How To Remove Brown Stains From White Dog Fur

Quick Summary

• A common way to remove brown stains from white dog fur is by making applying a paste made of water and baking soda on the affected area.
• It is also helpful to find out what the stain is first to find the best way to clean it. For example, an oil base will come off easily with baking powder, but tear stains can come off with some gentle elbow grease and saline solution.
• Avoid using chemicals like bleach, hydrogen peroxide, and ammonia.

So, you let your dog out for his usual evening backyard run and go back inside to finish something. A few hours pass, and it’s time to let the dog in, except for one thing. While your playful friend gazes up at you without a care in the world, you can’t help but notice a big stain on their pure white clean fur. It doesn’t matter how that got there. The only problem you face now is knowing how to remove brown stains from white dog fur. Mixing baking soda with water to form a paste that you can apply to the stain is a good old solution. However, there are more options and ways to deal with stains on white fur depending on where it’s from. Worry not—I have prepared a complete guide for you.

What is it?

The first step to removing any stain is first to figure out what it is. Did your dog come across an oil spill? Is it clay? Or maybe you’re the type of person to get your dog’s hair dyed, and now it won’t come off no matter how many times you wash them? Every stain has a base that comes off with certain cleaning methods. For example, an oil base will come off easily with baking powder or alcohol, but you can easily remove tear stains with some gentle elbow grease and saline solution. Some of the most common types of stains are:

Oil

Oils stains include things like, you guessed it, oil. That includes makeup, motor oil, grease, and types of paints. These are just a few of the many oils based stains. Since oil is hydrophobic, it won’t be washed away with any water, so to combat this, you may need to rub some baking soda or corn starch into the stainusing a damp cloth before brushing it off. You can also try using rubbing alcohol to dissolve the oils. 

Water

Water-soluble stains are those that can easily be removed with warm water. Stains like these include juices, inks, wine, and latex paint. Most foods and beverages fit into this list. Don’t let these stains dry in, or else they’ll be harder to remove. If this happens, you may need to soak the area with a vinegar and water solution before blotting it out with a towel.

Wax

Wax and gum are a bit harder to remove since they have a tendency to stick to fur stubbornly. Try to dry it out with ice for 20 minutes before chipping away at it by gently brushing your dog’s fur. This process may take longer than most, and it could cause some discomfort for your pup, so be sure to brush gently and remain patient until the process is over.

Combination

These stains are made from soluble and non-soluble materials. These types of stains include things like blood, chocolate, coffee, and teas—most common causes of dog beard stains. First, soak the area in a solution of vinegar and water. You may need to add baking soda for tougher stains. Next, gently brush the solution through your dog’s fur and let it sit for a while before blotting it out with a towel.

Health

Some stains can appear on a dog’s fur due to health conditions. For example, the most common type of health stain for a dog is tear stains that appear if the dog’s eyes cannot drain tears. Dirt builds up around the eyes and nose area, and if left untreated, it can cause an infection. Just use warm water and gently wipe around the eyes to remove dog tear stains. However, a yellow stain can be a more serious sign of jaundice. Then there’s also urine stains which are particularly hard to remove.

Keep in mind that not all stains from the same category will be removed with the same method. Ink, for example, maybe harder to get out with just soap and water, especially if it’s been dried in. Instead, use just a little bit of rubbing alcohol and pat the spot dry. This may prove difficult to do on a dog, so always be careful. Never use rubbing alcohol if the stain is near your dog’s eyes, mouth, and nose areas.

How to Clean Your Dog

Most stains will require you to gently brush some solution into your dog’s white fur until it starts to disappear. However, some stains are harder to get out than others and will require a lot more soaps and some gentle scrubbing to eliminate fully.

The process of removing a brown stain from white dog fur may make your dog feel uncomfortable. There are many methods you can utilize to make sure they don’t squirm too much during cleaning. CBD oil is proven to help dogs relax, so they don’t stress out too much while you’re brushing the stain out. You can also use a specialized leash for keeping them in place. The best dog leashes for this are the seat belt variety to hold your dog in place. Please note that you don’t want this to turn into a bad experience for your pup, so make sure cleaning sessions are limited to about 15 minutes, so Fido doesn’t get too stressed.

You can also use whitening shampoo for your white pup to help dull the stains if other treatments don’t work. Whitening shampoo specifically helps whiten fur on white dogs. You can also use conditioner afterward to help prevent new stains from sticking. Use this method as part of your usual dog grooming routine or when you first start to notice the stain.

Brushing is the most important method of cleaning your dog’s coat. This helps break up the stain so it can be rinsed out easier after treatment. Be sure to know how to brush different dog coats properly since some coats are harder to treat than others due to different textures and lengths. An important thing to note is not to spread the stain. When you are brushing your dog’s coat, keep the brushing centered around the stain not to make it worse.

Chemicals to Avoid

First and foremost, with whatever you’re using to clean stains off your dog’s fur, make sure you keep away from the eyes, mouth, nose, and ears unless it’s a stain involving tear ducts. You don’t have to use any fancy chemicals to clean your dog so stick with the solutions mentioned above. Below is a list of chemicals that you absolutely should not use on your dog’s fur for various safety reasons. These chemicals include:

Bleach

We all know that bleach is meant to whiten things, but please don’t ever use it on your dog. Bleach is extremely toxic to dogs as well as humans [1]. Even when watered down, bleach can upset your dog’s skin, and if they end up licking it, it can be fatal to their digestive system. If your dog ever ingests bleach, make them drink lots of clean water and take them to the vet if they seem sick.

Hydrogen Peroxide

While hydrogen peroxide is used to clean cuts on humans, it is not always safe to remove stains off your dog. Much like bleach, peroxide can damage your dog’s skin though not to such an extreme. It may also cause some tissue irritation if ingested. Again, if your dog has ingested any peroxide, make them drink lots of water and keep a careful eye on their condition. If any comes in contact with your dog’s skin, wash it off immediately with warm water. Please note that there are safe ways to use peroxide to whiten a dog’s fur, but it should be used as a last resort to avoid damaging your dog’s skin.

Ammonia

Ammonia is a highly corrosive cleaning chemical that even humans should use sparingly on themselves let alone their dogs. It has a pungent smell that may bother your dog’s sensitive smelling receptories and it is highly toxic if ingested. We don’t recommend using this chemical even if it is watered down.

FAQ

What causes brown stains on white dogs?

Lots of things can cause stains to appear on white dog fur. The most common types of stains are the ones that your dog gets into, like oils spills, juice spills, or any other type of mess your dog got into. In addition, there are some health-related reasons for stains, such as tear stains and Jaundice, so make sure you know what the stain is and where it came from to prevent any future mishaps.

How do you get rid of brown stains on dogs?

There are several ways to get rid of brown stains, and all of them rely on the ability to identify the stain. If it is an oil stain, then use baking soda, cornstarch, or rubbing alcohol. If it is a water-soluble or combination stain, then warm water and a little bit of liquid dish soap will work fine unless it dries out. Wax-based stains will need time to harden, and then time needs to be chipped away little by little.

How do I get my dog’s fur white again?

The fasted way for general whitening is to use whitening shampoo in your dog’s regular bath time routine. If there is a deep-set stain, then you may need some extra time to work on it exclusively to get your dog’s fur shining again. Use peroxide as a last resort as it can inflame a dog’s skin.

Will peroxide bleach dog hair?

Peroxide can bleach a dog’s hair, but it is not recommended as it can cause inflammation and tissue damage if ingested. If you’re going to use peroxide, then make sure it is heavily diluted with clean water before you start to bleach your dog’s fur and only use it for spot treatment.