The Best Way to Clean Up Cat Urine
Cat urine is one of the toughest smells to remove from carpet, wood, furniture and cloth. Sometimes a cat that has not been spayed or neutered will spray or urinate outside of the litter box to mark its territory. In other cases, the cat may show its disdain for the litter box, its placement or its cleanliness by selecting a certain area of the house to do its business. Odor prevention is possible if the cat urine stain is cleaned thoroughly and promptly. With a vigorous cleaning regimen you can also ensure complete odor removal from old stains. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Paper towels
- Newspaper
- Bucket
- Wet/dry vacuum (optional)
- Enzymatic cleaner
- Cleaning rags
- Scrubbing brush or sponge
Instructions
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Cover the urine with paper towels and then layer newspaper on top. Apply pressure to the spot for a minute. Repeat the process until the area is mostly dry.
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Dunk your cleaning rag into a bucket of warm water if the stain is on the floor. Soak the stain, completely rinsing it with the cool water. If the stain is on a loose item immerse the cloth in the bucket of water.
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Remove moisture from the floor using either the newspaper and paper towel method or a wet/dry vacuum. For a loose article, wring the excess moisture out of it and hang it to dry. Rinsing the stain in cold water will help to remove chemicals from previous cleanings and will ensure that the enzymes in the cleanser do their job. Do not use a steam cleaner on a carpet stain. The heat will only seal the odor if it has not been properly cleansed.
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Spray the enzymatic cleaner onto the floor or loose article. Look for cleaners that tout deep-down odor-eliminating properties, as opposed to those cleaners with heavy scents that simply mask odors..
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Scrub the affected area with a small scrub brush or sponge. Avoid vigorous scrubbing on cloth in order to preserve the fibers of the linens or carpet. Allow the area to dry.
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Tips & Warnings
Wear rubber gloves to protect your skin.
Test cleaners on a hidden area of fabric or carpet before full use.
Prevent the cat from returning to the same spot to urinate by placing aluminum foil or double-sided tape over the spot. Make the litter box more appealing by trying different litters, moving the box and scooping the litter at least once a day.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit cat image by JASON WINTER from Fotolia.com
