Rocco and Roxie is a tried and true product with a cult following, and for good reason- it works, it’s easy to find in most pet stores, and gives consistent results. It falls into our enzymatic/microbe cleaner category, utilizing enzymes to break down the odor-causing compounds in pet urine. This eliminates the problem, instead of concealing or attempting to remove it.
About Enzymatic/Microbe Cleaners:
It is important to understand the difference between eliminating the substances that create the odor and stains versus cleaning them.
Pet urine contains uric acid, which crystallizes and is highly insoluble in water. Most cleaners do not remove uric acid, which breaks down over time into odor-causing substances. Cat urine, especially, as it can get oily and even more concentrated as it dries! Additionally, it may be more difficult to manually remove protein and amino acid components of urine, which your pet may smell (and be tempted to re-mark), even if you can’t. We think it’s best to attack the problem at the very root of the source- the chemical composition of the stench!
Our Video Review:
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Rocco & Roxie Put To The Test:
For our test, we used Rocco & Roxie on medium-pile carpet to tackle dog urine. We wanted to simulate the most realistic conditions. The dog urine was applied twice to the carpet, so there is a fresh and also an older stain present.* We know that cat urine can be more potent and pungent due to its concentration, but the process is the same for removing cat urine as dog urine.
Rocco & Roxie’s ingredients are Water, Advanced Biological Blend, non-ionic surfactant, odor counteractant, opacifier, Phenoxyethanol.
The instructions indicate to shake well before use, apply liberally, wait 5-10 minutes, blot with a cloth and let air dry. For more intense stains and odors, Rocco & Roxie recommends soaking with the product for maximum penetration, and allowing it to absorb for an hour or longer with a weighted object on top of a towel to wick out the residual liquid.
We did two applications of Rocco & Roxie, first using the spray stream function, letting it sit for a few minutes to absorb and then blotting with paper towels, finishing with a damp rag we could mop the excess up with.
Under the blacklight, the urine stains (shows up bright yellow/greenish under the black light) disappeared fast on contact with Rocco & Roxie. We reapplied, left it to sit and penetrate, and returned to blot and extract with the damp rag.
The next day when the carpet had dried, the spot where we had treated the stain was thoroughly vacuumed.
Our Observations:
Rocco & Roxie did an outstanding job at tackling the surface and fresh urine stains immediately. It needed a second application and another 30 minutes to soak through completely to the base of the carpet fibers. An hour later there was hardly anything left from top to bottom of the carpet fibers, and no odor. It had also neutralized the traces of urine left on the underside of the carpet.
When we laid first a layer of an absorbent towel topped with an unused garbage bag over the spot on the carpet and weighed it down, this minimized the number of reapplications needed to remove the urine altogether.
Rocco & Roxie has a fairly strong smell to it, but it’s not cheap fragrance smelling that hangs around (Nature’s Miracle we’re looking right at you) and the smell dissipates in less than 24 hours. After vacuuming, there was still a little odor of the Rocco & Roxie remaining in the carpet, but we were able to remove it with just a damp rag and cold water. Dab at it, and blot up moisture and any residue with the rag, rinse in the bucket and repeat.
Rocco and Roxie is easy to find in most major pet stores and comes in a big gallon jug or a convenient 32 oz spray bottle. The pump was easy to use over large areas.
When compared to the other enzymatic cleaners, we found:
- Rocco & Roxie works the fastest on surface stains on contact.
- Just like Pawstruck, Rocco & Roxie takes a little time to penetrate but it will definitely get to the bottom of the problem with a few applications and time.
- Rocco & Roxie generated more “foaming” while we were scrubbing the carpet than Pawstruck.
- Rocco & Roxie is easily found in most pet stores but costs more than Pawstruck
Due to its price, ease of use, and outstanding performance, we rated Rocco and Roxie 9 out of 10. It’s a near tie with Pawstruck.
Cleaning Tips:
- Have lots of paper towels and rags on hand.
- Plan ahead- Rocco & Roxie or another enzymatic cleaner of your choice can be part of your “Oops” kit assembled ahead of time with everything you need ahead of time to effectively and quickly attack any stains or problem areas.
- After you’ve treated the urine stain with an enzymatic cleaner, let it sit overnight, and come back and blot up any residue with clean water and a rag.
- If you are satisfied with the removal of the stain, go over the area thoroughly with a vacuum cleaner after it has dried to remove any residue left.
- Enzymatic cleaners can be augmented with baking soda sprinkled on carpets and furniture to absorb odors. Leave it at least 24 hours and then vacuum thoroughly.
- Always pre-treat a rug or carpet with an enzymatic cleaner before using a carpet machine or having it professionally cleaned.
- Never use hot water to try and extract a urine or poop stain.
*No dogs were mistreated or bad habits reinforced for this review.