How to Treat a Plywood Subfloor for Urine Before New Carpet

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Whether you have a pet, an active child, or someone who has been known to “accidentally” pee on the floor, it’s not uncommon for urine to get onto your plywood subfloor. This article will walk you through how to treat a plywood subfloor for urine before a new carpet is installed.

First off, you’ll need to suck up the urine using a wet vacuum. Use a disinfectant, water, and a mop to clean up the affected area. Leave it overnight and go over it first thing in the morning to get rid of the moisture. You can use a dehumidifier to remove the excess moisture before installing your new carpet.

Side effects of Urine on a Plywood Subfloor

If you don’t treat your plywood subfloor, the urine can quickly lead to nasty side effects. Pee soaked into a plywood subfloor can lead to fungal growth, which in turn can grow mold. If the plywood is not treated immediately with a disinfectant, the mold can get into the air, leading to health problems for humans.

Urine-soaked plywood subfloors are also weak and will sag badly in some spots. If the plywood has been soaked for a long time, it can also start to turn black and moldy which is even more disgusting and harmful to your health.

Signs that your Plywood Subfloor has been Damaged by Urine

There are a few telltale signs that you have an issue with urine on your plywood subfloor. The first thing to do is look for a musty, earthy odor. A lot of people ignore this sign because it can be hard to detect and is very faint. However, if the odor is there, it’s a sign that you have an issue.

Another thing to look for are sagging spots in your plywood subfloor. Seeing these is a pretty good sign that the plywood is damaged and sagging due to pee.

The last thing you need to look for is black or moldy plywood. If your plywood has turned black, it’s pretty much a guarantee that you’ve got a pretty big problem on your hands.

The basics of removing Urine from a Plywood Sub Floor

You need to remove as much of the urine from your plywood subfloor as possible. To do this, you’ll want a wet vacuum and a mop.

Turn off the power to your subfloor. You never want to work on a wet subfloor with electricity running through it because you could get electrocuted.
You will also need a strong disinfectant to treat your plywood subfloor. You can use bleach, Lysol spray, or enzymatic cleaners like Nature’s Miracle.

Things to Avoid When Treating a Plywood Subfloor for Urine

When you are removing urine from a plywood subfloor, there’s one thing to remember above all else: don’t let the disinfectant dry on the plywood. If you leave it on, your subfloor will become brittle and might even break completely if someone walks across it while it’s still wet.

Now that you’ve got the basics down, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to treat your plywood sub floor for urine before new carpet installation.

How to Treat a Plywood Subfloor for Urine Before New Carpet in Six Easy steps

Step 1: Use a wet vacuum to suck up as much of the urine from your plywood subfloor

Step 2: Use a disinfectant and clean the area where the urine was with a mop and water.

Step 3: Let dry overnight and go over it again in the morning to make sure you got all the moisture.

Step 4: Turn on your electricity and make sure everything is dry before you go ahead with the new flooring installation.

Step 5: if you need to, lay down a layer of plastic and tape it together so that the moisture doesn’t seep through.

Step 6: you can also lay down a dehumidifier overnight to make sure you get all the moisture.

Other Methods to Treat Plywood Subfloor From Urine Stains and Smells

In Case you’re looking for other methods to treat your plywood subfloor from urine stains and smells, you can try a few things. You can use white vinegar or Borax powder to help disinfect the area and get rid of the odor. You can also try using baking soda to absorb any leftover moisture in the plywood.

Procedure for Using White Vinegar to Treat Plywood Subfloor Urine

Hose down the area with water and then pour white vinegar all over the plywood subfloor. Make sure to saturate it completely.
Let sit for at least 30 minutes before rinsing off with more water.

Use a wet vacuum to suck up any leftover moisture and then let dry completely.

Note: The Steps above Apply to Baking Soda and Borax Powder

How to Deal With Pet Urine Stains Before New Carpet

When you have pets, chances are you’re going to deal with a few accidents here and there. When it comes to pet urine, the best thing you can do is catch it as soon as possible. The longer the urine sits, the more damage it’s going to do and the harder it will be to clean up. Here are a few tips on how to deal with pet urine before new carpet installation:

Use a black light to find all the stains. Pets are often able to urinate in places that are hard to see, so using a black light will help you find them all.
Clean the area with a strong enzymatic cleaner. This will break down the urine and remove the odor.
Let the area dry completely before you go ahead with the new carpet installation.

If possible, try to keep your pets off the new carpet for a few days to give them time to settle in.

How To Treat soaked Subfloor in Urine

First, remove as much of the source of the urine as possible. This means soaking up any liquid with towels and removing any solids with a putty knife. If the area is still wet, use a wet/dry vacuum to remove any remaining moisture.

Next, you’ll need to disinfect the area. You can do this by:

Spraying the area with a household cleaner or disinfectant and letting it sit for 15 minutes. Then, rinse the area with clean water and let it dry completely.
If the smell is still present after you’ve cleaned and dried the area, you may need to treat the subfloor with an odor-neutralizing product.
Finally, once the area is clean and dry, you can install new carpeting or flooring. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for installation.

By following these steps, you can treat a plywood subfloor that has been contaminated with urine and get it ready for new carpet or flooring. This will help ensure that your home remains clean and free of any harmful bacteria or odors.

What Can I Do to Keep off Urine from My Plywood Subfloor?

The best thing you can do to keep your plywood subfloor from getting damaged by urine is to clean it as soon as possible. If the urine has soaked into the plywood, it will be much harder to remove and may require a more lengthy process.

If you have or are thinking of getting pets, you need to do everything in your power to keep them off of the plywood. If they have an accident on your subfloor, clean it immediately with disinfectant and just be on the lookout for future accidents.

Keeping your plywood subfloor as dry as possible will also help prevent urine from seeping into the plywood and causing damage. Make sure you have a dehumidifier running if your bathroom is not well ventilated and make sure there is good airflow in the room.

Methods of Preventing Future Home Improvement Ventures from Pet Urine

As a pet owner, you should be taking steps to prevent your furry friends from having accidents in the house. The first thing you can do is train them to go outside and use the restroom. You can also try using a litter box for cats or dogs that are resistant to going outside. Another method of preventing future accidents is to keep them away from the area where you’re working. If you’re having new carpets installed, make sure they are not in the room while the work is being done.

By following these steps, you can prevent your pets from urinating on your subfloor and causing damage. Be sure to clean up any accidents immediately and take steps to prevent future accidents from happening. Your home will thank you for it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Can I Seal the Smell of Urine?

The only way to truly seal the smell of urine is by using paint or varnish. However, this will also permanently change your subfloor color.

You can also try using enzymes to get rid of the smell. However, no matter what you do it will never be 100% gone.

How Can I Clean My Plywood Subfloor?

You can use a wet vacuum to suck up the urine and then mop it with disinfectant. Then let it dry overnight and go over the area with a second mop in the morning to make sure you get all of the moisture.

If your plywood has turned black, you’ll need to sand it down before using the above method. You can also use a dehumidifier overnight to make sure you’ve got all of the moisture out.

What if my Plywood Subfloor is Already Damaged?

If your plywood subfloor has already been damaged, you’ll need to replace it. You can try sanding down the plywood and using a dehumidifier to make sure the smell is gone.

What if My Plywood Subfloor is Warped?

Unfortunately, warped plywood makes it very difficult to install new flooring. It creates a hump in the flooring and it is very noticeable, especially with carpeting.

If your plywood subfloor is warped, the best thing to do would be to replace it.

Conclusion on How to Treat a Plywood Subfloor for Urine Before New Carpet

If you follow the steps outlined above, you should be able to treat a plywood subfloor for urine. If not, you can always try replacing it with a new one.

These instructions are fairly simple and straightforward, but if you have any questions please feel free to contact us. We are always here to help.