The smell of cat urine: how to remove it from furniture, clothes, shoes and floors

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No matter how much joy pets are in the home, having them in the same room as a person can cause problems. This is especially true for young cats - the most urgent need of the animal will be the toilet. If the owner does not train the pet to relieve itself in the tray in time, then the suffocating, pungent smell of urine that hovers throughout the apartment cannot be avoided.

Even a kitten who knows how to use a litter box can get the job done. When the owner is not at home, the stain dries out, and the properties of cat urine to emit an unpleasant odor are such that going to the toilet will be problematic. When a cat goes to the toilet in the wrong place, there is a high probability of relapse - you not only need to train your pet, but also know how to get rid of the smell of cat urine .

The reason for the persistence of the unpleasant odor

To combat the acrid stench, you need to understand its nature. Cat urine consists of three main substances.

1. Urochrome. It leaves a yellow color on the surface.
2. Urea. Instantly soluble in water and sticky substance. After drying, it contains bacteria, making the stench more pungent and persistent.
3. Uric acid. When dry, it looks like colorless crystals. They are soluble in glycerin, alkali and sulfuric acid, but insoluble in water.

Uric acid tends to emit an unpleasant odor when it gets into a humid environment. When humidity or temperature rises, the stench returns with renewed vigor. It is useless to fight it with water, so you need to use drugs that can dissolve acid crystals.

If such a problem occurs regularly, you need to think about the reasons. Your cat may not be happy with the litter box or how often you clean it. Sometimes this is a signal of resentment or illness in the pet.

How to prevent the appearance of cat marks?

It is difficult to prevent cat marks if there is a sexually mature cat in the house, but it is possible. To do this, you need to take the advice of professional animal psychologists, who recommend:

• keep the tray clean, but do not wash it with chlorine-containing products;
• monitor the cat’s behavior if new furniture has appeared in the house or guests have arrived, since all this can be perceived as hostile to them and provoke bad behavior;
• do not forget to feed your tailed pet, leave him water, show him attention, pet him and entertain him so that he does not feel lonely;
• monitor the cat’s health, prevent cystitis and intestinal disorders;
• during sexual activity of a tailed pet, let it go outside to satisfy its natural instincts, or use special drugs that extinguish the cat’s libido.

To accustom a cat to hygiene, in the places he has chosen to relieve himself, you can place substances that repel him with a strong odor, for example, cinnamon, dried basil, lemon juice, etc., or use special veterinary products.

Cleaning the sofa and mattress

The most important thing is to remove any remaining uric acid. If the stain is fresh, it will dissolve in glycerin, alkali or the following compounds:

• manganese solution;
• a mixture of vinegar with citric acid and water;
• ammonia diluted with water in a ratio of 1:7;
• concentrated soda solution;
• 20 drops of iodine with 1 liter of water;
• a mixture of water and glycerin with laundry soap.

“Traces of a crime” need to be treated several times until the stench is completely eliminated.

It is better not to use iodine and potassium permanganate on light-colored surfaces. If necessary, iodine stains can be removed by drying the stained areas with a hairdryer.

Available means

Cleaning a sofa is more difficult than cleaning a carpet or floor. The acrid smell seeps deep into the upholstery. But using the following method, you can clean upholstered furniture even from old, long-dried stains.

You will need:

• apple cider vinegar - 25 ml;
• dishwashing liquid - 10 ml;
• hydrogen peroxide (3%) - 50 ml;
• soda - one teaspoon;
• water;
• syringe with needle;
• spray;
• paper towels.

Application procedure

1. Cleaning. It is necessary to clean the material from all stains. To do this, prepare a mixture of vinegar and water (1:4). They need to intensively wipe the contaminated surface.
2. Drying. Dry the wet spot with a hairdryer or soak the moisture with toilet paper and napkins.
3. The first "injection". When the upholstery is completely dry, mix baking soda with water (1:2). Using a syringe, inject the composition into the mattress or sofa. Sprinkle soda on top of the dirtiest areas. Do not use baking soda before the vinegar has dried. The acid will react with the alkali and there will be no result.
4. Second "prick". Mix water with hydrogen peroxide (1:2) and dishwashing detergent in a spray bottle. Spray the resulting mixture onto areas sprinkled with baking soda, creating a thick foam. Inject the same substance deep into the upholstery with a syringe.

If everything is done correctly, a pungent ammonium odor will soon appear. This is natural during the breakdown of acid crystals under the influence of soda and peroxide.

Specialized drugs

Special preparations are sold to clean furniture from cat urine. They contain enzymes that can decompose uric acid crystals. To achieve maximum effect, you must strictly follow the instructions on the package.

You can purchase sofa cleaning products at household chemical stores or pet stores. They also sell special “anti-odor” bags of granules. If you place one such bag under the mattress or between the upholstery of upholstered furniture, it will absorb all extraneous odors.

What you should pay attention to

A cloth folded in a secluded corner is an ideal place for your cat to urinate. The kittens think that this way no one will find their tricks, and therefore will not punish them. Therefore, more often, pet owners are faced with the need to wash their clothes.

Before you start getting rid of an unpleasant odor, you need to know the recommendations that will help preserve the item:

1. You need to take action as soon as possible after you notice the stain. If it dries too much and is absorbed into the fibers of the fabric, it will be much more difficult to wash it.
2. Do not under any circumstances soak the entire item in water! So, the smell will spread over the surface of the entire material and it will be difficult to remove it. For the same reason, there is no need to try to wipe the stain with wet wipes or otherwise increase its scale. First of all, you need to remove the contamination pointwise, specifically where the cat left its “traces.”
3. Do not use products containing chlorine (bleaches, bleach). In colored fabrics, this substance will cause fading; on some fabrics, light spots may even be caused by pigments. For white materials, chlorine will also be useless, because after it the item will smell stronger of urine. Ammonia acts on cat fluid in a similar way to chlorine.

A general algorithm of actions for eliminating the smell of cat urine and saving your favorite thing:

1. You need to start cleaning as soon as possible. Dry the wet area of ​​clothing with napkins or sprinkle cat litter on top - it will absorb not only the liquid, but also part of the smell. You need to use detergents when the stain is completely dry. If you start earlier, the smell will spread over the rest of the surface of the material.
2. Apply the selected product according to the instructions (methods for diluting household products are further in the article, and store-bought products have recommendations on the packaging).
3. Once the urine stain has been treated, you can wash the entire item. Use products without chlorine and ammonia for this purpose. It is advisable to wash several times.

Carpet treatment

You cannot flood the “crime scene” with water. This will make the area of ​​pollution even larger. If the stain is fresh, it is better to gently blot the moisture with paper towels or sprinkle with salt. Afterwards, treat this area of ​​the carpet with antibacterial agents. For example, vodka, diluted alcohol or a solution of citric acid and water (1:2). When the carpet is dry, you need to rinse it with water and apply a few drops of lavender oil to the area to be cleaned. This will discourage the animal from shitting on the rug.

You can remove ingrained odor from the carpet in the same way as from the sofa. Only now you won’t need a syringe.

When getting rid of stench using vinegar, baking soda and peroxide, the main thing is not to break the sequence of actions. By mixing up the order of components, you can ruin the carpet.

How to remove a stain and remove the smell if an animal has marked a pillow or blanket?

In order to remove the foul odor from a pillow or blanket, you need to prepare the following solution. For 100 g of hydrogen peroxide, take 1 tsp. soda and 1 tbsp. l. shampoo or gel detergent. Leave for an hour. After the smell disappears, you can wash the area or wash the product completely.

The professional product “OdorGone” has proven itself well among cat owners. Owners of four-legged animals claim that this spray removes odor from a blanket, pillow or carpet the first time. It must be used in accordance with the instructions.

Shoe rescue

In shoes made of any materials, you need to remove the insoles, which will have to be replaced with new ones. The following actions are effective only for fresh contaminants, when the stench has not yet had time to be absorbed.

• Fabric. You need to rub the stained areas with laundry soap, then generously treat everything with glycerin and wait one hour. Then the shoes must be washed several times with chlorine-free powder. Bleach can only increase the stench, and also attract the pet to get into the shoes again.
• Made from smooth leather. You can remove an unpleasant odor by wiping your shoes outside and inside with a large amount of vodka, vinegar or a weak alcohol solution. Potassium permanganate solution and hydrogen peroxide also work well to eliminate the stench. But when using such folk remedies, you should make sure that cleaning does not damage the material of the product. To do this, initially test the composition on an inconspicuous area.
• Fur. If the fur is natural, removing the stench of cat urine is problematic, but you can try stuffing your boots with paper. And when most of the moisture is absorbed, rinse the shoes with vinegar and water.
• Made from nubuck or suede. Such boots can be treated with glycerin only on the inside. In order not to spoil the surface of the material, it is better to wipe the outside with diluted lemon juice.

Old urine stains are much more difficult to remove from shoes. The stench eats away very quickly, and in high humidity it will be heard again. Here it is better to use professional cleaning products or dry cleaning services.

Professional products against the smell of cat urine on a bag

Ready-made products for removing cat marks are good because they already take into account the characteristics of the surfaces being treated. All of the following products are suitable for leather and textiles. suede and do not negatively affect additions in the form of fittings

OdorGone

The product is hypoallergenic and non-toxic. Spray it onto the urine footprint from a distance of 20 cm, then, for a better effect on the treated surface, place the bag in a bag, tie it well and leave it for two hours. After this, the product is allowed to dry in a well-ventilated place.

Urine-off Multi-Pet

American spray against persistent odors will help even with old stains. It operates on the basis of pheromone-extinguishing elements that eliminate odor without a trace. No additional actions are required other than spraying liquid onto the urine.

Trixie

This granular dry deodorant with a mint aroma is used as an absorbent and at the same time, a destroyer of bacteria that causes an unpleasant odor. For the best effect, it is recommended to use it in two doses - first pour a fresh stain to absorb moisture, and then, after removing the swollen granules, distribute a second portion of the product, but this time throughout the night. In the morning, clean the bag with a brush to remove dry matter.

Ways to wash fabric

When an item is expensive, it is better to use specialized drugs from a pet store:

• "Dezosan";
• "Mr. Fresh"
• "Odorgon";
• "Animal Gold".

If it is not possible to purchase such products, there are several home methods.

Fresh tracks

The main recommendations will be as follows.

• No brush. Do not scrub the contaminated area with a brush - this will cause the smell to become even stronger. You should immediately rinse the item in a large amount of water with the addition of citric acid.
• Laundry soap. It is enough to rub the stained area with it and put the item in the washing machine.
• Additives to powder. Washing “tagged” clothes in a machine with regular laundry detergent is ineffective, and adding fabric softener can only intensify the smell. It is better to use baking soda or powder with enzymes that break down protein.

Stinging odor

To completely neutralize the absorbed odor, you will have to use not one, but several recipes at once.

• Soda paste. Prepare a thick paste from water and baking soda and treat the foul-smelling area. Wait 12-15 minutes and then wash in cool water.
• Lemon acid. Squeeze the juice from two lemons, dilute it in a bowl of cool water and soak the damaged item for two hours. Then wash the clothes. For bedding, you can use a more concentrated solution.
• Potassium permanganate. Rinse dirty clothes in a pale pink solution and then wash them. But this substance is not suitable for delicate and white fabrics.

By analogy with potassium permanganate, an iodine solution works (ten drops per 1 liter of water). It is able to remove even the most caustic traces.

Removing stains from carpet

If a cat has marked the carpet together, it should be treated in the same way - first, use one of the household or store-bought products to remove the stain and smell, and then hang it to dry in an open space. If possible, it is advisable to clean the rug completely with water and detergent, or take it to the dry cleaner.

Vodka is also suitable for removing urine. You need to blot the problem area and then rub it a little. The smell of alcohol will disappear along with the unpleasant smell with urine.

Floor cleaning

If you wipe up the puddle on the linoleum right away, you can get by with regular floor cleaner. But there are situations when new owners move into an apartment that is already thoroughly saturated with an unbearable aroma. In this situation, you need to find the location of the contamination. You can use an ultraviolet lamp. In its light, the spots will turn yellow. Then they proceed in one of three ways.

1. White. Dilute the white in cool water (1:10), rinse the floor with the solution, and then go over again with another cloth with clean water.
2. Water and vinegar. Dilute a teaspoon of vinegar in 1 liter of water. Using a sprayer, treat the required areas. After an hour, wipe the floor with a damp cloth.
3. Potassium permanganate and citric acid. Pour a pack of citric acid into 1 liter of pale pink solution. Wipe the floor with the mixture, and finally rinse the surface clean.

When treating surfaces, you need to put on rubber gloves and open the windows. Many substances that are used to combat cat puddles have a pungent odor and can cause burns to the nasal mucosa and damage the skin of the hands.

Prevention measures

Punishing a pet makes the situation worse; the animal will not stop marking. You shouldn't poke a cat into a puddle with its muzzle. In most cases, there is a reason that explains the appearance of puddles. It needs to be eliminated. To prevent the animal from shitting in the corners, you need to adhere to the following rules:

Hormones

Sexually mature, unneutered cats mark their territory. Sterilization helps solve the problem.

Disease

With diseases of the genitourinary system (cystitis, urolithiasis), the animal is unable to control urination. The pet needs to be taken to the vet immediately. Without timely treatment, he may die.

Psychological reasons

Animals in a state of stress leave puddles. Strangers, sounds, or other animals brought into the apartment can frighten a cat. Sometimes pets shit, taking revenge for insults inflicted on them or protesting against dirty cat litter.

Tips for renovation

The presence of pets in the home imposes additional obligations on owners. Compliance with a number of requirements when renovating a home will help the animal owner to significantly simplify the life of himself and his charges.

When arranging the floor, fleecy coverings should be avoided. It is impossible to properly clean such surfaces, so the carpet floor will always serve as a source of dirt and infection.

Laminate looks no worse than parquet, but urine easily gets into the holes between the boards, promoting rot. Wooden or varnished parquet floors are much more hygienic.

When laying baseboards, you should carefully seal the joints, leaving no holes between the floor and walls. It is recommended to lay an insulating film on top of concrete floors to prevent the concrete from getting wet.

When choosing linoleum, you should give preference to a material with a waterproof synthetic lining.

Tile or ceramic tiles should only be attached with an adhesive base. Using the solution creates cavities into which urine can leak through the seams between the tiles. For high-quality sealing of seams, you need to use a polymer-based grout to protect against corrosion by uric acid.

The best choice for a home with cats and dogs would be epoxy self-leveling floors.

Cleaning the house will be greatly facilitated if the lower part of the walls is painted with paints that can be washed using brushes and chemicals. It is not recommended to use paper and fabric wallpaper. The plaster should also be checked for acid resistance before installation.

For cleaning, it is recommended to use a water vacuum cleaner.

Common Misconceptions

One of the common mistakes that owners of furry pets make is punishment without clarifying the circumstances. A cat may mark territory for the following reasons:

• stressful state;
• urinary system disease;
• tail injury;
• uncomfortable tray;
• poor selection of toilet filler.

The second most common mistake is the decision to postpone cleaning until a more favorable time. A fresh stain is much easier to remove, but old urine residue will attract the cat to repeat the violation again.

The third misconception is related to the second and is to get rid of the smell at any cost. The use of deodorants and fragrances (coffee, aromatic oils, incense) relieves the human nose from suffering, but the cat will still feel its marks and will get used to using the marked area of ​​the home space for the toilet.

Chlorine-based products disinfect well, but the stench only intensifies after such cleaning.

Why does the cat ignore the toilet?

When you get a pet, you need to take care of the toilet for it. Today, fillers are sold that absorb unpleasant odors, preventing them from spreading throughout the apartment. True, even with a tray, the cat can continue to relieve itself in other places.

Main reasons:

• problems with the toilet - the filler is rarely changed, the animal does not like its properties, the tray is too small or is in an inconvenient place;
• diseases – health difficulties can be suspected if the cat previously went to the litter box and then suddenly stopped;
• rutting/estrus period;
• protection of territory from rivals (scent marks) - this problem is faced by the owners of uncastrated cats, who spray liquid with hormones to “secure” the boundaries of their possessions; in addition, animals of any age and gender can mark some thing or object if they sense someone else’s smell;
• stress, pet dissatisfaction - a cat that is poorly treated may “forget” basic behavioral skills or act out in revenge.

It is very important to quickly remove urine that appears in the wrong place before it gets into the surface. Otherwise, the cat will think that his toilet is now located here.