Whether or not you have pets, it's not always possible to stop animals such as cats and dogs urinating in your garden. The stale smell can be particularly hard to get rid of, but it can also damage your grass, which isn't ideal.
The Mirror has spoken to various garden experts to compile the best advice for getting rid of dog and cat urine from your grass – and they all agree you need to act fast.
Steve Chilton, gardening expert from Leisure Bench, told The Mirror: "Dog and cat urine can be a nightmare on grass. It will gently kill it, turning your grass from green to yellow and then a dark brown patch. It can be difficult to re-grow that one piece of grass so that it blends perfectly with the rest of your lawn, so protecting your grass in the first place and acting on urine as soon as possible is always a great idea to prevent any damage."
However, there is a simple solution that can ease the problem, but you have to act as soon as you notice it, and be consistent.
According to Steve, you need to "dilute any urine as soon as you notice it". He added: "Pour plenty of water on any urine spots, as this will help minimise the damage caused."
Fiona Jenkins, who has worked in the gardening industry for over 20 years and now works closely with Myjobquote.co.uk, agreed, and said the first step is always ensuring "you keep on top of watering it".
She told The Mirror: "In addition to regular watering, you must also add additional water whenever you notice an animal peeing on your grass. This will dilute the pee, making it less harmful to your grass."
Fantastic Services' horticulturist and gardening expert Zach Morgan also said you need to do this "immediately to prevent the concentration of urine from damaging the grass".
It's important to remember this, especially during the dry months, when your grass needs extra water anyway.
To prevent it further you could also plant "pee-proof" grass, such as fescue, which is more resistant to dog urine than other types and are better able to withstand pet urine.
You could also use a pet-friendly spray, which can help neutralise the nitrogen in pet urine and prevent damage to your grass.
Lastly, Zach recommends creating a mulched area, which your pets can use as a bathroom.
Suhail Patel, gardening expert and founder of Luxury Screens, also recommends regular mowing and fertilisation, which will "go a long way toward helping".
Do you have a story to share? Email us at yourmirror@mirror.co.uk
