How to Clean Pet Urine and Vomit from Tile and Grout

Ceramic and porcelain tile are some of the most pet-friendly floors you can have. The tile itself rarely absorbs anything. The grout between the tiles is a different story: it is usually cement-based and porous, so urine and vomit that sit on it can soak in, leave dark lines and keep a smell long after the floor looks clean. This guide covers fresh accidents, stained or smelly grout, and how to protect the grout so the next accident wipes up.

It follows the tile care guidance of the tile installation materials maker LATICRETE and the tile maker Daltile, and Humane World for Animals on pet stains and odors. Your tile and grout may have their own care instructions, so check those first, especially for natural stone or a specialty grout.

Why grout is the weak spot

LATICRETE explains that the grout joint between tiles is usually very porous and generally made of a cement-based material, so grout joints typically need to be sealed and maintained to prevent stains and discoloration. Two things follow from that:

• Urine and vomit can soak into unsealed or worn grout, which is where a stubborn smell usually comes from on a tile floor.
• Acidic spills can etch it. LATICRETE notes that highly acidic substances, such as vinegar, can leave an “etch”, a dull mark, and that sealing the grout gives you time to wipe up a spill but cannot prevent etching. Speed matters more than anything else.

Is your grout sealed? Put a few drops of water on a grout line. If it beads up, the sealer is working. If the grout darkens and soaks it in within a few minutes, it is unsealed or the sealer has worn off.

Fresh urine on tile: step by step

1. Blot it up quickly with paper towels. Work from the outside of the puddle inward so you do not spread it along more grout lines.
2. Rinse the area. LATICRETE’s advice for spills is to rinse the area, then apply an approved cleaning product. A cloth dampened with clean warm water is enough for the rinse.
3. Clean with a neutral tile and grout cleaner. LATICRETE recommends a neutral cleaner formulated for ceramic, porcelain tile and grout. Daltile notes that cleaners need to be specified as safe for ceramic tile installations, including the grout.
4. Treat the odor. For urine, follow with an enzymatic cleaner whose label says it is safe for tile and grout. Humane World for Animals recommends enzymatic cleaners because they break down pet waste odors. Give it the contact time on the label so it can work into the grout.
5. Dry the floor, including the grout lines. A wet tile floor can also be slippery for you and your pet.

Vomit on tile

1. Remove the solids with paper towels or a plastic scraper. Lift them off rather than wiping them across the grout.
2. Wipe up the liquid and rinse the spot with a damp cloth. Vomit contains stomach acid, so do this soon rather than leaving it to dry.
3. Clean with a neutral tile and grout cleaner, then dry the area.
4. Dried vomit: lay a damp cloth over it for a few minutes to soften it, then lift it off and clean as above. Do not scrape grout with a metal tool.

If your pet is vomiting often or seems unwell, call your veterinarian. Our pet vomit cleanup guide lists the warning signs and covers carpet and upholstery.

Stained or smelly grout

If the tile is clean but the room still smells, or the grout lines near the litter box or back door have turned dark, urine has most likely soaked into the grout.

1. Find all the spots. Dried urine often glows under a UV black light, and on a tile floor it tends to show up along the grout lines. See how to find pet urine with a black light.
2. Deep clean the grout. Use a cleaner made for tile and grout and a soft to medium nylon brush, following the product label. Rinse with clean water and blot dry.
3. Repeat the enzyme treatment on the grout lines and let it dry completely.
4. Seal the grout once it is clean and dry. LATICRETE advises sealing with an impregnating sealer after restoring tile and grout, to guard against future stains. Follow the sealer’s label for drying time and how often to reapply.

If the smell keeps coming back after this, urine may have gone through cracked grout or a gap at the wall into the floor below. Cracked or crumbling grout and loose tiles are a job for a tile professional, who can remove and replace the affected grout.

What not to use

• Vinegar and other acids. LATICRETE lists vinegar among the highly acidic substances that can etch grout, and advises against acidic cleaners because they can degrade the sealer. Humane World for Animals also advises avoiding vinegar for pet urine, because strong smells may encourage a pet to mark the same spot again.
• Bleach, ammonia, abrasives and strong alkaline cleaners. LATICRETE says not to use acidic or alkaline cleaners, bleach, abrasives or ammoniated cleaners on sealed grout. Humane World for Animals advises against ammonia for urine for the same re-marking reason. Never mix bleach with ammonia or acids.
• Ordinary household cleaners with dyes. LATICRETE does not recommend them for tile and grout, since they can degrade the grout sealer.
• Metal brushes and scouring pads, which can scratch glazed tile and wear grout away.

For a closer look at the common home remedies, see vinegar, baking soda or enzyme cleaner.

Natural stone tile

Marble, travertine, limestone and slate are not the same as ceramic or porcelain. Many stones are sensitive to acids and need cleaners made for stone. Blot accidents right away, use only a stone-safe cleaner and odor product, and follow the stone supplier’s care guide.

Prevent the next one

• Keep the grout sealed, and do the water drop test now and then where your pet spends most time.
• Put a washable, waterproof-backed mat under litter boxes and water bowls and by the door.
• Keep paper towels and a tile-safe enzyme cleaner where accidents usually happen.
• Other floors in the house? See pet urine on laminate and vinyl plank floors and pet urine on hardwood floors.

Keep cleanup supplies ready

Our Pet Cleanup Kit has gloves, an enzyme odor product, an absorbent powder and a UV black light in one pouch, so you can blot, treat and check the grout lines before urine soaks in. Check the product label to confirm it suits your tile and grout, and test it on a hidden spot first.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my tile floor still smell like urine after mopping?

Usually because the urine soaked into the grout, which is porous. Mopping cleans the tile surface but not what is inside the grout lines. Clean the grout, treat it with a tile-safe enzymatic cleaner, let it dry and then seal it.

Can I use vinegar on grout?

It is best avoided. LATICRETE lists vinegar among acidic substances that can etch grout and advises against acidic cleaners on sealed grout, and Humane World for Animals advises against vinegar for pet urine.

How do I know if my grout needs sealing?

Drop a little water on a grout line. If it darkens and soaks in instead of beading up, the grout is unsealed or the sealer has worn off. Clean it thoroughly, let it dry and apply a grout sealer following its label.

Does sealing grout stop all stains?

No. LATICRETE notes that sealing gives you time to wipe up a spill before it stains, but it cannot prevent etching from acidic substances. You still need to clean accidents up promptly.

Sources

• LATICRETE: Ceramic and porcelain tile care
• Daltile: How to care for and maintain ceramic tile
• Humane World for Animals: How to remove pet stains and odors

This guide is general cleaning information. Follow your tile and grout maker’s care instructions and the product label, and test cleaners on a hidden area first.