Few things are more annoying than the lingering smell of cat urine. This rather difficult problem to solve requires thorough cleaning and some good habits. Make sure you have all the necessary ingredients and materials on hand and always be ready for whatever surprise your cute feline friend has in store for you.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Cleaning Cat Urine
Step 1. Wipe the urine off the carpet or carpet with paper towels
Try to absorb as much of it as possible. This makes subsequent work easier. Use clean paper towels and apply some pressure. Repeat with new paper towels until you see that you can no longer absorb urine.
- Skip this step if the urine is already dry.
- Alternatively, you can use old cloth towels that you plan to throw away instead of paper ones. The thickness of regular towels allows for better absorption, so you can collect more liquid. If you have one that you can use, choose white. When you see that it is no longer tinged with yellow, you know that all the urine has been absorbed.
Step 2. Use an enzymatic cleaner
This product contains special biological enzymes that break down the proteins present in urine, reducing or even completely eliminating odor.
Note that some enzymatic cleaners may not work if you have previously used other chemicals to try to treat the stain. It is generally a good idea to try it first, saturating the area well. Follow the instructions on the product in detail, and let it dry for a few days. For the moment you don't have to do anything else
Step 3. Make a vinegar solution
If the enzymatic cleaner hasn't completely eliminated the odor, use a vinegar-based solution. Combine equal parts white vinegar and water by pouring them into a spray bottle or bowl. Soak or spray the soiled area. Also wet a little beyond the affected area, in order to be sure to eliminate all traces of urine.
If you have a black light (Wood's lamp) or a UV light, you can see the glow of urine in the dark and identify exactly the stained areas
Step 4. Rub the vinegar solution
Use a brush and scrub the vinegar and water mixture thoroughly until it is completely absorbed by the fabric. The vinegar neutralizes the ammonia smell of the cat's urine.
Step 5. Dry thoroughly
Again, use paper towels or a clean cloth to absorb the vinegar as much as possible. Let it dry completely in the air once the vinegar solution has been buffered and collected.
Step 6. Disinfect hard surfaces
Wash the dirty area with a detergent that does not contain ammonia. Ammonia smells like the urine of cats and dogs, so your attempt would be in vain. Clean the area with water. In a spray bottle, mix 10 parts of water with 1 of bleach. Put on rubber gloves and spray the solution on the dirty area. Let it sit for 30 seconds, then wipe it with a damp cloth.
Be careful with bleach, as it may damage and discolour some materials
Step 7. Check if you have urine-stained clothing
In this case, add 60ml of apple cider vinegar to the detergent in your regular wash. If you still smell urine at the end, add some enzymatic cleaner to the next wash.
Sometimes it may be necessary to dry clean clothing. If you just can't get the smell or stain out of a dress, just throw it away
Part 2 of 3: Deodorize the Area
Step 1. Sprinkle baking soda on the stained area
This substance performs a cleansing action in a natural way, as well as absorbing odors and deodorizing the environment.
Step 2. Combine a small amount of hydrogen peroxide with dish soap
Mix 120ml of hydrogen peroxide with one teaspoon (5ml) of dish soap and spread it over the baking soda you previously spread.
It is advisable to test this mixture in advance on a hidden area, to ensure that no permanent stains or halos form
Step 3. Use a brush to scrub the resulting product
Wear rubber gloves if you can and wait for the baking soda mixed with hydrogen peroxide to form an active foam.
Step 4. Dry the area and let the mixture dry
Step 5. Vacuum the area
Aspirating the area allows you to eliminate both the urine particles and the bicarbonate solution. A wet vacuum (if you have one) is even more effective for this purpose, as the fabric is wet. If necessary, you can use a normal vacuum cleaner; it just won't be as effective as a wet vacuum.
- For best results with a wet vacuum, put cold water in the tank and always follow the instructions for use for the specific model.
- Avoid steam cleaners, as excessive heat can fix the stain even more on the affected surface.
Part 3 of 3: Reducing the Chances of Accidents
Step 1. Retrain the cat
Make sure you never yell at him or punish him for urinating where he shouldn't. Instead, take it quickly to the litter box. Have him go to his litter box every time and praise him when he uses it. This will reinforce a positive correlation between his urination and the litter box.
Step 2. Change the litter box more often
Cats like it clean, just like humans like a clean bathroom. If you do not take care of its hygiene needs, the cat may be more easily tempted to urinate on the sofa or carpet.
Keep the litter box in a quiet place that is not near where it eats. This increases the chances that it will be used correctly
Step 3. Consider having your cat neutered or spayed
Neutered cats do not feel the need to mark their territory with urine, and this can solve the problem upstream. Plus, you don't run the risk of finding yourself a litter of kittens that you need to litter box training!
Step 4. Have your cat checked by your vet on a regular basis
Although this type of accident can happen (especially if the pet is young - but also elderly), if you notice that your pet urinates inappropriately, the underlying cause could be a medical problem. Contact your vet to investigate possible health reasons that lead the cat to litter out of the litter box. Ignoring a medical problem, such as a urinary tract infection, kidney disease or diabetes, could be life threatening for your pet.
Advice
- Be prepared for the possibility of accidents when you bring a new cat home. You will need to train him to use the litter box correctly and get used to cleaning the house regularly if he doesn't use it, as well as finding proper medical care if his problem is due to an illness.
- Cats and dogs are able to smell smells that humans do not and return to the same area that was previously used to urinate. It is therefore strongly recommended to use enzymatic cleaners to remove the odor.
- If you are tired of constantly cleaning your cat's dirty areas or worry that urine has soaked deeply into carpet or hardwood floors, contact a professional. It will definitely cost you more, but you will get more effective results.
- If you have particularly expensive carpet, upholstery, or curtains in your home, you should consult a professional to avoid irreversible damage to your furniture.
