In this case consider the following:

Were any other cleaning chemicals or detergent based products used prior to treating the stain with PetLab?

If there are remaining residues from other products it could take much longer for the PetLab solution to work. 

You need to make sure all other products previously applied have been extracted and flushed away with water only and then air dried before applying PetLab.

In most cases urine seeps through the carpet pile and spreads out when it reaches the hard floor surface beneath the carpet making the area to be treated larger than what is visible from the surface of the carpet.

It is important to treat a wide enough area surrounding the visible stain on the surface of the carpet to allow the enzymes to make full contact with all the urine.  

After saturating the soiled area with PetLab it is important to keep the treated area as moist as possible for as long as possible to ensure the enzyme solution has time to do its job.

To achieve this, we suggest covering the treated area with a plastic tarp (particularly if in a sunny area of the home). 

We always recommend that you treat all affected areas first with PetLab enzyme solution before shampooing or steam cleaning the carpet.

Shampooing or steam cleaning first can result in the urine spreading throughout the entire carpeted area.

This can be problematic because the urine smell is no longer only isolated to the area where the visible stain is located but is now spread throughout the room.

If this is the case don’t worry, as the problem can still be solved, but will require the use of more PetLab solution to ensure all the urine that has spread out is removed. 

Only after you are satisfied that the odour is removed, it is then acceptable to have the carpet shampooed or steam-cleaned, which will help remove any remaining residue resulting from the bio-enzymatic action.

The amount of PetLab you use depends on the amount of urine that has been deposited over the area to be treated.

As a rule of thumb, it is important to use a volume of PetLab solution equal to the amount of urine deposited.

As you can appreciate, we cannot recommend an exact quantity to be applied as every case is different, however to get a measurable idea it is important to note that a dog can urinate between 200-2000ml a day (depending on the size of the dog).

Over 365 days this can accumulate into a large deposit of urine. Other considerations like, how old the stain/smell is, and how long it has been there, will affect how much product you need to use. 

It may also take more than one application for old urine stains or for larger deposits.

Yes! PetLab is safe for you, your pets and the environment.

It is a plant-based formula and contains no harsh or toxic ingredients. It is also eco-friendly, vegan friendly and cruelty free.

Never spray PetLab directly on animals or humans – it is NOT tested or approved for direct use on animals or humans.

It will not deter animals from returning to the same spot, but it will eliminate the odour so that they are not attracted back to it!

PetLab was first and foremost formulated to treat and remove tough urine odours and stains but is equally effective in removing other organic stains and odours, including feaces, vomit, food, slobber and perspiration stains.

Yes! urine is urine! The Bio-Enzymatic formula used in PetLab will work on all types of urine whether from dogs, cats, or humans.

PetLab is sold as a ready-to-use solution and should not be diluted with water or any other liquid as it will significantly reduce its effectiveness.

It can however be used as a pre-treatment, prior to shampooing or steam cleaning.

In fact, we recommend you use it prior to shampooing to prevent spreading it over the whole area.

Instructions for using PetLab will differ depending on whether the stain is new (fresh) or old and embedded.

For New (Fresh) Urine Deposits:

1. First, you need to remove any solid waste and blot up any excess urine from the surface to be treated. 
2. Wash down the affected area using water only – NO CHEMICALS!
3. Blot up any excess water with an absorbent paper towel or micro fibre cloth. 
4. Whilst still moist, apply PetLab generously over the affected area covering about 6 inches of area surrounding the visible surface stain and working inwards towards the stain. This is because the urine spreads out when it penetrates the underlay and reaches the hard floor and to be most effective, the enzymes need to make full contact with all the urine. Once in contact with the urine the enzymes will follow the same path that the urine would have taken originally, eating and digesting the uric acid crystals all the way to the source of the stain. 
5. Allow to air dry. The enzymatic action required to remove the urine crystals takes place during this drying time. It is therefore important to keep the treated area as moist as possible for as long as possible. If in a sunny/warm area, cover the treated area with plastic wrap or other tarp like cover to prevent rapid evaporation. 
6. Once dry and you are satisfied the odour is gone, spray the treated area with a small amount of water to wipe away any sticky residue (a by-product from the bio-enzymatic action). 

Note:

It is always recommended to proceed carefully and test colour fastness in an inconspicuous area before proceeding with full treatment. Play it safe and test first!

For old (embedded) urine deposits:

Be aware that long-term urine exposure to any surface can burn the surface causing a permanent stain which cannot be reversed.

Treatment of such an area using PetLab will work to remove the odour and in most cases will only fade the permanent stain.

1. First, you need to re-activate the old stain by washing it down with a generous amount of water only. NO CHEMICALS OR SHAMPOO! 
2. Blot up any excess water using absorbent paper towels or micro fibre cloths.
3. Use the “stream” setting on the PetLab spray nozzle to Saturate the stained surface with PetLab solution. 
4. Cover the area with plastic wrap or tarp for 24 to 48 hours, to allow the surface area to remain moist for as long as possible so as that the enzyme solution gets enough time to break down and remove the odour causing uric acid crystals.
5. Once completely dry, wipe away any residue left behind using water only.

Note: 

Where urine deposits are heavy, old, or other urine odour/stain products have been used, more than one PetLab treatment may be required.

It is common after the first application for the stain to become darker and the odour stronger. This shows that the removal of the uric acid crystals is working and are being drawn to the surface of the carpet. Repeated applications will see the stain become lighter and the odour eliminated.

Unfortunately, in some carpets & rugs, especially wool blends, the uric acid crystals can cause burn marks that look like a stain but have actually discoloured the carpet/rug. Please note this is irreversible. PetLab will remove the urine odour but it cannot remove burn marks.

When urine happens, the first step is to immediately blot up the mess with paper towels.

The longer urine sits on your hardwood floors the more damage it’ll cause. So, it’s crucial to start cleaning as soon as it’s spotted to prevent the acid from burning or discolouring the surface.

It is important to understand that when urine dries it crystallises to form uric acid crystals that literally burn surfaces over time.

As such, urine left untreated on a hardwood floor for a longer period of time will literally burn the timber causing an irreversible stain. Nothing, not even PetLab will be able to reverse this burning. 

Steps to clean and remove urine stains and odours from hardwood floors:

1. Blot up the urine deposit with paper towels.
2. Mop or wash down the affected area using water only. NO CHEMICALS!
3. Whilst surface is still moist, spray PetLab liberally over it.
4. Cover the treated surface with a plastic covering (tarp) to keep it as moist as possible for as long as possible. Hardwood floors need a long dwell time for effective results to take place so it’s important to slow down evaporation.
5. Remove plastic after 30 minutes or more and blot dry with paper towels.
6. Apply PetLab over the area again, only this time do not cover with plastic. Leave to airdry and then wipe down the floor again with water only.
7. Repeat these steps until satisfied the odour is removed 

Note: 

Do Not use cleaners, chemicals or deodorisers prior to using PetLab. These products make it difficult for the enzymes to penetrate. If you have used these products, try to remove as much as possible with water and a clean cloth. Blot and allow to dry and then apply PetLab.

Black stains on timber floors are usually due to a combination of uric acid burns and an accumulation of urine deposits over time. These stains are irreversible but can lighten in colour with repeated use of a bio-enzymatic cleaner like PetLab. To remove black stains permanently you would need to sand the surface down and re-seal it.

The amount of PetLab you use depends on the amount of urine that has been deposited over the area to be treated. As a rule of thumb, it is important to use a volume of PetLab solution equal to the amount of urine deposited.

As you can appreciate, we cannot recommend an exact quantity to be applied as every case is different, however to get a measurable idea it is important to note that a dog can urinate between 200mls to 2L per day (depending on the size of the dog).

Over 365 days this can accumulate into a large deposit of urine.  Other considerations like, how old the stain/smell is, and how long it has been there, will affect how much product you need to use.

It may also take more than one application for old urine stains or for larger deposits.

DIY cleaning recipes?

Too often, people recommend vinegar to remove urine smell. While it is in fact a good, natural cleaner, it should NEVER be used for pet stains.

While vinegar has a pH level of 2, urine has a pH balance of 6. Both cats and dogs urinate where they smell they have gone before. Cleaning with vinegar does not remove that odour.

Instead, it simply enhances it by adding another compound with a similar acidic base. Products like ammonia and vinegar encourage your pet to mark in that area.

Baking Soda

As with Vinegar, Baking Soda features front and centre in many DIY Pet Stain Removers.

Baking Soda can absorb odour but does nothing to remove the root cause of the urine smell.

Sprinkled on dry carpet and vacuumed up it may freshen the room for a period but the odour will return unless the offending uric acid crystals are removed from deep within the carpet & underlays.

Although an obvious issue, many DIY pet stain concoctions end up with a wet paste of Baking Soda smeared on the surface of the carpet.

Not only does this not even get close to the source of the problem, you now have the issue of trying to remove it.

Some DIY recipes suggest various household cleaners such as laundry detergent or dish soaps. NO! Just don’t do it. Soap based cleaners work on the principal of attraction. 

Dirt, dust and other staining agents, including urine, are pulled toward the soap. When used in carpet, as the soap travels downward, it takes the stains with it.

When this happens, what might have been a simple surface stain now becomes embedded in the padding. As you rinse, you might notice the surface becomes clean, but in time, everything that has seeped into the padding will resurface.

This results in “phantom stains” that come back after the carpet has been cleaned. Soap does not have the power to kill odour, especially if it seeps into the padding.

You are only intensifying the urge for your pet to urinate on the same spot again.

Household products with Oxidizing agents (Hydrogen Peroxide) 

These remedies can cause discolouration to carpets and can’t be easily reversed.

Other household cleaners are recommended as pet odour neutralisers. When cleaning pet stains you do not want to simply neutralise dog urine, you want to break it down and remove it!!

1. Blot up excess urine with paper towels (dab don’t rub).
2. Saturate all urine-affected areas with PetLab to ensure the solution penetrates deep into the mattress. 
3. Allow to air dry. The biological removal of the urine deposits takes place during this drying time.
4. When dry, spray a small amount of water to the area and blot it up with a paper towel to remove any remaining residue.

Note: 

Do not be alarmed if after the first treatment the stain becomes darker or the smell becomes stronger. This is common. It is an indication the enzymes are working to break down the urine crystals and bring them to the surface.

For treatment of older stains on mattresses it is important to extend the drying time by covering the treated area with a plastic covering or tarp thereby allowing the enzymes more time to complete the job.