Cat owners know that cats are a part of the family. It's expected that they hang out in every part of the house (even though you may not want them in every part of your house). Though you're grateful for that constant companionship, it's never fun when someone enters the home, and their nose immediately knows you're a cat person. Sure, you have tidied up any kind of accidents, but cat pee smells can stay to haunt you even if you've already removed those stains.
Removing pee discolorations is an unpleasant responsibility for most feline owners, as few pet odors are more pungent than cat pee. Accidents involving pee need quick and reliable cleanup to avoid it from happening once again. The ammonia-like stench is anything but pleasurable for the owner, and there's a tendency for cats to re-mark the location.
What Is Cat Urine?
Urine is generally around 95% water, with the other 5% a mixture of proteins, uric acid, salts, minerals, ammonia, and more.
When pee begins to completely dry, the organic compound called urea is broken down by bacteria, making an ammonia-like smell. As it continues to dry, it launches thiols that make the pee odor stronger. Uric acid is also a component that is not water-soluble and bonds snugly to whatever it comes into contact with, like carpet fibers and cushions.
DIY Cleaners
You will need:
- baking soda
- vinegar
- water
- spray container
- 3 old rags
For Cat Vomit:
- Clean up the vomit or hairball from the carpeting or hard flooring with a moist cloth.
- If the vomit was on the carpeting, after cleaning it with a damp cloth, put baking soda over the discolor and let it sit for an hour to soak up the moisture. If the discoloration gets on hard flooring, proceed to step 3.
- Mix vinegar and warm water in a big bowl (about 1 cup water to 1 cup of vinegar). Place the mixture into a spray container.
- Spray the stain with your mix of vinegar as well as water. You'll notice fizzing. When the fizzing dies down, remove the baking soda with a dustcloth.
- Continue to lightly spray the stain and blot the discoloration with a clean rag. Repeat up until the tarnish is gone. Be careful not to over-saturate the area.
For Cat Pee:
- Use an old towel or paper towels to absorb as much of the cat pee as possible and throw it away when you're done.
- Sprinkle baking soda over the stained area and let it sit for about ten mins.
- Pour some vinegar on the sodium bicarbonate and let it fizz for a few seconds before blotting the liquid with a fresh cloth.
- As soon as the area looks clean, it's time to eliminate the odor. Make a DIY pee smell remover with a couple of tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide and a drop or two of dishwashing liquid. Pour the mixture onto the area (to be safe, text the mix in a concealed spot to ensure it doesn't stain the carpet).
- Scrub the hydrogen peroxide/dish soap mixture; blot it quickly to avoid taking the coloring out of the carpeting. It might be far better to place this mixture in a spray container, spray the area, and wipe it for hard floors.
- Blow a fan over the area to help it dry quickly. Although the site may appear fresh and tidy, the uric acid in feline urine will recrystallize, so the following step is extremely vital!
- After 24 hours, saturate the area with enzymatic cleaners, and allow it entirely air dry. Cover the site with a laundry basket or aluminum foil to keep people and pets from stepping on the place. It may take a day or 2 to dry entirely.
- As soon as the location is totally dry, clean with a wipe or vacuum and repeat enzyme therapy once a week if needed.
The smell of old pee is an attractant that will undoubtedly bring your pet cat back to pee in the exact location once again, and again, and again. Cleaning quickly is critical because allowing stains to form makes cleanup harder and increases the possibility of a cat re-mark the spot.
Cleaning Up Pet Pee: What Not to Do?
Avoid cleaning products that contain ammonia. Using an ammonia-based cleaner might urge your cat to re-mark the location. It's also essential to avoid utilizing steam or heat when cleaning surfaces marked with cat pee because heat can set the stain in place. This applies when using washing machine and dryers when cleaning old rags or other garments with cat pee.
And while you might be lured to attempt to teach your cat a lesson by scolding or disciplining, don't do it. Punishing is not likely to work for a feline. If you have a distressed cat and reprimand them, you are likely making the scenario even worse. As opposed to scolding your cat, tidy up the area entirely and put your efforts into making your litterbox as attractive as possible. Several neat, easy-to-access litter boxes will entice your kitty to urinate in the proper area. Put the boxes over problem areas and gradually relocate them to where you ultimately want them to be.
