When dealing with a urine stain, the first line of defense is to thoroughly clean up the mess before it has time to soak into the carpet.  Once it reaches the padding and subfloor, it will be nearly impossible to get rid of the smell and may ultimately require replacement of the carpet.

• Use absorbent paper towels on the urine site and blot until they come up dry.
• Rinse the area with cool water and blot until the paper towels come up clean and dry.

Treating the Stain

Urine is classified as a protein stain. Hot water bonds protein stains to fibers, in a sense, cooking them.  Because of this, always use cold water when dealing with any protein stain and avoid steam cleaning the area until the stain has been lifted through other methods.

Neutralizing the Odor

If you are not concerned about pet training and would like to neutralize a urine odor here are a few homemade solutions to try.

Vinegar: Combine equal parts of vinegar and cool or cold water.  Let this solution sit on the stain for ten minutes then blot completely dry with paper towels.

Ammonia: Combine one part ammonia, three parts of water, and a small amount of dishwashing liquid.  Let this solution sit on the stain for half-an-hour then blot completely dry with paper towels.

Always rinse your carpet with cool water after using spot remover solutions. Be sure to dry completely followed by a fresh vacuuming.

Homemade solutions will work to neutralize urine odor but it is worth mentioning that though these solutions work to appease a human's sense of smell, it will not succeed in neutralizing the odor in terms of a pet's sense of smell.  For example depending on the breed, it is estimated that a dog's sense of smell is 1,000-10,000 times better than a human's sense of smell. If you are dealing with a pet incident, it is imperative that you neutralize the odor with a professional pet odor neutralizer to discourage him from repeating the process.

Locating an Older Stain

If you smell urine but see no visual signs of a stain, you may need a black light to help you locate the exact origin of the urine site.  In a darkened room, a black light will highlight any urine deposits, even older stains.