You know that annoyingly familiar smell of dried dog urine around the house left by an untrained or incontinent pet? You can’t see it, but as sure as the sun rises, you know that it’s there somewhere. The only way to find is with the best dog urine detector. Once you find the stain, you'll be able to clean it properly to get rid of the smell permanently.

There's no denying that a blacklight pet urine detector is a tool every pet owner will need. We've compared many popular products to find the best dog urine detector blacklight on the market. We've considered several important parts for each flashlight, including its effectiveness in locating pet urine, the materials used, the reliability of the company, reviews from pet owners and the price of dog urine detector. Here are the top picks:

Dog Urine Detector Price Quality Rating
TaoTronics UV Flashlight Black Lights $ A+ 4.6/5
AHOME UV Black Light Flashlight $ B- 4.2/5
GLOSSDAY UV Blacklight Urine Detector $ C 4.0/5
LOFTEK Ultraviolet Handheld Blacklight $ B 4.3/5
OxyLED OxyWild Pet UV Urine Detector $ A- 4.2/5

* Click on the best dog urine detector for more information, prices, and details. Scroll below to read the reviews

Using dog urine detector to locate stains

The Best Dog Urine DetectorNot only will past urine stains make your home smell bad, but your dog may also feel the need to continue marking over the previous stain. No matter how many times you clean the area, if you don't get the entire stain, your dog will still be able to smell the urine.

It would be a shame to throw away money for frequent carpet steam cleaning simply because you can't pinpoint the exact area where the mess occurred. Black lights have long been used for various functions, including law enforcement, postal inspection, and HVAC repair. And pet owners have recently joined black light patrons as they get more involved in managing their pet’s training, hygiene, and overall care.

Wondering why dog urine will show up under a black light? According to ThoughtCo.:

Urine glows under a black light primarily because it contains the element phosphorus. Phosphorus glows yellowish green in the presence of oxygen, with or without black light, but the light imparts additional energy that make the chemiluminescence easier to see.

For this reason, the best dog urine detector will utilize UV technology to help you find the exact shape of a dog urine stain. By scanning the area, you are sure to clean all of the urine. And once the spot is dry, you can check it again to ensure you've gotten all of it.

What is the Best Dog Urine Detector?
top 5 most effective blacklights for pet urine

1TaoTronics UV Flashlight Black Light

TaoTronics UV Flashlight Black LightsTaoTronics Ultraviolet Pet Stain Detector promises to help you find that offending urine stain so you can get it cleaned up. This lightweight handheld torch features 51 mega-bright ultraviolet LED black lights with more focused output light that emits 395nm wavelength. This exposes pet urine stains on the floor, couches, beds, carpets, or curtains.

Pet owners are happy that, at last, they can say goodbye to sniffing and sleuthing for nasty pet pee. The urine stain shows as fluorescent mark under the TaoTronics UV Flashlight Black Light. The darker the surrounding area is, the easier it will be to spot these stains.

best dog urine detectorYou’d be pleased to know that the package includes a pair of UV sunglasses and three long-lasting Duracell batteries. The black lights may also be used to authenticate paper currencies, passports, and driver’s licenses. For those who are fond of exploring in the dark, they’d be glad to know that this will help them spot scorpions, bed bugs, and mites, too.

PROS:

  • Features 51 mega-bright ultraviolet LED black lights
  • Emits 395nm wavelength
  • Runs on 3 AAA batteries and lasts up to 3 hours
  • Comes with batteries and a pair of UV sunglasses
CONS:

  • Some reviewers claim this best dog urine detector only illuminates lint, not urine stains
  • A few reviewers note that the LED lights stop working just months after purchase

best dog urine detectorMost helpful review about this best dog urine detector: “most effective urine detection flashlight I've used. We've got a 6 month old cocker spaniel that has been peeing in our bedroom during the night. I would smell the carpet and not be able to find the mess, but could still smell it…”

 

2AHOME UV Black Light Flashlight

AHOME UV Black Light FlashlightNext on our list is a black light flashlight from AHOME. It produces a truly powerful stream of light at 300 lumens from a Cree XP-G R5 emitter. It has approximately 100,000 hours in it, which could run many years of discovering your pet’s secret stinky places. Aside from locating dog urine stains, scorpions, and other nocturnal creatures, it may also be used to detect fake money, car leaks, and minerals. It can be adjusted for zooming in from a wide beam for larger areas to a narrow beam.

This UV flashlight has a sturdy lanyard on one end and comes with a rechargeable 18650 battery, AAA battery holder, battery sleeve, battery charger, and user’s manual. Pet owners agree that AHOME UV Black Light Flashlight is a far superior black light flashlight to the previous one they’ve been using. It illuminates stains located even on the farthest end of a large room. It is also highly useful when searching for animals on the farm because of its extreme brightness and far reach.

best dog urine detectorThis flashlight is water-resistant and slip-proof, which is obviously the reason why it has always been highly recommended by users for outdoor use, such as spotting scorpions when hunting at night and lighting up floats when night fishing. Everything that’s needed is included in this neat pack, and that’s really appreciated by buyers. For the multiple functions that they use this flashlight for, they’re all convinced that this is one heck of a great buy.

PROS:

  • Produces a truly powerful stream of light at 300 lumens
  • Equipped with a rechargeable battery that the company claims will run at least 100,000 hours
  • Can be adjusted for zooming in from a wide beam for larger areas to a narrow beam
  • Water-resistant and slip-proof
CONS:

  • A few disgruntled buyers say either the included battery or the charge did not work when they received this light
  •  

best dog urine detectorMost helpful review about this best dog urine detector: “Love it. Husband is tracking who is doing what in the house. We have 6 standard poodles who have a perfectly good outside dog door to get in and out with, but he has found evidence that this is not always the case. The proof was…”

 

3GLOSSDAY FLASHLIGHT UV Blacklight Urine Detector

GLOSSDAY UV Flashlight Black LightWith GLOSSDAY's handheld black light, you may now be able to do spot cleaning because this black light flashlight exposes urine spots like a neon sign. It’s durably constructed using only top-quality materials and comes with six heavy-duty AA batteries to get you started immediately.

This small yet powerful infrared torch measures only 2.95 inches wide by 7 inches long, has a nice weight and feels easy on the hand. Now you can spot those stinky areas even from a distance. The GLOSSDAY UV Flashlight Blacklight Pet Urine Detector spares you from the nasty task of sniffing the carpet on all fours. Dog owners were surprised at everything that the flashlight revealed. They could only smell and speculate before; now, they could act at the slightest whiff of urine.

best dog urine detectorThe dark has always held secrets. With this highly-functional black light flashlight, though, scorpions and lurking critters are secrets no more. It has also become easier for owners to monitor their other pets or to check on stray animals at night.

You can also utilize this tool in authenticating a currency, license, card, or passport and finding oil stains or leakage, and fluorescent substances.

Furthermore, this tool is indispensable not only for pet owners but also for pest control professionals. It easily locates areas where rodents and pests urinate, and that information guides them in their pest elimination plan. It’s truly an amazing light for multipurpose use.

PROS:

  • Features 100 UV LED lights
  • Small, measuring only 2.95″W x 7″L
  • Corrosion-proof, dust-proof, and water resistant
CONS:

  • Requires 6 AA batteries
  • While buyers say it works well, they claim it isn't as bright as they expected

best dog urine detectorMost helpful review about this best dog urine detector: “We bought this light to go over our carpets after our renter moved out. Potty trained pets? This was a perfect way to video and prove their pet used our carpet as a squat pad.…”

 

4LOFTEK Ultraviolet Handheld Blacklight

LOFTEK Ultraviolet Handheld BlacklightAs more and more consumers are relying on this dependable little tool for their snooping activities at home or outdoors, the competition as to the best UV flashlight has likewise gained momentum. LOFTEK’s UV flashlight boasts brilliant features and functions that make it one of the best dog urine detectors. It’s a well-built blacklight packed with 51 powerful UV LED bulbs that emit up to 395 nm wavelengths to run large areas without waning in brightness. It’s constructed of high-grade aluminum sealed with a silicone O-ring that makes it resistant to moisture and extreme temperature.

It has a lifespan of approximately 100,000 hours and comes with a manufacturer’s 1-year warranty. Pet owners say they can’t be without their Loftek UV flashlight. The LOFTEK Ultraviolet Handheld Blacklight has been their partner for their hundred and one task, and foremost in its functions is to reveal urine stains and spilled fluids on walls, floors, furniture, and other surface areas. In fact, a lot of things that escape the naked eyes are exposed by this black light – not-so-pleasant things like blood, semen, saliva, and other matters that fluoresce under UV light.

best dog urine detectorSpotting urine is not only important for housekeeping. It’s also essential in puppy house training which normally takes months. According to dog owners, it’s important for them to know whether the dog is progressing during this period or still having accidents in the house. This urine detector has helped them a lot in doing the proper intervention in a timely manner.

PROS:

  • Equipped with 51 powerful UV LED bulbs that emit up to 395 nm wavelengths
  • Constructed with high-grade aluminum sealed with a silicone O-ring that makes it resistant to moisture and extreme temperature
  • Has a lifespan of approximately 100,000 hours and comes with a manufacturer’s 1-year warranty
CONS:

  • Strong fishy smell that was unappealing to many buyers
  • Like most of the best grain-free dog treats, there were reports of dogs that would not eat these 

best dog urine detectorMost helpful review about this best dog urine detector: “I live in an area that has a lot of scorpions. After getting stung in my house I started using a blacklight to check for them. I have tried several UV flashlights and this is the only one that is powerful enough for me…”

 

5OxyLED OxyWild Pet UV Urine Stain Detector

OxyLED OxyWild Pet UV Urine Stain DetectorOxyLED OxyWild Black Light Flashlight is a much bigger flashlight than most UV flashlights sold today. Its frame is made of aircraft-grade aluminum alloy and reinforced with anodizing treatment. It’s designed to withstand a 1-meter fall on hard surfaces. It uses 51 powerful LEDs that can cover large areas without diminishing in light intensity.

For its length of 5.80 inches, this flashlight is actually lightweight at 10 ounces with batteries. It’s very handy, has a good grip, and easy to carry around during outdoor sorties. The 390- 395nm beam thrown by the OxyLED OxyWild Pet UV Urine Stain Detector makes it easy to spot dried urine stains and vomit of dogs, cats, and other pets on floors, carpets, clothes, and furniture.

best dog urine detectorThis is 30% brighter than other black light flashlights. It was even observed by users that it illuminates better objects or creatures that are farther away. To clearly show the luminescence of stains on the floor, the flashlight must be held somewhat higher up, at 3-4 feet above the floor. Pointing it too closely seems to cloud the object’s fluorescence and makes it less visible. This is a very cost-effective black light, covered by several warranties, and backed up by very responsive customer service.

PROS:

  • Frame is made of aircraft-grade aluminum alloy and reinforced with anodizing treatment
  • Designed to withstand a 1-meter fall on hard surfaces
  • Equipped with 51 powerful LEDs
  • Weighs only 10 ounces with batteries
CONS:

  • There are reviews that say this light does not last for more than a few months

best dog urine detectorMost helpful review about this best dog urine detector: “I love this light! Every night I come home and have to check for scorpions, late night I found two in the kitchen! This light is the only way I could see the little buggers, (the carpet is sandy brown just like the…”


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Dom Naish is a Phoenix-based writer, vegan, cupcake addict and dog lover. Years in the animal rescue trenches have taught him every aspect of dog ownership from behavioral problems, personality and breed specific trait differences of all dogs.