• The Harms of Urine Odors •
• Sources of Odor: Bacteria & Amino Acids, Chemical Odors & Urine Salts •

Two Sources of Urine Odors
Bacteria: Bacteria growth & breakdown of the urine creates amino acids. These complex organic compounds will often work deep into the fibers to a point of becoming part of the fiber. Waste materials and gases from the decomposing urine create an unpleasant odor. When dried urine is remoistened, it gives off an ammonia gas.

Chemical Odors from Urine Salts: Chemical odors can be present even when the bacteria have been killed, which is why just sanitizing will not neutralize odors from urine. Urine also presents additional odor problems when the relative humidity is high. The salts and crystals that are left behind as the urine dries are hydrophilic and draw water to them. Dried urine is often easy to smell in the humid months because the salts attract the moisture, the moisture evaporates putting out a greater proportion of odorous ammonia gas. You must get rid of the urine salts in and under the carpet to get rid of the odor. That’s why cleaning existing urine spots WILL NOT remove any associated odor. In fact, it could INCREASE the odor in the air space for a temporary period of time. Back to Top