Keep receipts for any cleaning you pay for.

Keep a record

Take dated photos of each room once you have finished cleaning. If you have a move-in checklist or photos from when you moved in, keep them with your move-out photos. They help if there is any disagreement later.

Get a head start

A black light, a pet odor product, an absorbent powder, a brush and gloves cover most move-out spot cleaning. Our Pet Cleanup Kit includes all five. For couches you are taking with you, see how to clean pet stains from a couch.

Frequently asked questions

Can pet urine smell really come out of rental carpet?

Often, yes, if you find every spot and treat each one deeply enough. Spots that soaked into the pad may need several rounds, and badly soaked areas may need the pad replaced.

Should I steam clean the carpet before I move out?

Treat any urine spots first with cool water and a pet urine odor product. Heat on urine can set the odor. Check your lease for whether professional cleaning is required.

How long before move-out should I start?

Ideally two weeks or more, so you have time to treat, let spots dry, check and repeat.

Will a landlord use a black light?

Some do, and many professional cleaners and inspectors use them. Checking with your own black light first means you find the spots before anyone else does.

Sources

Humane World for Animals: How to remove pet stains and odors
ASPCA: Urine marking in cats

This guide is general cleaning information, not legal advice. Check your lease and your local tenant rules for move-out requirements and deposit rules.