How to Clean Cat Soiled Carpet

Cats may urinate outside of their box for several reasons, such as urinary tract infections, dirty litter or the litter box being placed in an unpleasant area.

Cat urine has a distinct, ammonia-like smell. In addition to cleaning to remove the scent, cat urine should also be removed from the carpet to prevent the cat from continuing to urinate in that area. According to the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, cats will continue to spray or urinate on areas "previously impregnated with their scent." Therefore, you must fully clean and remove the urine, not just mask the urine scent.

Things You'll Need

• Paper towels
• Enzyme cleaner

Instructions

1. Remove any large masses, such as feces, using a paper towel.

2. Lay a paper towel over the soiled carpet. Use your foot to step downward, absorbing as much liquid as possible. Continue laying fresh paper towels and removing liquid until no more is being absorbed.

3. Spray a pet enzyme cleaner over the stain. Allow it to work into the stain for 15 minutes. A pet enzyme cleaner breaks down the proteins in the urine, fully removing the scent and all of the urine.

4. Lay a paper towel over the area and blot up the enzyme cleaner and urine. Repeat the process until all of the urine is removed.

5. Dampen a paper towel with water. Lay the paper towel over the removed stain. Blot the area to remove excess enzyme remover.

Tips & Warnings

• Never use ammonia or vinegar to clean cat urine from a carpet. Once it dries, the smell can smell like cat urine to a cat, causing it to re-mark or spray that area.

References

• Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine: Feline Behavior Problems: House Soiling
• Cat World: Cat Urine Odor & Smell Remover