House stinks how do I get rid of the smell?

[housetips]

I am renovating a house and it absolutely stinks! The previous owner was an elderly gentleman who had dogs. The house is neglected and dirty but only one patch of damp. It smells musty, doggy, and of urine. I have taken up some of the carpets and will get rid of all of them, but it still stinks. I will be painting everything. Do I need an industrial cleaning firm to come in? What would they do? Any ideas very welcome.
Thanks

I bet there is piss soaked into the floorboards. Spray with white vinegar and give them a good scrub with a solution of non bleach bio detergent liquid.

Why don't you get rid of all the carpets now and go from there?

Get rid of all carpets. You can buy dog odour removing cleaners, or try something like biological washing power dissolved in hot water to clean the floors and woodwork.

Bicarbonate of soda (mixed with water) works wonders at sucking out bad smells... I was despairing that my kids' room would smell of puke forever after an appalling round of illness a year or so ago... still stank after 3 rounds of steam cleaning. Asked for advice on facebook, 3 different friends suggested scrubbing with bicarbonate of soda, it really worked. White vinegar also sounds like a good plan.

Thank you for the advice, I think I will give them all a go.

Cost lives? In what way?

Would sugar soap everywhere do the trick?

Zoflora! Wash with fabric, use with the carpet and use on hard bases. I use it all the time. We use it where we work if there was smoking in the room :)

Sorry! Wrong thread!

Zoflora doesn't get rid of what's causing the smell. It mostly masks it. I suggested vinegar because that's good for neutralising the scent of urine and killing mould.

And agree about getting all the carpets out now.