How to get rid of the smell of cat urine?

How to get rid of the smell of cat urine on the carpet and floor coverings?

If you smell cat urine on upholstered furniture or carpet, do not panic, because even from such surfaces it can be removed. Although you have to try. The fact is that by nature cat urine has a high concentration of urea and pheromones – so the smell can remain in the marked area for a very long time. Once excreted, the urine breaks down into ammonia and thiol (a substance with the unpleasant odor of hydrogen sulfide) and then instantly solidifies into small crystals. For this reason, it is so difficult to remove the characteristic smell that appears during the decay of cat urine on floor coverings: it simply eats into the pile of the carpet or parquet fibers.

It is necessary to get rid of the smell in a short time, otherwise the cat urine will turn into an indicator for the cat, which may decide that this place on the floor has become her new toilet.

Pet stores sell special gels and shampoos that will remove the unpleasant smell of cat urine from the apartment. Different companies produce a variety of household chemicals for cleaning various surfaces. They contain an active substance that not only hides the smell, but thoroughly destroys ammonia and hydrogen sulfide compounds. The composition of these funds, as a rule, are environmentally friendly and safe for pets and humans. In addition, they do not damage carpet and other floor coverings.

If cat urine has soaked the room with its smell so that it is impossible to deal with it on your own, use the services of professionals who will clean the apartment using the complex dry cleaning method and make you forget about the problem forever.

For those who prefer improvised means, it is better to use the following available methods:

• Lemon juice or citric acid will get rid of traces of cat urine and its smell. Apply a mixture of 1 teaspoon of acid and 100 ml of water or the juice of a whole lemon to the coating, this will remove the remaining smell and discourage the cat from sitting on this area instead of the tray next time.

• For dark coatings, it is better to use an iodine solution in the ratio of 6 drops per 1 glass of water. Iodine is extremely unpleasant for all cats, so it will discourage any desire to leave their marks on the carpet.

We figured out how to clean it from the floor, we’ll tell you how to remove the smell of cat urine from shoes.

How to get rid of the smell of cat urine in shoes?

Cats sometimes urinate in their owners’ shoes. They do this not out of harm, but because they want to mark an area that smells strongly of a person. Do not rush to say goodbye to your favorite couple, because even the smell of cat urine can be eliminated from shoes.

The main thing is to neutralize the stink very quickly, preventing it from soaking into the shoes forever. If the trace of urine is still wet, you need to blot it with a paper towel and treat it with soap (preferably laundry). Then use one of the following methods:

• Apply glycerin to the stain, it will help to remove it, but will not work on old stains.

• On dark shoes, you can use a solution of iodine (6-8 drops per glass of water) or water with potassium permanganate. Rinse your boots with water after cleaning.

• Use a special cleaner from the pet store according to the instructions. They usually contain powerful ingredients that will completely get rid of all the smells of cat urine.

How to get rid of urine stains?

There are some reliable tips on how to wash cat urine from different surfaces.

• If the stain is fresh, first you need to remove all the liquid. Even cat litter will help with this: just pour absorbent balls on a puddle, and then walk over it with a vacuum cleaner. Ordinary napkins or toilet paper are also suitable. Move from the edges to the center so as not to increase the surface of contamination.

• Ordinary vodka will help break down urea crystals. Leave the damp cloth on the stain for 30 minutes and then just let it dry.

• To wash light-colored fabrics, use a non-chlorine oxygen bleach.

• Sprinkle the stain liberally with baking soda and pour a small amount of hydrogen peroxide over the stain. The most powerful reaction from the interaction of these substances helps to split off the remains of urine from the tissue. After the formation of foam, just wait for it to dry completely.

Folk remedies for the smell of cat urine

There are several proven folk remedies that help remove cat urine and its smell from surfaces:

• An ordinary vinegar essence can kill an unpleasant “aroma”. Treat the source of the stink with it and rub this place with a brush. Vinegar will beat off the ammonia smell even on old stains. Be sure to ventilate the room while using the vinegar solution.

• Take baking soda and some liquid or laundry soap, mix them and apply the resulting slurry to the surface. Scrub with a brush and rinse with water. If the source of the smell is the carpet, you can additionally sprinkle it with dry soda, and then vacuum the floor.

• Citric acid copes very well with the smell of urine. Treat the place of contamination with it. Cats can’t stand the smell of citrus and will avoid this place.

Understanding cat behavior

Trying to solve the problem of how to eliminate the smell of stubborn cat urine in the apartment, it is not enough just to clean it. It is necessary to analyze the undesirable behavior of the pet.

Cats tend to ignore the litter box if they are poorly litter trained or don’t like the litter. Try to go through the toilet training process again, and also check the stability of the tray and the convenience of its location. Experiment with natural and artificial fillers from other manufacturers. It is also important to clean the tray regularly, otherwise the cat will never use it, no matter how ideal other conditions are.

If there are several cats in the apartment, it is better to organize a separate toilet for each. Ideally, the number of trays should exceed the number of cats by one.

If your cat is constantly marking vertical surfaces, it is likely that she wants to demarcate the territory or shows anxiety. Try to change its association with this place by placing a feeder there. You can also spray the surface with synthetic pheromones (sold in pet stores).

In a situation where all of the above problems are eliminated, but the problem does not go away, it is recommended to contact a veterinarian. Perhaps the reason that the cat goes to the toilet not in the tray is a disease of the genitourinary tract.

November 27, 2020

Updated: February 13, 2021