How To Control Annoying Pet Odors In Your Garage

If your garage houses a litter box or a dog run, you may have to deal with odors or urine accidents there. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to control these scents. Unpleasant pet smells can arise from many causes, including body oils, saliva, and dander. In addition, urine or stool can add to the smell. Humidity, ventilation, and surface materials can further affect odor absorption and how much it lingers in the garage.

To eliminate pet odors in your garage, first find their sources. Relying on your nose and examining the area can help with recent incidents; however, you may need to employ tools such as a UV light to help find older, dried stains. If you go this route, outline the problem spot with chalk to help you find it again under regular illumination.

Odors can linger within highly porous surfaces such as concrete even after cleaning. When urine soaks in and dries, the uric acid crystals it contains can bond with the concrete, making it nearly impossible to remove. Further, excess moisture and high humidity can cause all of those smells to quickly return. It's best to catch and clean odors before they have a chance to sink in.

When tackling pet odors in the garage, materials play a major role in terms of strategy. You can scrub furniture and fabric surfaces like rugs with a homemade pet odor remover made from baking soda or an enzymatic cleaner. Angry Orange Pet Odor Eliminator combines a soothing scent with enzymatic cleaners to help break down smells completely. Using covers and washing them more often can also help with the transfer of any odors to fabrics, too. However, don't use a steam cleaner, which can cause the smells to bind to the fabric instead of removing them.

Concrete and other hard surfaces may need a stronger cleaner, such as Simple Green Outdoor Odor Eliminator, that can be sprayed directly on them. All Garage Floors recommends a two-step approach to fully remove urine from concrete. First, don gloves and eye protection and apply a mixture with a ratio of 1/2 cup of trisodium phosphate (TSP) to 1 gallon of hot water to break down particles, give the surface a good scrub, and then rinse it clean. Then, apply an enzymatic cleaner to break down and remove any remaining scent particles. Finally, let all surfaces dry fully and seal them if needed.

If you have continued odors, consider adding an air purifier. This, along with charcoal bags in the space, can help remove airborne smells. It may also be time to call in a professional if there are large stains or if at-home treatments don't help. Lastly, preventing future accidents through potty training and ruling out any health issues in your pet can assist with keeping your garage smell-free.