Enzyme Cleaners for Pet Urine and Odors (2026)

Pet urine has to stop smelling to the pet, not just to you, or the pet comes back to the same spot. That takes an enzyme cleaner used the right way, with one safety caution from the ASPCA and one recalled product to check your cupboard for.

How we chose: we did not test these cleaners; what each does comes from its maker's listing, and every pick was sold by Amazon.com or the brand's owner and in stock in September 2026.

Six enzyme cleaners compared

Prices are Amazon's, as of the time shown, and subject to change. Details

What an enzyme cleaner does

An enzymatic cleaner uses enzymes, or in Biokleen's case live enzyme cultures, to break down the organic matter in urine, feces and vomit. The point is to remove what smells rather than cover it up.

The makers describe it the same way: Nature's Miracle says its formula "continues working as long as any bio-based mess is still present," and Bissell says its enzyme action keeps working for 24 hours down to the carpet backing.

That matters to a pet more than to you. The Cornell Feline Health Center says odors "must be neutralized, not just deodorized, to escape a cat's keen sense of smell," and that cleaning works best soon after the accident.

For a cat that goes outside the box, cleaning is only half the fix: our litter box guide covers the size and cover Cornell and the AAFP say cats prefer, and our cat litter guide compares litters by material and scent.

Why ammonia and vinegar make it worse

Check the label of any all-purpose cleaner for ammonia before it goes near a pet accident.

The ASPCA's advice on urine marking is to "clean accidents thoroughly with an enzymatic cleanser designed to neutralize pet odors," and it says that because urine contains ammonia, cleaning with it "can attract your cat to that same spot to urinate again." The advice is written for cats, but the logic is the same for a dog.

Cornell goes further: avoid cleaning products containing ammonia or vinegar, "as they smell like urine and can be irritating."

So for a pet accident:

1. Blot up as much as you can with paper towels. Don't scrub it deeper.
2. Soak the spot with the enzyme cleaner so it reaches as far as the urine did. Nature's Miracle Urine Destroyer Plus says to soak, wait 15 minutes, then blot.
3. Let it dry fully, and keep pets off it until it does.

Is an enzyme cleaner safe around pets?

Used as the label says, the makers say yes: Nature's Miracle says its formula "can be used around your pets" when used and stored as directed. The ASPCA adds one caution. On its poisonous household products page it says "most enzyme-based cleaners tend to cause mild stomach upset so ensure that these products dry prior to letting the pet into any area where they were used."

The ASPCA's cleaning-product guidance also says to "always follow label directions for usage" and to let a carpet dry before pets go back into the area. Store bottles where pets can't reach them. Our pet-safe plants and cleaners guide covers what the ASPCA says about other household cleaners.

If your pet drinks or licks a cleaner and seems unwell, call your vet or ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435. This page is not veterinary advice (why).

Key point: read the surface list before you spray. Simple Solution and Bissell both limit their sprays to water-safe surfaces. On delicate fabric, try the cleaner on a hidden spot first and let it dry before treating the stain.

Angry Orange: citrus odor spray and a recall

Angry Orange is not on our list for two reasons. Its best-known pet product, the Pet Odor Eliminator, is sold as a citrus cleaner made with orange oil; its listing does not call it enzymatic, so it is not a substitute for an enzyme cleaner on urine.

Second, the brand's enzyme product was recalled. On January 22, 2026, the CPSC announced a recall of about 1.5 million Angry Orange Enzyme Stain Removers in Fresh Clean and Orange Twist scents, in 24 oz, 32 oz and 1 gallon sizes, sold from March 2019 through December 2025, including on Amazon.com.

The CPSC says they can contain bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which poses a risk of serious infection to people with weakened immune systems, external medical devices or lung conditions. If you have one, the CPSC says to stop using it and contact the company for a refund. Check any cleaner you already own against our recall list.

Which one to buy

If urine has soaked into carpet or upholstery, a portable spot cleaner pulls out what a spray can't reach; our portable carpet cleaner guide compares the Bissell Little Green and Hoover CleanSlate.

• For house training on carpet: Nature's Miracle Dog Stain & Odor Remover, and pair it with a pee pad in the right size so there are fewer misses.
• For a spot a dog keeps going back to: Nature's Miracle Urine Destroyer Plus, soaked in and given its 15 minutes.
• For old stains on upholstery and bedding: Simple Solution Extreme.
• For a lot of carpet: the Bissell two-pack, or Rocco & Roxie with its Carpet and Rug Institute seal.
• For one bottle for laundry and accidents: Biokleen Bac-Out.

For hair rather than stains on the same carpet and upholstery, our pet hair removal guide covers rollers, a rubber broom and pet vacuums.

If accidents keep happening in a house-trained pet, cleaning is only half the answer. The ASPCA says "the first step in fixing any elimination problem is to rule out medical problems," so book a vet visit.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I tell urine marking from an accident?

The ASPCA says marks are usually on vertical surfaces, smell pungent and are smaller in volume than a full void. Marking is a behavior problem as well as a cleaning one, so raise it with your vet.

How do I find out which cat is marking?

Ask your vet. The ASPCA describes a dye, fluorescein, that makes a cat's urine glow blue under ultraviolet light for about 24 hours. It adds that the more cats live in a home, the more likely at least one will mark.

Do pheromone diffusers help with marking?

Sometimes. The ASPCA says synthetic pheromone products "have been shown to have some effect in relieving stress in cats." Use one alongside cleaning with an enzyme product, not instead of it.

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