Any tips on getting rid of urine smell off sidewalk/bush?

[Nevilledog]

I have a 15 year old Old English Sheepdog....the Neville of my nickname. He has bad arthritis in his back legs although he is still walking quite well, with the help of Rimadyl. Here's the problem. When Neville goes out the doggie door he doesn't like to go too far to urinate. He really can't lift his back leg anymore so he kinda ends up peeing on this one bush, but mostly on the sidewalk. He always pees in the same area and I've given up the idea of trying to get him to spread it around. I've tried hosing the area down quite frequently and even tried putting kitty litter down in the general area to see if that would help with the smell. While it lessens it a tiny bit, the smell is still really strong. Does anyone have any good ideas on what I can spray to kill the smell... or any other ideas on dealing with the smell?

Thanks.

[MiniMe]

1. Baking Soda

Pour it on straight from the box and let it absorb odors, then hose off.

[Nevilledog]

2. That's gonna be a lot of baking soda...LOL

I'll give it a try. Going to Costco today so I'll see if they have some supersized baking soda.

Thanks!

[MiniMe]

4. You can get it, and baking soda is usually pretty cheap

Good luck!

[RedLetterRev]

3. Do you have one of those garden-type dial-a-spray doodads

like for applying fertilizer? You can get those at places like Lowe's (a Blue home improvement store) or if you must, Home Depot (I avoid them because they're Red). They're only a few bucks and I find a bazillion uses for them; hosing down dogpee is just one :)

Use some regular old white vinegar and set the dial for about 4tbs per gallon. It won't hurt the shrubbery at that low rate and will help break down the urine. If after a couple of applications the pee-aroma is still strong, you can go up to as much as a couple of ounces/gallon. Don't overdo, especially on or around plantings. The dial-a-spray doodad is a convenient format for applying over a large area and you can easily control the rate. Find the least that works for you. Your nose will tell you what's working. Vinegar and sunlight are the best natural cleaners.

Vinegar is one of nature's best and most effective natural cleaners and disinfectants. The slight acid is tasty to acid-loving plants and it won't hurt growing things like alcohol-and-enzyme-based indoor cleaners like Nature's Miracle might (which, incidentally, is fantastic indoors). It might take a couple of applications, but it will get rid of the smell.

Baking soda will indeed clean the sidewalk effectively, but it might also harm your shrubbery by changing the pH in the soil. It may even outright kill acid-loving plants like peonies, roses, rhododendrons and azaleas, so use it with caution around your plantings. If it's just grass, the grass may not care; the pee probably has already done a number on it and you might need to do some soil amendment anyway to get it to grow again.

[Nevilledog]

5. The plants where he pees are incapable of being killed I believe...LOL

The main bush is a really spread out pine/evergreen type shrub....the other is one that gets pretty red berries and white flowers. As you can tell, I am an expert in plants...haha.

I think I'll try the baking soda on the sidewalk but I really like the idea of the vinegar spray. I was thinking about vinegar because growing up I remember my mom using it in the house when the dog peed on the carpet.

So now I'll get baking soda and vinegar from Costco and stop at the Lowe's right there to get, using what must be the official name - a "dial-a-spray doodad". That cracked me up, but I can't think of a better name for it. Thanks.

[RedLetterRev]

6. LOL Glad I could help!

The one I use is made by Ortho and you can get it in the garden section. Yeah, plants are more my thing, even though I do/have trained assistance dogs. The last one I trained was my partner's seizure alert dog. When she showed the willingness and the love to alert for him, she took all our attention and love, so I stepped back from training for other folks. Now, we enjoy the plants and gardens together :)

Soda will work wonderfully on the sidewalk. But yeah, if you're not sure of what kind of plants you have, dilute vinegar is probably a safer bet in those areas. It might take a little bit longer, but it will work.

[Nevilledog]

7. Wish there was as easy of a solution to keep him from peeing on his foot..LOL

Bless his heart, he THINKS he's lifting his leg to pee. **sigh**