If you can get rid of a cat urine stain quite easily, the smell is much more difficult. The reason is the chemical composition of excrement. The fact is that water does not dissolve uric acid. Therefore, ordinary detergents cannot cope with its crystals. If the stain is not removed immediately, the electrolytes contained in the urine will begin to decompose as it dries. During this process, bacteria release ammonium. The longer the stain remains untouched, the more difficult it is to remove the smell of cat urine from the mattress.
Emergency measures
To avoid having to take your favorite mattress or sofa upholstery to the dry cleaner, it is important to quickly respond to a “gift” from your kitten. First of all, it is necessary to absorb moisture. For this you will need dry paper napkins. Cellulose sponges will also work. Do not rub the stain under any circumstances - this will only push the liquid deeper into the mattress. Movements should be blotting, without strong pressure.
The next stage is treatment with an absorbent. It will absorb most of the cat's urine and slow down the breakdown of “odorous” substances. Soda or salt are suitable for this. You can use cat litter if it consists of small granules. Sprinkle onto the stain and press down lightly. After half an hour, remove the absorbent with a vacuum cleaner or sweep it with a brush. After all the manipulations, the apartment may still stink of cat excrement. In this case, you will have to clean the mattress with other available means.
For the “damaged” mattress cover, quickly prepare a solution. Take one part vinegar and five parts cold water. Soak for an hour. Then the mattress cover must be washed.
And now - some recommendations on the topic of prevention:
- Place the litter box where your pet will use it. Mustache-striped people do not like publicity - they prefer to do their dark deeds on the sly. Give your pet a secluded place for the toilet.
- Treat all areas of potential “acts of revenge” with special spray products.
- Place orange peels or pine cones in flower pots to discourage your pet from marking plants.
- Change the litter in the tray regularly. Cats are too clean to go twice or thrice into already used litter.
- Never punish your “kissuns”. Cats are touchy animals and will take revenge.
- Neutered cats (note - as well as sterilized cats) do not mark their territory. But the decision is yours to make.
- Have your pet checked by a veterinarian. You may have kidney problems or a urinary tract infection.
Be prepared for anything. But remember that we are responsible for those whom...
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Do not use
Some housewives, seeing cat marks, begin to wash them with chlorine-containing products. The logic is clear, because they can remove even the most difficult stains. But in the case of cat urine, bleach does exactly the opposite. It does not remove the smell, but only enhances it, encouraging your pet to new “toilet achievements.” For the same reasons, you should not wash stains with ammonia. In addition, it can affect the animal’s sense of smell.
It would be a mistake to clean your mattress with deodorants, perfumes and aromatic oils. All these products do not remove, but simply mask the smell. Too tart aromas can cause an allergic reaction in both the cat and the owner.
To summarize
It is impossible to convince a cat that is accustomed to peeing in a certain place that there are more suitable, dedicated corners and devices for this. If a cat has marked the mattress once, he will pee there as often as he wants, and endless soaping and cleaning will not discourage him from the habit.
A common mistake made by owners is treating mattresses with chlorine concentrate, which has the opposite effect on the pet than expected, and the mattress itself turns out to be hopelessly damaged and smelling of the pungent chlorine stench.
There is a selection of special sprays on sale with aromas that do not irritate the human sense of smell, but for a long time discourage the cat from jumping on the bed.
Vinegar, soda, peroxide
Vinegar, soda and hydrogen peroxide are traditionally considered the most effective folk remedies against pet toilet antics. They will help clean the mattress from cat urine. Under the influence of these substances, crystals of organic substances decompose and the smell goes away forever. Moreover, the means work both separately and together.
Table vinegar must be mixed with water. Then treat the stain with a spray bottle. The vinegar solution cleans within an hour. After 60 minutes, go over the remaining cat markings with a damp cloth.
Baking soda works as well as vinegar. True, you will have to wait longer. Cover the problem area with baking soda and leave for two to three hours. The longer, the more effective. After the required time has passed, vacuum the mattress.
Hydrogen peroxide is not used in its pure form to remove urine stains. It is mixed with water. For 200 ml of water, take a teaspoon of peroxide and a few drops of any dishwashing detergent. It is best to treat the problem area with a spray bottle. After two hours, clean the mattress with a damp cloth.
If individual remedies do not work, then the 3-in-1 method will help you get rid of cat urine on your mattress. It can remove even dried marks. First, soak the stain with 9% vinegar and wait until it is completely absorbed. Before using baking soda, vacuum the mattress. After you have filled the stain with sodium bicarbonate, immediately proceed to treating it with peroxide. It must be used in the same way as in the case of a separate application. Experienced breeders say that after using “3 in 1” your pet will no longer urinate on the bed.
Steam cleaner
When using a steam cleaner when cleaning a mattress, you should be careful. A directed stream of hot air can push urine deep into the mattress, and the unpleasant odor will settle even more on the material, become corrosive, and it will become almost impossible to get rid of it.
The steamer is used at the end of cleaning the mattress, after all cleaning products have been applied. A steam cleaner helps remove remaining dirt and also gets rid of germs and bacteria.
What to do for prevention?
Returning the mattress to its previous appearance is half the battle; the most important thing is to understand the reason why the cat began to mark the furniture. Based on this, it is necessary to take preventive measures.
First, observe your pet to see if you notice anything strange and unusual in its behavior. Something he's never done before? Perhaps the animal is in an unstable mental state or is developing a serious illness.
The most common reason is that the cat is uncomfortable with the tray or its location. Make sure:
- the tray was always clean and the right size;
- stood in a secluded place where no one would scare or disturb the animal.
Important! If your pet refuses his litter box for a long time, take him to the veterinary clinic. The change in behavior may be due to a recent move, separation from the owner, or the cat is simply offended.
Prevention measures:
- Spray furniture and mattresses with citrus air fresheners or perfumes. Cats are repelled by strong smells and will have no choice but to go to the litter box.
- Purchase industrial repellent products from a pet store that need to be sprayed or placed in places where the cat leaves marks. Unlike air fresheners, they last longer.
- Make a lot of holes in the plastic container. Place ground coffee and pepper inside. Place the container near the places where the cat most often marked furniture.
- The cardinal solution is castration or sterilization.
- Place recently purchased items in the closet for a while or put them where the cat cannot reach. Anything new will be attractive for tagging.
There are many ways to remove urine smell from your sofa and other furniture. Despite the availability of methods, the main thing in this system is to understand the reason for the cat’s behavior. In this case, you will not have to constantly spend time cleaning surfaces.
Professional products
Let's consider the effect of popular products used in cleaning mattresses from cat urine.
DuftaPet
The product is released in the form of a spray. Cost - from 1000 to 3600 thousand rubles, depending on the volume. The spray gets rid of the very cause of the stench, that is, it breaks down the chemical compounds of electrolytes. It is safe for small children and animals. In addition to using it on fabrics, it can also be used to clean floors. The composition contains enzymes that make the product hypoallergenic. For maximum effect, leave DuftaPet on the problem area for two to three hours. During this time, it is advisable to cover the stain with polyethylene. Remains of the product are removed with a damp cloth.
Stain & Odor Remover
Stain & Odor Remover is produced by Nature's Miracle. The average price for a 700 ml bottle is 550 rubles. The product can be used to remove marks from delicate fabrics. Judging by reviews from cat owners, it can even remove old cat urine from a mattress. The spray smells like citrus. This aroma remains on the fabric for a long time and discourages the pet from urinating in the same place.
The product can also be used to remove animal hair and paw marks. Approved for use near children and asthmatics.
Depending on the “age” of the stain, the product is applied for a period of 15 minutes to an hour. Repeated processing is allowed, since Stain & Odor Remover has a soft composition that is safe for any fabric.
Why do cats mark the sofa and other furniture?
Before cleaning damaged furniture, you should figure out why the cat is marking the sofa. The most common is mating behavior.
Important! If your pet is not spayed or neutered, in the spring the “mark his territory and set boundaries” effect is activated. This cause cannot be eradicated naturally, only medically.
Even after eliminating the smell, the cat may continue to defecate on the furniture; there are several reasons for this behavior:
- the animal has recently arrived in the house, is experiencing fear and stress, and feels disoriented;
- if there is furniture left over from the old owners of the house, it may contain the absorbed smell of urine of a child, cat or dog, to which your pet reacts;
- territory marking occurs, especially in cases where there are several animals in the house;
- the tray is rarely cleaned or is located in a place where the animal is uncomfortable (something may scare it away);
- the cat doesn't like the litter;
- medical problems: urinary tract infection or blockage. Many cats may meow loudly when they urinate or do this near the owner so that he pays attention to the problem.
Old stains
There are two ways to deal with dried cat urine stains. The first is with citric acid. But if it doesn’t help, then you can use a universal disinfectant - borax. It comes in powder form and is sold in any pharmacy. Treating a mattress with borax should only be done while wearing protective gloves. First, traces of the cat’s “crime” are moistened with a sponge. Then the powder begins to be intensively rubbed into the stain. It is necessary to leave the product until completely dry. The final stage is cleaning with a vacuum cleaner.
Causes of unpleasant odor
The unpleasant odor from a cat's mark appears for one main reason - the composition of the urine:
- Urochrome is what colors urine
- Urea is what makes urine sticky (after it dries)
- Uric acid is what causes cat urine to crystallize quickly. These “crystals” do not dissolve in water, making urine difficult to remove.
When you carefully try to wash away stains and eliminate the smell of urine, you only get rid of the first components of the “mark.”
That is why, after some time, the smell appears again.
The intensity of the odor depends not only on the presence of uric acid in the urine, but also on the surface on which the “tag” is located. It is very difficult to remove the smell of urine from surfaces that absorb moisture well.
It is important to know why the cat stopped going to the toilet.
13 effective ways to remove the smell of cat urine from a mattress at home
A cat is a clean animal, but sometimes the pet can mark the carpet or furniture. You won't be able to get rid of stains with regular water - dried cat urine is crystals that are difficult to neutralize. To remove odor, it is necessary to use urine dissolving products.
How to remove cat urine from a mattress using a vacuum cleaner?
The use of washing vacuum cleaners to remove blood, urine and other types of contaminants demonstrates very high efficiency. You must first dry clean the product using a regular vacuum cleaner. After this, pour a special shampoo or other suitable product into the washing vacuum cleaner, clean the surface of the mattress, paying special attention to the contaminated area. After cleaning, it is not recommended to sit on the mattress; it should not be covered with bed linen or a blanket. It is necessary to turn on the air conditioner or open the windows to speed up the drying process. With this cleaning you can remove stains and odors, as well as disinfect.
