How To Remove Dog Poop Smell From Your Yard

Outdoor parties and gatherings are an excellent way for you to spend time with your friends while enjoying all the benefits of fresh air.

However, it is difficult to enjoy the fresh air if your yard smells like dog poop.

In some cases, the scent can be so pungent that you don’t enjoy being in your yard at all.

Luckily, you don’t have to write off enjoying your outdoor living spaces completely.

We’ve done the research, and removing dog poop smell from your yard is easy.

All you need are a few household cleaning items to get your yard smelling like the great outdoors once again.

What You’ll Need

You will need a few everyday household items to remove the dog poop smell from your yard.

The above items are all that you will need.

Most of these items you probably already have.

If not, they can be ordered from the links above or picked up from your local store.

Read on to learn how to remove the dog poop smell from your yard.

1. Remove any dog poop from the yard

The first step in removing dog poop smell from the yard is to remove the source of the odor.

Until you remove all of the dog poop from your yard, you won’t be able to eliminate the smell.

We recommend wearing disposable gloves and placing the dog poop into a disposable bag.

Once you have collected all of the dog poop, tie the bag securely and throw it away in your trash can. 

Pro tip: Removing all the dog poop from your yard is easier if you have trained your dog to go in a specific area of the yard.

This training can be part of house training, and it can help keep your yard clean and free from any unwanted surprises. 

2. Wash the affected areas with water

Once you have removed the source of the odor from your yard, take your garden hose and wash the area thoroughly.

You could use a bucket or a large bowl, but a garden hose is more efficient and effective.

By soaking the site, you are trying to dilute the remaining compounds that create the poop smell in your backyard.

If you do this within 8 hours of your dog pooping, this may be all that you need to do to dispel the smell from your yard permanently.

Pro tip: If you have access to a power washer, this is a great time to use it.

The power washer is even more effective than the average garden hose.

3. Combine water and vinegar, spray the affected area

If you find the smell of dog poop lingers after you have washed the area with water, combine three parts of water with 1 part distilled white vinegar in a spray bottle.

Stir the soil to allow some of the old smell to dissipate.

Then, spray the affected area of your yard liberally with the water and vinegar mixture, and allow it to dry.

The vinegar is a natural deodorizer, and the water dilutes the vinegar enough not to damage the root systems of any plants growing in the area. 

4. Sprinkle baking soda over the area

Finally, sprinkle baking soda across the affected area.

Baking soda is also a natural deodorizer, and it is safe to use around plants.

Sprinkle the baking soda on the affected area, and then use your garden trowel to stir the soil again.

Doing this will distribute the baking soda throughout the soil, allowing it to neutralize any dog poop smell hidden away beneath the surface.

Here is a video discussing how to remove dog poop smell from your yard.

1:05—Remove any dog poop from the yard.

1:09—Soak the affected area with water.

1:15—Rotate the soil in the affected area.

1:21—Mix water and white vinegar in a 3 to 1 mixture. Spray the affected area.

1:40—Sprinkle baking soda on the affected area and rotate the soil again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use lime powder to get rid of the smell?

Yes, you can use lime powder to eliminate dog poop smell, but if you elect to go this route, you need to treat the area carefully.

First, make sure you choose an agricultural and non-caustic lime powder.

This lime should be safe to use around plants, pets, and people, and hydrated lime and calcium oxide can both be dangerous to use. 

Once you have acquired a safe type of lime, sprinkle the lime on the affected area.

Doing this will neutralize the smell.

Then, wet the area with plenty of water to encourage the lime to sink into the soil.

The lime should kill off the bacteria that create the dog poop smell, freeing your yard from any lingering odors. 

How do I get rid of dog poop smell that lingers on my hard outdoor surfaces?

After cleaning the grass and soil in your yard, you might find the dog poop smell has lingered.

This probably means that the smell is also coming from the hard surfaces in your yard.

Start by rinsing down your hard surfaces with a hose or power washer.

A power washer works better on concrete, fences, and the side of the house. 

Once you have washed the affected hard surface thoroughly, use mild dish soap and water on the areas.

The soap will remove any remaining bacteria that are making the dog poop smell in the first place.

To increase the efficiency of your cleaning method, you can also wash the area with a mixture of distilled white vinegar, water, and baking soda.

We recommend using 2 cups of vinegar, 2 cups of room temperature water, and four tablespoons of baking soda.

Scrub the soap and the vinegar and baking soda mixture onto the affected area using a cleaning brush.

Once you have washed away the soap, allow the affected area to dry in the sun.

The sun’s heat will kill any remaining bacteria that your cleaning has brought up to the surface.

Once the area is dry, you will be able to enjoy your yard without having to ignore any lingering dog poop odor. 

What dissolves dog poop in the yard?

If you’re are looking for a way to keep the solid dog poop out of your yard by dissolving it, check out the Doggie Dooley “The Original In-Ground Dog Waste Disposal System.

It is found on Amazon and gets excellent reviews.

This system works like a miniature doggie septic tank, where you will simply place the solid poop into the tank and add the pack of the digester.

It will break down the solid dog poop into liquid and eventually completely dissolve.