How to Remove Cat Urine From Hardwood Floors

Cat urine and hardwood floors don't go well together. If you can catch the problem while it's still "fresh," you'll be better off. The smell of cat urine is pungent and unpleasant so it's a good idea to follow these moderately easy steps. Here are a few ways to get your home smelling fresh.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. 

   Blot urine with paper towels.

2. 

   Wash affected area several times with white vinegar.

3. 

   Rinse stain thoroughly with warm water.

4. Blot dry with paper towels.

5. 

   Apply a specialized stain and odor-removing bacteria/enzyme cleaner.

Tips & Warnings

• You may want to wear rubber gloves.
• Old, dried stains may be difficult to remove. As a last resort, try sanding away the stain and resealing the wood.

[chevelle327]

on 9/30/2009 Soap and water don't work, clorox wipes don't work, swiffer wipes don't work, and murphy's oil definately does not work. If this peroxide thing doesn't cut it from gagging me, vinegar is the next step. I used is 50/50 with water in a spray bottle to rid odor of sour milk spilled into carpet. It was amazing. Instead of pouring vinegar, spray it. It may not soak as much as pouring it.

[chevelle327]

on 9/30/2009 Alright, after several attempts to clean up the urine and stop my kitties from peeing in my closet, I broke down to using my last bit of peroxide. Let me say that this stuff will pull the odor out and knock you out! I didn't have much to use, so I poured it on, let it bubble and dried it up. I can't sleep in here...my closet has no door, but the odor is out and it is deadly! If I can't get the smell out, my next try is vinegar, it works on everything. So I guess I'm making a trip to target for paper towels, vinegar, and peroxide to get them to stop.

My house is also very old with nice spaces between the wood....Screw it, I'll let it soak through. But also keep a super absorbent material on top to avoid it going that deep down. After I get this cleaned up and smelling better, I'm throwing a rug in there.

[deannamclean]

on 8/26/2009 I'm a renter and my landlord is not the most understanding of individuals. When my roommate moved out, the cat owner, I took over her old room knowing that she had a cat and an aversion to cleaning. So I was prepped for some heavy duty scrubbing prior to taking over the room.

I have managed to clean up all remnants of the cat (dried canned food on the floor, cat vomit residue) but there's one thing I cannot seem to fix. The area where the litter box was. I've swept and mopped with almost full strength pine-sol on the hardwood floor and in that one corner it still stinks when it's humid (as it has been the last few days).

That said, I can't do any heavy duty repair on the floors and am looking for a solution that won't damage the floor and cause me to lose my security deposit. It wasn't my cat, I don't feel like I should be penalized.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[lisa411]

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[darcymccartan]

on 5/26/2009 Got one that works! It may be a bit messy but it removed the cat urine smell and didn�t harm the wood! First, wipe the wood down with a bleach and water mix, 10% bleach to 90% water. Let it dry.Then, mix baking soda and distilled malt vinegar. Use enough to make a loose paste. Apply liberally to the areas and let dry until it turns back to powder. (It took about 16 hours for mine to dry) Gently rub the powdery substance to lift it from the wood. Vacuum powder up and use brush attachment to get into the grooves. Wow - it's gone - no stink and best of all - no harsh chemicals!