How to Remove Urine from Grout

Table of Contents:

You Will Need
Steps to Remove the Urine
Additional Tips
Sources

Elizabeth said, “Hi! I need to clean / neutralize cat urine from grout. We “baby sat” a relative’s two dogs for an extended period; & our kitty showed her displeasure by repeatedly urinating on the living room wall & marble tile. I erred in using ammonia, but will now use the hydrogen peroxide. & baking soda. Will this be strong enough to draw out the stains & odor from grout & marble? Thank you so much!”

Grout is surprisingly absorbent, making it difficult to remove stains and smells. This is especially true with urine since your pet can still smell the residue that remains just below the surface, even if there isn’t a visible stain. Use the steps below to remove both the stain and the smell.

You Will Need:

Paper towels
Seltzer or club soda
Water
A cloth
An enzyme digester:
- Kids ‘N’ Pets
- Nature’s Miracle Urine Destroyer
OxiClean
A toothbrush

Steps to Remove the Urine:

If the urine is fresh, soak up as much as possible with paper towels.
If the stain is old, fold a paper towel a few times so that it is thicker, then soak it with seltzer or club soda and press it onto the stain. (If you don’t have selzter, use water instead.) Let the paper towel sit there for 5-10 minutes; this will help to freshen the urine so that it can be removed more easily. After waiting a few minutes, remove the paper towel and rub the stain with a wet cloth to remove as much of the urine residue as possible.
Once you have removed as much of the urine as possible, pour some enzyme digester onto the area. You can spray it on rather than pouring it, but be sure to thoroughly soak the grout with enough liquid to soak as far into the grout as the urine did. Two enzyme digesters that work particularly well are Kids ‘N’ Pets and Nature’s Miracle Urine Destroyer, but there are many more brands available. These can be found on the pet aisle at your local supermarket.
Follow the instructions on the label of your selected product. Some enzyme digesters are meant to be soaked up after 10 minutes, others are meant to dry on the area.
If any stain or odor remains, repeat the process with the enzyme digester as many times as needed.
If the stain is stubborn, you can use OxiClean. To use liquid OxiClean, simply pour a small amount onto the stain. To use powdered OxiClean, mix a small amount with water to make a paste and spread the paste over the stain.
Scrub the OxiClean into the grout with an old toothbrush.
Let the OxiClean sit on the stain for a few minutes, then rinse it off thoroughly.

Additional Tips:

If you cleaned the area with a chemical cleaner first, the enzyme digester might not work. Enzyme digesters contain beneficial bacteria that eat up the stain-causing matter, but the chemicals in other cleaners can kill them.
If the above methods don’t work, you can also try using either hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar mixed with an equal amount of water. Be sure to test them in a small hidden area first though as they can have a bleaching effect on some dyed surfaces.
Baking soda is a natural deodorizer that can help to remove any lingering odors. Sprinkle it over the grout, let it sit for a few hours, then vacuum it up. This process can be repeated as many times as necessary, using fresh baking soda each time.
If the stain still won’t come out, you can always go get a matching color of grout mix from your local hardware store, mix a small amount with water and wipe a thin layer over the stained area to cover the stain.