How Do I Get Rid of the Smell of Cat Urine on Fabric?

Clean cat urine from fabric promptly for best results.

If you are a cat owner, you will likely be faced with the problem of cat urine odor at some point. When your cat urinates on your clothing, bedding, upholstery or other fabric items, the smell often lingers long after you have cleaned it up. The distinct smell of cat urine can permeate an entire room, so it is important to remove the odor promptly. You can remove the smell from fabric with common household products.

Things You'll Need

• Empty spray bottle
• White vinegar
• Paper towels
• Rags
• Baking soda
• Bucket

Instructions

Removing Cat Urine Odor From Non-Washable Fabric

1. Fill an empty spray bottle with two parts warm water and one part white vinegar. Shake the bottle to combine the ingredients.

2. Blot the urine spot with paper towels if it is fresh to remove as much of the cat urine as possible. Mist the vinegar mixture onto the cat urine spots.

3. Rub the vinegar into the spot gently with a clean rag. Let the vinegar mixture dry for several hours onto the fabric.

4. Wipe the area thoroughly with a rag and warm water. While the fabric is still damp, sprinkle a generous coating of baking soda onto the affected area. Let the baking soda sit for a few hours on the fabric, then shake or vacuum off the baking soda.

Removing Cat Urine Odor From Washable Fabric and Clothing

1. Fill the washing machine or a bucket with three parts hot water and one part white vinegar. Place the affected fabric into the bucket or washing machine.

2. Let the fabric soak for 40 minutes. Remove it from the vinegar water and wring it out lightly.

3. Launder the fabric as usual. Add 2 cups of baking soda, along with the recommended amount of laundry detergent, to the washing machine water to ensure all of the odor is gone.

Tips & Warnings

• If cleaning cat urine odor from washable fabrics, make sure all of the odor is gone before placing it in the dryer. The heat from the dryer will set in the odor. If the odor is still present after laundering, repeat the soaking in the vinegar water, then wash again.

• If the urine odor is from an older stain and you are not sure of the exact location, run a blacklight over the smelly area of the fabric. The blacklight will light up the spots where cat urine is located.

References

• Cat World: Cat Urine Odor & Smell Remover
• Fibers: How to Remove Dog and Cat Urine Stains from Clothing
• The Daily Puppy: Homemade Pet Urine Odor Removal for Laundry