Naturally It's Clean Enzyme Cleaner Review: Does It Work on Pet Odors?

Let's be honest: if you're reading this, you've probably got a smell problem. Maybe your senior dog had an accident on the carpet. Maybe your new puppy thinks the living room rug is a bathroom. Either way, you've tried the regular stuff, and the smell came back.

I've been there, and I've tried everything from baking soda hacks to "professional-grade" sprays that mostly smelled like perfume. So when I tested Naturally It's Clean Carpet Stains & Odors Remover, I wasn't hoping for miracles. I just wanted something that worked on the messes pets actually make.

Short version: it's a gentle, plant-based enzyme spray that does its best work on carpet and upholstery when you use it generously and give it a second round on older spots. It isn't the strongest option for the worst set-in stains. Here's my honest review.

What Is Naturally It's Clean?

Naturally It's Clean Carpet Stains & Odors Remover is a plant-based enzyme cleaner made for carpets, rugs, upholstery and drapery. Instead of covering odors with fragrance, it uses enzymes to break down the organic material causing the smell.

Here's what the label and the Amazon listing say about the formula:

• Enzymes from plants
• pH neutral and biodegradable
• No VOCs, dyes, hazardous propellants or harsh chemicals
• Never tested on animals and made in the USA
• Made for pet and food stains, grease and ink on carpet, rugs, upholstery and drapes

One thing most reviews skip: it isn't unscented. The listing says it has a natural lemon scent from essential oil. There's no artificial fragrance, but if you need a truly fragrance-free product, know that going in.

How Enzyme Cleaners Actually Work

Here's the science in plain English: regular cleaners are like putting a Band-Aid on a wound without cleaning it first. They lift the visible stain and often add a strong scent, but the proteins and other organic matter from urine, vomit or feces stay in the fibers.

Enzyme cleaners are different. The enzymes break that organic material down at the source, so there's nothing left to smell. That's why a spot can look clean and still smell on the first humid day if you used the wrong product, and why an enzyme cleaner is the right tool for pet messes.

It's also why depth matters. Urine that soaked through to the carpet pad keeps smelling even when the surface looks spotless, because the source is below the fibers. The cleaner has to reach as far as the accident did.

How I Tested It

I didn't just spray it on a clean surface and call it a day. I followed the label directions and used it on the situations that matter most to pet owners:

Test 1: Fresh Accidents

Accidents treated soon after they happened, after blotting up as much as possible. This is the everyday job an enzyme cleaner has to get right.

Test 2: Older, Dried Spots

Spots found after they'd already dried, the kind you discover by smell rather than sight. This is a common scenario with sneaky pets.

Test 3: Upholstery and Fabric

Fabric surfaces where pets nap and occasionally make messes. The listing names upholstery and drapery as intended surfaces, so I wanted to see how it handled more than carpet.

Test 4: Repeat-Offender Spots

Areas that pets return to again and again. These are the worst case for any cleaner, because the mess has usually reached the padding.

The Results: What Actually Happened

Fresh Accidents: Where It Shines

This is its strongest use. Blotted first and sprayed generously, fresh accidents came out without a lingering odor once the spot dried, and there was no heavy perfume covering anything up. The light lemon scent faded as it dried.

Older Spots: Plan on a Second Round

Dried stains took more work. The formula is gentle, so I needed to scrub with a sponge and repeat the treatment on older spots. It got there, but not in one pass.

Upholstery: Gentle on Fabric

It's pH neutral and has no dyes, which is what you want on fabric. Still, spot-test a hidden area first, especially on delicate or colored upholstery.

Repeat-Offender Spots: Honest Limits

Let's be real: a spot that's been soaked many times isn't going to be fixed by any single spray. Repeated treatments help, but if the urine has saturated the pad or subfloor, no enzyme cleaner will fully fix it. That's a replace-the-pad problem, not a cleaner problem.

Pros and Cons: The Honest Breakdown

What I Liked

• Breaks down odor at the source instead of masking it
• Plant-based, pH-neutral formula with no dyes or harsh chemicals
• Made for carpet, rugs, upholstery and drapes
• No harsh chemical smell while you work
• Also handles food, grease and ink stains, according to the listing

What Could Be Better

• Gentler formula, so older stains may need more scrubbing
• Not my pick for the toughest set-in stains
• Has a natural lemon scent, so it isn't fragrance-free
• Made for carpet and fabric, not marketed for hard floors
• Won't fix pad or subfloor damage (nothing will)

How to Use Enzyme Cleaner Correctly (Most People Get This Wrong)

Here's the thing: enzyme cleaners only work if they reach the mess. Most people mist the surface, wipe right away, and then decide it didn't work.

The label directions are simple: shake, spray generously, let it soak for 5 minutes, then wipe or scrub with a sponge. Here's the full method:

1. Blot up as much of the mess as possible first (never rub!)
2. Spot-test a hidden area if you're cleaning upholstery or a delicate rug
3. Shake the bottle and spray generously, enough to reach as deep as the original accident
4. Let it soak for 5 minutes, as the label directs
5. Wipe or scrub with a sponge, let it dry, then check the smell. Repeat if the odor is still there

Pro tip: For carpet stains, the accident often soaked through to the padding underneath. Your cleaner needs to reach that far too. Don't be stingy with the spray.

Who Should Buy This?

Naturally It's Clean is worth it if you:

• Have dogs or cats with accidents on carpet, rugs or upholstery
• Want a plant-based, pH-neutral cleaner with no dyes
• Are tired of "fresh linen" sprays that just mask the smell
• Also deal with food, grease or ink stains on the same surfaces

You might want something else if you:

• Mostly have hard floors
• Need a truly fragrance-free product
• Are fighting old, heavily set-in stains and want the strongest formula available

If you're weighing it against the better-known brands, see our Naturally It's Clean vs. standard enzyme cleaners comparison.

Common Questions

Does enzyme cleaner really work on dog urine?

Yes, when it reaches the source. Enzymes break down the organic material in urine instead of covering the smell. The most common reason it "doesn't work" is using too little, so the cleaner never reaches the part of the carpet the urine did.

How long does it take to work?

The label says to let it soak for 5 minutes before wiping or scrubbing. Judge the result once the spot is fully dry, and treat older stains again if the smell remains.

Is it safe to use around pets?

The formula is plant-based, pH neutral and free of harsh chemicals, and the manufacturer positions it as safe around children and pets when used as directed. Keep pets off the spot until it dries.

Can it remove old stains?

Often, with repeat treatments and some scrubbing. Because the formula is gentle, very old or repeatedly soaked spots may need a stronger approach, and pad damage may need replacing.

The Verdict: Is It Worth It?

Yes, for the right home. Naturally It's Clean is a gentle, plant-based enzyme cleaner that removes pet odors at the source on carpet and upholstery instead of covering them up.

Is it perfect? No. Older stains need patience and a second round, it isn't fragrance-free, and it's not the strongest option for the worst set-in messes. But if you use it generously and follow the label, it does what it claims.

For the full step-by-step routine, from blotting to finding hidden spots, read our guide to deep cleaning pet messes.

Ready to Try It?

Naturally It's Clean Carpet Stains & Odors Remover is available on Amazon. Check the current price and pack size there before you buy.

Naturally It's Clean Carpet Upholstery Cleaner

Check price on Amazon

🏆✅ Our Recommendation: Naturally It's Clean Carpet Upholstery Cleaner

Plant-based enzyme cleaner for carpets, upholstery, and drapes—safe for use around pets.