The fix in 3 steps
Soak each spot with an enzyme cleaner deep enough to reach the foam
Rocco & Roxie: at least 10 minutes on a fresh spot, an hour if you can spare it.
In this guide
- Empty it: Floor mats out and shaken, seat covers off and in the wash.
- Loosen the hair with a rubber glove or squeegee, then vacuum with the crevice tool. Go twice: the second pass always finds more.
- Soak each accident spot deep enough to reach the foam with Rocco & Roxie: at least 10 minutes on a fresh spot, overnight on old pee (see Rocco & Roxie at Amazon).
- Pull the liquid back out with a spot cleaner like the Vacmaster (see the Vacmaster at Amazon), or blot, then dry it with the windows cracked.
- Shampoo fabric seats if the smell lingers, then leave baking soda on the dry fabric for a few hours and vacuum it off.
Treat accident spots
- Find them by sniffing up close or with a UV flashlight after dark.
- Soak each spot with an enzyme cleaner deep enough to reach the foam. Rocco & Roxie: at least 10 minutes on a fresh spot, an hour if you can spare it. Old, dried pee: overnight.
- Blot or extract, then let it dry with the windows cracked.
A portable spot cleaner like the Vacmaster pulls liquid out of seat fabric instead of leaving it to soak in. The catch: it's one more appliance to store and clean after use.
Leather seats: test any cleaner on a hidden spot first, keep it to the spot, and follow up with a leather cleaner and conditioner so it doesn't dry out.
Where the smell comes from
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Car dog smell comes from hair, dander and skin oils packed into the seats, plus any accidents. Vacuum like you're being paid for it and treat accident spots with an enzyme cleaner. Smell still in the air? Our air quality picks cover purifiers.
For the accident spots, our enzyme cleaner picks by mess say which one earns its place in the glovebox.
Then clean the seats and air it out. Don't spray and blot right away; the enzymes need time wet. A seat cover keeps you from doing it all again next month.
Empty it
Floor mats out and shaken, seat covers off and in the wash, the forgotten tennis ball retrieved from under the seat.
Get the hair out
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- Loosen it first. Drag a rubber squeegee or a rubber glove across fabric seats. Hair rolls up into clumps.
- Crevice tool between seats, along seat tracks and around the console.
- Upholstery brush on seats and door panels.
- Go again. Hair hides in layers; the second pass always finds more.
Shampoo fabric seats
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- Mix an upholstery shampoo as directed and test a hidden spot.
- Work it in with a soft brush, a section at a time.
- Extract with a wet/dry vac or spot cleaner, or blot until towels come up nearly dry.
- Dry completely, doors or windows open. A damp seat starts smelling all over again.
For a car that smells really bad, a detail shop's extraction cleaning reaches deeper than home tools.
Air and absorb
- Open bags of activated charcoal on the floor overnight soak up leftover smell without adding a scent.
- Baking soda on dry fabric seats for a few hours, then vacuum it off.
- Replace the cabin air filter. It catches dog smell and blows it back at you.
If this sounds like your car
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- "Diarrhea in the back seat." Remove what you can with paper towels and a plastic bag, then enzyme cleaner on the whole area and extraction. Severe cases go to a detailer.
- "Wet dog smell." Dry it out first: windows open, AC on, fans if you have them. Then vacuum and shampoo. Wet fabric holds smell.
- "Used car, previous owner's dog." A professional interior detail with an enzyme treatment and a new cabin filter. It can take more than one round.
- "Seat belts smell." Pull the belt all the way out, clamp it, clean it with enzyme cleaner and let it dry fully before it retracts.
Keep it from coming back
A hammock seat cover like the URPOWER is waterproof, scratch-proof and non-slip, and it keeps your dog on the seat instead of wedged between seats. Wash it often. The catch: it takes over the back seat for people, and it can trap heat. Hair still getting everywhere? See getting dog hair out of the car.
Also great
Best for: Messy dogs
Common mistakes
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Skip these
- Spraying and blotting right away: the enzymes need time wet. Give a fresh spot at least 10 minutes, an hour if you can spare it.
- Leaving the seat damp: a damp seat starts smelling all over again. Dry it completely with the windows or doors open.
- Stopping after one hair pass: hair hides in layers, and the second pass always finds more. Loosen it with a rubber squeegee or glove first.
- Skipping the hidden-spot test: test any cleaner or upholstery shampoo on a hidden spot first, and on leather keep it to the spot.
- Forgetting the cabin air filter: it catches dog smell and blows it back at you, so replace it.
Bottom line
In short
Hair out, spots enzyme-treated, fabric shampooed, everything dried, then a cover on the seat. The car will smell like a car again, until the next trip to the dog park.
