It’s no secret that we’ve dealt with our fair share of cat pee over the years. Given Beau’s frequent urinary tract infections and his life-changing perineal urethrostomy, we’ve had to clean cat pee from all kinds of places.
I’ll admit, cat pee can be extremely frustrating to clean, especially because the smell seems to hold on longer than other liquids. While not all methods are great for cleaning cat pee, I thought I would share some of my favourites with you.
1. ALWAYS BLOT THE AFFECTED SPACE
It doesn’t matter how much urine there is, I would always recommend starting with blotting the affected space. You can do this simply with paper towels or a sponge. The goal of blotting or dabbing is not to completely eradicate the urine from the surface, but to take out the excess before you “deep clean.” This will ensure that the urine does not fully set, as the longer urine stays in/on a fabric, the more chances the smell will retain.
2. IF IT FITS IN A MACHINE, USE THE MACHINE
This is a big rule in our house. While it might seem like “spot cleaning” cat urine is the “easier method” I strongly suggest using a washer to remove the scent of urine if your cat has marked up a blanket or other forms of clothes. This will make sure that your linens are properly cleaned and if your detergent has enzymatic additives and a baking soda base, you should have no difficulty getting rid of that odour!
3. USE PRODUCTS
After you’ve made sure to blot the affected area, it’s time to choose a product to use. A number of pet parents live and die by the baking soda and vinegar, which works out awesome if you’re a fan of the smell of vinegar. Unfortunately, the smell of vinegar makes me feel sick, so I’m not a huge fan of the method (especially if the smell lingers.)
We’ve personally used Nature’s Miracle Advanced Stain and Odor, which I would say used to be a phenomenal product, however, in the past couple years it seems they have been testing out some new mixes which are leaving a foul scent. I’ll admit, I am still using the bottle that I reviewed, so I’m not sure if the mix has gotten better, however, the bottle I have is headache inducing. I’ve heard much better things about the Orange Oxy Formula by Nature’s Miracle, although I personally haven’t tried it since it was discontinued in retail stores near me.
The most popular and best-rated cleaners are currently Simple Solution Pet Stain and Odor Remover, Earth Rated Pet Stain & Odor Remover, and Skout’s Honor.
Why you’d want to use enzymatic cleaners: enzymatic cleaners are meant to release cultures that eat urine. In doing this, the hope is that linens and other affected surfaces are left clean and smell free. Sprays are meant to break down the urine as well as deter your cat from remarking the same area. I would not recommend mixing enzymatic cleaners or using other products such as soap with them to ensure that they work to their full potential. Always make sure to follow the instructions and guidelines on the bottle to ensure that you are not misusing or overusing/underusing a product.
4. AVOID STEAMING OR USING HEAT DIRECTLY ON STAIN
It’s no secret that heat can cause smells to worsen. It’s for this reason that you would want to always use cool water to clean the affected area. If an excess amount of water is needed to clean the area you can use a “wet vac” to suck the extra water.
5. SPRINKLE BAKING SODA AS AN AIR-FRESHENER
It is recommended that you sprinkle some baking soda onto the affected area once you’re done cleaning. This will help absorb any lingering odours. Leave the baking soda on the affected area for about an hour then vacuum it up.
CONCLUSION
While cat pee is truly one of the worst smelling liquids I’ve had to deal with over the year, I can assure you that our home smells nothing like it! Let me know if this advice helped you out in the comments below! Also feel free to let me know what your method of cleaning urine is!