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The Best Pet Odor Eliminator Reviews & Buying Guide 2024

Updated on January 3, 2023 by Joseph D. Nielson

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The Best Pet Odor Eliminator Reviews & Buying Guide

Your furry friend might be a cute companion, but there’s no denying it: they reek! Dogs, cats, birds, and rodents fill your home with a distinct eau de pet.

Even if you’ve become nose blind to Fido’s everyday funk, you’ll be able to sniff out when your pooch has an accident. Life’s biggest messes deliver such a strong kick to the olfactory system that even soap and water don’t always cut it.

That’s when you need to bring out the big guns. You want a pet odor eliminator that destroys the smell at its source, leaving behind nothing but a clean, fresh scent.

There are a lot of cleaners and deodorizers on the market, but few deliver what they promise. Before you waste your time, money, and elbow grease on products that poorly mask a bad smell, scroll down to see the top 10 best pet odor eliminator products available today.

We’ve crunched thousands of pet odor eliminator reviews to figure out which products pass the sniff test so that you can get rid of the stink, once and for all.

Top 10 Best Pet Odor Eliminators

Best Carpet Cleaner for Pets Review of 2024

Key Features:

  • Used with Upright Carpet Cleaners
  • OXY Formula Permanently Destroys Odors
  • Scotchgard Prevents Future Stains
  • A Portion of Each Purchase Supports the BISSELL Pet Foundation

Review: The BISSEL Professional Pet Urine Eliminator + OXY Carpet Cleaning Formula makes it to the top because it’s the all-round best pet stain and odor eliminator.

It handles all of Fido’s typical messes — like dirt, urine, feces, and vomit — and even some of his not-so-typical ones, too. We’re seriously impressed by its ability to remove tracked-in skunk spray.

Because BISSEL targets the stain at the source, it discourages your pet from making another mess in the same spot. Its formula also contains Scotchgard to prevent future stains from taking hold.

Ease of Use: As we mentioned in its key features, the BISSEL Professional Pet Urine Eliminator + Oxy Carpet Cleaning Formula is designed for use with a BISSEL deep cleaning machine.

The good news is you don’t need a BISSEL-brand vacuum for it to work. BISSEL’s patented solution works well with all the best Hoover carpet cleaners and Rug Doctor steam cleaners.

Standout Features: We put BISSEL at the top of our list because its strong formula handles the toughest stains and odors stuck in carpets. It’s like sending your carpet and upholstery to a professional cleaner — but for a fraction of the price!

We also love how BISSEL’S patented cleaning formula is the only pet odor eliminator on the list to boast the EPA’s Safer Choice seal. This Safer Choice label means the BISSEL Professional Pet Urine Eliminator has been thoroughly tested by the Environmental Protection Agency. Its Earth-friendly ingredients are biodegradable and safe to use around kids and pets.

Pros

  • Neutralizes the Toughest Odors, Including Skunk
  • EPA Safer Choice Label
  • Every Purchase Saves Pets

Cons

  • Best Used with an Upright Steam-Cleaning Vacuum

Key Features:

  • For Decks, Patios, Dog Runs, Kennels, Yards, and More
  • Safe on Grass, Artificial Turf, Brick, Gravel, Concrete, and More
  • Enzymatic Cleaner Breaks Down Odor at the Source

Review: This next cleaner earns its title as the best pet odor eliminator spray for its unique outdoor use. If you have to hold your breath whenever you go outside after Fido does his business, you’ll want to add Simple Green to your shopping list.

The Simple Green Outdoor Odor Eliminator helps neutralize any lingering pet smells before they ruin a backyard party or barbecue. With one quick application, you’ll be ready to enjoy your time outside again.

Ease of Use: After connecting the bottle to your outdoor hose, you can spray down any outdoor area. The Simple Green’s formula is safe to use on all manner of landscaping, including grass, artificial turf, decks, patios, and more.

Standout Features: As the first enzymatic cleaner on the list, The Simple Green’s standout feature is its formula’s chemistry. It uses powerful enzymes to eat through bacteria that causes the worst smells and restructures the mess on a molecular level to eliminate the stench permanently.

Since enzymes are a living thing, they grow to match the size of your mess. These enzymes travel as far as they need to follow and neutralize odors trapped in brick, concrete, turf, and more!

Pros

  • Neutralizes Strong Outdoor Odors
  • Uses Natural Enzymes to Break Down Odors
  • Non-Toxic Formula is Safe for Pets and Landscaping

Cons

  • Can’t Be Used Indoors
  • Requires Access to Hose

Key Features:

  • Potent Formula Works on Hardwood, Upholstery, Carpets, Bedding, and More
  • Can Be Used as a Laundry Pre-Treatment
  • Get Your Money Back if You Aren’t Satisfied

Review: We’ve placed BUBBAS Super Strength Commercial Enzyme Cleaner high on our list of the best pet stain and odor eliminator products because it works on nearly any surface.

It tackles pet messes on hardwood, upholstery, pet beds, carpets and rugs, wool, and more. You can even use it as a laundry pre-treatment when humans wind up wearing mustard or red wine. 

Ease of Use: BUBBAS formula is the set it and forget it kind, elbow grease not required. We love how it does all the hard work to pull out odors. All you have to do is wait for it to do its job before vacuuming it up.

Standout Feature: As its name suggests, BUBBAS Super Strength Commercial Enzyme Cleaner relies on the power of enzymes. But what makes it stand out is its shelf-stable formula.

Unlike other enzymatic cleaners that rely on live cultures to break down odor molecules, BUBBAS uses dormant enzymes that only wake up when they come into contact with stains and smells. This means you won’t have to worry about the BUBBAS formula losing strength in between messes.

Pros

  • For Use on a Variety of Surfaces
  • Formula Won’t Lose Strength
  • Money-Back Guarantee

Cons

  • Strong Scent for Sensitive Noses

Key Features:

  • Works on Any Hard Surfaces Like Tiles, Linoleum, Hardwood, and More
  • 3-Way Spray Nozzle Helps Target Different Sized Messes
  • Prevents Repeat Marking

Review: Look no further than Simple Solution for the best pet odor eliminator spray for your hard flooring. Its pet stain and odor remover cleans urine, feces, and vomit from sealed hardwood floors, linoleum, brick, stone floors, and more.

Ease of Use: Aim and spray — it doesn’t get any easier than that! After letting it soak briefly, you’ll be able to wipe away the mess, revealing a clean and fresh-smelling floor.

Standout Features: Anyone with genuine hardwood floors will appreciate its mild yet effective cleaning formula. It’s tough on stains and odors without being harsh on your hardwood’s delicate finishes.

Pros

  • Safe to Use on Most Hardwood Floors
  • Multi-Functional Nozzle
  • Simple Ingredients
  • Multi-Functional Nozzle
  • Simple Ingredients

Cons

  • Can’t Be Used on Fabric or Untreated Wood Floors

Key Features:

  • Eco-Friendly Packaging
  • Natural Odor Fighter
  • Non-Toxic Formula Completely Safe for Pets and Kids
  • Best Pet Odor Eliminator for Cat’s Urine

Review: Harnessing the natural powers of carbon dioxide, Fizzion’s formula can penetrate even stubborn, caked-on messes. CO2 naturally kills odor-causing bacteria at the source once it cracks open stains, refreshing hard flooring and fabric alike.

Ease of Use: Fizzion earns bonus marks because of its eco-friendly packaging. They’ve concentrated their stain-fighting formula into dissolvable tablets to reduce plastic waste. A single package makes nearly a gallon’s worth of spray, or five 23-oz bottles.

Standout Features: If you have a territorial tomcat or a senior cat struggling to make it to her litter box, Fizzion deserves a spot in your cleaning supply closet.

According to several reviewers who foster kittens, Fizzion is the best pet odor eliminator for cat’s urine. You know this claim is legit when Jackson Galaxy, cat whisperer and star of My Cat from Hell, uses it himself!

Pros

  • Earth-Friendly Tablets Cut Down Waste
  • Family-Friendly Non-Toxic Formula
  • Tough on Cat Urine

Cons

  • Expensive

Key Features:

  • Works on Deep Stains and Odors
  • Probiotic and Enzymatic Cleaner Kills Bacteria
  • Deep-Cleaning Formula Prevents Re-Soiling
  • Free from Harsh Chemicals

Review: We’ve included the Unique Pet Odor and Stain Eliminator in our best pet odor eliminator reviews because of its ability to penetrate deep stains down to the subfloor. It’s your best bet for serious, large-scale messes, in and out of the home.

Ease of Use: Its concentrated formula mixes easily with tap water, and it’s safe to use in any container from the kitchen.

Standout Features: Unique’s formula stands out as the best pet urine odor eliminator because it destroys odor-causing bacteria and pheromones to stop Fluffy from re-marking the same spot twice.

We also can’t ignore how far a gallon goes. As a concentrated enzymatic formula that dilutes with water, the Unique Pet Odor and Stain Eliminator makes up to 10 gallons of cleaner.

Pros

  • Works on Old and New Stains
  • Enzymatic Cleaner Removes Stains and Odors Down to Subfloor
  • Money-Back Guarantee

Cons

  • Must Have Large Container to Dilute Concentrated Formula
  • Mixed Formula Loses Power After 7 Days

Key Features:

  • Best Pet Odor Eliminator for Carpet
  • Fragrance-Free Formula Perfect for People with Allergies
  • Works on Pet Odors, Mildew, Cigarettes, Cooking, and More

Review: No list of the best pet odor eliminator reviews would be complete without NonScents. It’s deodorizing powder locks onto bad odors, using a biodegradable chlorine compound to break down bacteria at a molecular level before you vacuum them away permanently.

Ease of Use: It’s designed for use with the typical household vacuum, so you don’t have to worry about the powder clogging important vacuum cleaner parts.

Standout Features: You know a company is serious about their odor-fighting abilities when their product is fragrance-free. NonScents doesn’t have to rely on harsh perfumes to distract you from a stinky carpet. Its break-through formula knocks out odor at the source.     

Although designed to neutralize pet odors, NonScents is an all-round deodorizer that eliminates nasty aromas in the home, your car, gym bags, trash cans, and more.

Pros

  • Multi-Surface Deodorizer Targets All Foul Scents — Not Just Pet Odors
  • Fragrance-Free Formula Perfect for Sensitive Noses
  • Money-Back Guarantee

Cons

  • Must Be Used with Vacuum

Key Features:

  • 70-Hour Burn Time
  • Pleasant Citrus Scent
  • Enzyme-Enriched Wax Eliminates Odors

Review: When bad odor strikes, it’s not always linked to a mess you can clean up. Our furry friends can make our houses smell simply by existing.

We think the Pet Odor Exterminator is the best pet odor eliminator candle because it doesn’t just mask bad odors in the house. It eliminates them entirely, leaving behind a bright citrus scent.

Ease of Use: Unlike the other items on our list, the best pet odor eliminator candle isn’t a cleaner, so you won’t have to do anything to enjoy its fresh scent. Just light it in the smelliest part of your home and wait for it to work its magic.  

Standout Features: You can’t beat its 70-hour burn time. And, since it comes as a set of two, you’ll be able to enjoy its orange-lemon scent for 140 hours.

Pros

  • Pet-Friendly Fresh Orange Lemon Scent
  • 70-Hour Burn Time
  • Soy Wax Enriched with Enzymes

Cons

  • Doesn’t Clean Stain

Key Features:

  • Safe to Use on Carpet, Vehicle Interiors, Tile, Drains, and More
  • 100% Biodegradable Enzyme Cleaner
  • Best Pet Odor Eliminator for Cat’s Urine

Review: With a name like Ur-in Control, you can trust this enzymatic cleaner to tackle tough stains and odors caused by pee. What’s more, it can handle sweat, fecal matter, blood, and vomit, too. Each gallon contains an astonishing 200 billion enzyme-producing bacteria to wipe out stubborn pet odors immediately.

Ease of Use: No need to roll-up your sleeves here. We love how you can just spray the affected area and wait until it’s dry.

Standout Features: People order Ur-in Control time and time again because its powerful enzymatic formula can penetrate old stains — turning back time on carpets, upholstery, and bedding. It handles stubborn cat markings according to hundreds of reviews, making it one of the best pet odor eliminators for cat’s urine.

Pros

  • Works on Old Cat Urine
  • Eco-Friendly & Non-Toxic Enzymatic Cleaner
  • Money-Back Guarantee

Cons

  • Stubborn Stains May Take Several Applications

Key Features:

  • Best Pet Urine Odor Eliminator for Hard Floors
  • Penetrates Porous Materials Like Stone and Grout

Review: Stink Free Hardfloor Pet Stain & Odor Remover joins our guide as the next best pet odor eliminator spray. Although it’s not suitable for wax-finish floors, it works miracles on marble, ceramic and travertine tiles, sealed hardwood, concrete, linoleum, and even cork.

Ease of Use: Since it’s one of the best pet odor eliminator spray bottles, you can just spray it on the offending area and wipe it clean with a microfiber cloth.

Standout Features: Stink Free Hardfloor Pet Stain & Odor Remover can clean up messes on a remarkable number of hard surfaces. Reviewers appreciate how it’s one of the few cleaners to remove stubborn urine smells from porous materials like stone.

Pros

  • Removes Urine Odor Embedded in Grout

Cons

  • Can’t Be Used on Wax-Finish Flooring

Pet Odor Eliminator Buying Guide

What to Consider When Choosing a Pet Odor Eliminator

Affected Material: A pet odor eliminator will work at its best when applied correctly. While some of the products in our guide are designed for carpets, others are better suited for hard floors.

On-Hand Equipment: Save yourself a hassle by checking if you need a wet or dry vacuum before purchasing a pet odor eliminator.

Scent: If you have allergies or a sensitive nose, choose a pet odor eliminator that’s fragrance-free.

Size of Mess: Do you need help for spot treatments where Fluffy vomited? Or do you want something that can freshen up an entire carpet to remove the pervading smell of dog from your living room?

Health Concerns: If you can’t cordon off the cleaned area until it dries, you should look for products with non-toxic ingredients that are safe to use around pets and children.

Age of Mess: Older stains and odors need a different approach than Fido’s freshest messes. If you’re trying to remove odor from long-standing stains, you’ll want to pick a product that says it can penetrate locked-in scents.

Eco Features: If you want to make the sustainable choice, look for a pet odor eliminator with eco-friendly ingredients and packaging.

Frequently Asked Questions about Pet Odor Eliminators

Frequently Asked Questions about Pet Odor Eliminators

No, dog urine doesn’t permanently stain a carpet, provided you clean the area thoroughly. However, dog pee contains ammonia, which may lighten dyes and carpet fibers if left long enough.

(As an aside, the presence of ammonia is why you should never attempt to clean dog urine with bleach. Mixing bleach and ammonia can create a toxic gas)!

This lighting via ammonia will remain even after you clean the stain. That’s why it’s crucial you remove dog urine from your carpets as soon as you spot it. The faster you clean, the less time the ammonia will have to bleach.

If you stumble upon an accident long after it dries, think about using Fizzion, Unique, or Stink Free brand cleaners, as they’ve been specially formulated to handle older odors and caked-on messes.

While it may be too late to do anything about the bleaching effects of ammonia, the best pet urine odor eliminator will get rid of the smell!

The fastest way to get dog urine out of carpet is by blotting it out of the material with a cloth. When the cloth absorbs as much of the pee as possible, it reduces how much bacteria and pheromones get trapped in your carpet.

As soon as you’ve removed the excess liquid, follow the directions on your chosen odor eliminator. Depending on the severity of the mess, it may require multiple applications.

An enzymatic cleaner contains enzymes that eat odor-causing proteins, starches, and oils. They work by breaking down the bonds holding together stinky bacteria’s molecules before they can reach your nose.
Yes, homemade enzymatic cleaners work, but they may require a bit of trial and error finding the right balance of active ingredients. Although vinegar, baking powder, and borax are popular household cleaners, they don’t contain enzymes. Your homemade cleaner requires active yeast to create odor-munching enzymes.
A wet vacuum cleaner helps you deep clean a house with pets, but it’s not necessary to keep your home spick and span. The best pet odor eliminator for carpet, hardwood, and other surfaces are ready to use by hand.
Your vacuum soaking up nasty smells after cleaning up after Fido is a valid concern. Luckily, it’s not something you’ll have to worry about with any of the products we listed in this buying guide. As a precaution, you can stop your vacuum cleaner from smelling by cleaning its cannister and filter regularly.

A regular cleaning routine will go a long way to keep out the smell of dog. Sorry Fido, that means extra baths are in your future. You’ll also want to vacuum carpets and upholstery, sweep and mop up floors, launder blankets and bedding, and wash their kennel or dog runs.

For puppy training accidents or behavior problems, you’ll want to use a targeted odor-neutralizing cleanser. Choose from our best pet odor eliminator reviews before you order one straight to your door. 

The same rules about removing dog smells from the home applies to any pet — whether it’s a cat, hamster, or bird. Keep on top of cleaning and laundering to remove pet fur and dander, and reach for one of the products in our guide to handle bigger messes.

Don’t forget about the cat litter box, rodent and bird cages, or traveling cases. Cleaning these areas thoroughly will keep malodors at bay.

After crunching the numbers, BISSEL boasts the title as the best carpet pet odor eliminator. However, you can’t go wrong choosing anything from this buying guide, especially if your pets cause a mess in other areas of the home.

Febreze is one of the most popular air fresheners on the market, but it’s not an enzymatic cleaner. Even the best Febreze air freshener designed for furniture as a pet odor eliminator will only mask the smell.

If you’re serious about removing the smell of cat or dog, you have to choose a product that eradicates the odor and stains at the source.

What is the best pet odor eliminator? Scroll back to the top of our list to find out!

Final Thoughts on Pet Odor Eliminator Reviews

It doesn’t matter how well-behaved your pets are, they can produce some pretty foul-smelling odors. But that doesn’t mean your home has to smell like a barnyard.

With the right pet odor eliminator in your cleaning supply closet, you can get rid of odors and freshen up your home. Use our buying guide to find which odor eliminator suits your needs and say goodbye to nasty pet smells once and for all.

Joseph and Family
About Joseph D. Nielson

Former journalist and editor for various press groups, I now dedicate my time to reviewing products for the home and family life. When I get time to myself, I enjoy rock climbing, taking my dirt bike for a rip, and most importantly providing my family with the best home possible!