Cat Urine- What Works

Hi D.P.,
I have had fantastic results with a product that Stanley Steemer sells called "Odor Out". It is really easy to use - just spray it on and let it dry. It is one of those products that has the live enzymes or bacteria or whatever it is that eats the organic stuff (sorry, not the best explanation - that is my vague understanding of how it works). The product is meant for fabrics and I have used it on my couch and it works great. I have also sprayed it on the hardwood floor before, but I don't let it dry because I don't know if that's a good idea or not. But if it's inside a cabinet, maybe worth a try. Good luck!
Cyndi

We use Odo-Ban. It's great for scent removal as well as having lots of other uses, such as a laundry add-in.

Good Luck!!

Cat urine is different from other things and you have to have a product specifically made to clean it. The urine actually crystalizes so they make special cat urine cleaners with enzymes to break it down. You'll need to go to a pet store to get some. At PetSmart, it is in the cat section, not a cleaning proucts section. And they have four or five different brands to choose from.
I tried several other cleaners before I learned about the whole crystalization thing and the smell always came back.

I haven't had that exact problem but had my 3 year old have an accident on his bed and worked for days to get the smell out. I found that carpet cleaner was what finally got the smell out for me after I read it in a home remedy book. It suggested resolve but I used woolite heavy traffic because it was what I had on hand.

Nature's miracle is the best! We use it for everything, it is an enzyme cleaner and really does get the smell and stains out.

There's an enzymatic odor neutralizer that you can get at the pet store (I forget the name). I used it on a pair of leather shoes my cat peed on and it took the smell out.

I'm very glad your kitty is getting better!

You could try some Nature's Miracle (available at pet stores). I've never used it on untreated wood, but I've used it on many other surfaces and it works quite well. It's certainly worth a try.

Here's a more drastic measure. Long story! When we moved into this house over thirty years ago, we realized there was a definite, um, fragrance in the dining room. Our four-footies were not the culprits - this odor came with the house. The whole house was carpeted, as was the fashion then, so I tried many other things, not knowing about the product I mentioned above.

But as it turned out, that wouldn't have done the trick. When we were finally able to dispose of the wall-to-wall carpeting, we found finished wood floors underneath... and in the dining room, the damage was not only to the carpet but also to the wood, which reeked and had turned black. I finally used two applications of full-strength Clorox to get the smell out! It bleached out the floor, too, but I put an area rug over it until we were able to refinish all the floors a few years later.

You can try an enzyme product like Natures Miracle. I've got a cat with FLUTD and she has off and on peeing issues where she shouldn't and I've found that vinegar and water do wonders for urine odors!! I normally will saturate the carpet with 25/75 vinegar water mix and let it soak in good to the padding then take the carpet shampooer and suck it all up. Vinegar is great in the laundry as well for anything that is washable. But I've never had to treat wood..............if it were me, I'd take a household spray bottle the the 25/75 mix and spray the area very well and let it air dry. Don't worry about the vinegar smell as it will go away as it drys. You may have to treat the wood more than once till you are satisfied that it doesn't smell like pee anymore and this whole thing might take several days too. The vinegar smell will also keep the cat away from the area too as it is drying. Once you are happy that it doesn't smell, you might want to treat it with a wood sealer because your cat will more than likely go back to that area the next time he has a UTI or any other urine issue.

Good luck
S.

Soak it in Apple Cider vinegar. It works in carpets and pads, furniture and you can even toss it in the wash with clothes if you need to. We had a sick kitty that was peeing on everything for about a week and the vinegar removed the ammonia smell completely.

Sol-U-Mel from Melaleuca will most likely get that smell out. If it doesn't you get your money back. If you want to know how to get some of it just let me know.

I know this recipe works for getting the smell out of a carpet/furniture, my mom used it and it works great

16 oz. hydrogen peroxide
1 tsp dish detergent
1 tbs. baking soda
Mix together and let soak on affected area until dry, wipe up any white residue left.

Good luck

For those that suggested Bleach.. don't do it.. it will release toxic fumes as urine has ammonia in it. The stuff you need is made just for pet smells like that.

Use diluted clorox water. We have the same problem with the C. that lives next door. He urinates on our deck and front porch, It worked for us I hope it will work for you. Good Luck

A lot of chemicals you can use to clean with just increase the smell, never use anything that has bleach in it for one example. You really should go to a pet store and buy a product that is formulated to remove cat urine as they contain special enzymes that break down the cat urine. It is the only thing I have ever found that truly works. Sadly out of our 3 cats we have one boy who has re-occurring kidney infections. Also due to the age of your kitty you might look into food that encourages the right acidity in his urine ( ask your vet for recommendations)

Thompson's water seal actually works best - and you don't have to sand first. I do the accounting for a property mgmt company and this is how they deal with apartments where people had a dog or cat pee on the floor - for carpeted rooms they have to replace the carpet and the padding, but for the subfloor underneath (unfortunately it seems like the urine always penetrates through the carpet and padding too - it's awful) they don't sand; they just clean the floor first with an antimicrobial solution then put on a coat of Thompson's water seal. No smell.

Glad your kitty is better. :)

A few years ago we had our carpet replaced with hard wood. When they pulled the carpet up there were stains under it from one of cats on the floor underneath. I was told to wash the floor with bleach water and it would get rid of it so they wouldn't go back to that spot. It worked. It's been two years and no cat has gone there and even in rainy weather the room doesn't have that urine smell.
Good luck.
S.