If you keep dogs for any length of time, you will eventually have a potty accident in the house. How you clean it up however may be the deciding factor in whether your dog continues to potty in that spot or not.

Why is that?

While you may think the pee you just thoroughly cleansed with carpet shampoo is gone, in all actuality the enzymes in the pee are still there. Dogs frequently look for places they have peed before when they need to go, namely places where they smell that enzyme. The only way to get rid of these enzymes is by using a pet cleaner specifically designed to break them down.

Step one: Remove as much mess as possible

Soak up as much wetness as you can and pick up any solids before you bring in cleaners. The less your cleaner has to break down, the more effective it will be. (Besides, doing otherwise is just gross. Sorry people.)

When dealing with carpet, remember that the stain you see on the surface isn’t the only part of the mess. The urine has also probably reached the padding below it. To get rid of the most pee possible, place a towel over the wet area and stand on it. Your body weight will help squeeze the urine out of your carpet and into the towel

Step two: Use your enzymatic cleaner

I use this one here. You’ll need to follow your specific cleaners instructions exactly. Most cleaners will give you the same advice—drench the pee stain with their product. They’re not kidding, and they’re not trying to get you to waste a bunch so you’ll buy more. Dogs have great noses, remember? So the cleaner has to get the visible pee stain, plus anything that’s sunk below the surface. That’s why I get the gallon jug and slop a huge splash onto any pee stain I find. It might be expensive, but my carpet still looks like new, and replacing carpet costs a lot more!

Step three: Address the problem

While accidents do happen, accidents should not be in every day occurrence. If your dog is not potty trained, consider kennel training him to help with the situation. If he’s having accidents in the house and never has before, consider taking him to the vet. He may be getting incontinent if he’s an older dog, or he may have a urinary tract infection.