I once carried a cat urine laden backpack through four consecutive hours of class. It wasn’t until my last class of the day, which happened to be genetics, in a rather small, hot, stuffy room that I realized that the recurring whiffs of cat pee I had been smelling were indeed coming from me. All day I had been convincing myself I was crazy, there was no cat urine. But the truth was, I was carrying the cat pee. Luckily for myself and those around me, I had several years of experience working at a pet store where sometimes close to a dozen cats could be found wandering the aisles. There I had learned a few tricks and so was able to remedy the situation. Nowadays, armed not only with pet store experience, but also with the enlightenment that comes from owning and cleaning up after two cats of my own, I feel it’s my duty to pass on my knowledge so that all might learn the art of a pee free existence…or at least pee-free outside of the litter box.

Best Ways to Get Rid of Cat Urine

Keep the litter box clean!

Cats can be picky creatures. If their regular relief hole isn’t as sparkling as they would like it to be, they will find somewhere else to go. Remember, nothing says “Go pee on that nice new carpet.” like a dirty stinky poo box.

Clean old messes thoroughly.

Cats are creatures of habit. No matter how many times you say “No! That’s a bad kitty!” your odorous little friend will continue to think it’s ok to utilize the new pee pad until they can no longer smell their own vile urine on that spot.

Home Remedy for cat urine smell.

This is a great recipe for removing cat urine odor from carpet. Start by blotting up as much of the urine as possible with old rags or paper towels. Next mix 3 parts water with one part vinegar and saturate the spot.Dry thoroughly using the same method mentioned above. Once dry, sprinkle the area with baking soda. Next mix ¾ cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide solution with one tsp. dish detergent and sprinkle over the Baking Soda. Try this first on a small inconspicuous area of the carpet to make sure the hydrogen peroxide won’t discolor your carpet. Next, use your fingers or an old brush to work the Baking Soda in. I’ve used an old hairbrush with little bits of plastic over the tips with good results. Allow this to dry and vacuum it up. If there’s still a slight odor when done, lather, rinse and repeat.

Remove cat urine odor from laundry.

Use this method on your clothing, bedding, rugs or anything you think you can stuff in the washer (not including your cat). Simply add ¼ cup apple cider vinegar (which you can get at Amazon) along with your normal laundry detergent, start the washer and VOILA!

Vinegar also does wonders on weeds and getting rid of dandelions. Truly a great, all-purpose thing to have on hand, anyway.

Bleach your cement floors and bare walls.

Although this method is widely disputed because of the deadly reaction bleach has with ammonia (which is found in cat urine), if you go about it carefully, it can be an effective way to kick the urine smell out of your life for good. First, wash the soiled area with any appropriate cleaner you have that DOES NOT contain ammonia. Once clean, wipe the area down with fresh water to remove any residue left behind by the cleaner. Next, do it again. I know it sounds laborious, but trust me, this works. After your second washing and wiping, employ your bleach. In a clean spray bottle you can pick up from the beauty section of any Target store, mix a 10:1 water to bleach solution. Make sure the area you are cleaning in is well ventilated, put on some rubber gloves and get to work. Spray on lightly, let sit for about 30 seconds, and wipe off with a clean damp rag.

Cat Urine Cleaning Products

Cat pee, or cat urine, if you will, may be the most formidable smell known to mankind. While the home remedies are effective in removing cat urine odor, some people (myself included) simply don’t have the time or the patience for serious cat urine scrubbing. If this is the case for you as well, let me recommend some products I’ve found that work great for cat urine removal. These, unlike the sprays that will do nothing for you but mask the odor for a few days, have enzymes in solution that will actually break down stains and odor causing molecules all while making your life much easier. A good cat urine cleaner will also have bacteria producing agents that will work continually until the stain and cat urine smell are gone completely. Simple Solution, Nature’s Miracle, Complete Pet Stain and Odor Remover by 8in1, and Capture Pet Stain and Odor Neutralizer are by far the most effective products I’ve found for cleaning cat urine. Best of all, a super cat urine remover is very easy to find. Many pet stores and online stores will carry one or all of these. Now that you know how to clean cat urine, get to work, that pee ain’t gonna clean itself. Oh, and wash your hands before you eat. That’s disgusting.

Lastly, if the cat continues indiscriminately peeing all over your stuff, be sure to have it checked out at the vet. There could be some health reasons for it, and getting those solved will help make sure there aren’t more messes.

Natural Remedies for Cat Urine Odor

White Vinegar. To rid your linoleum or hardwood floors of that “not so fresh feeling”, simply mix a 3:1 solution of warm water and White Vinegar in your mop bucket and get to work. Remember to crack a window or two. Vinegar has a good clean smell, but it’s a strong one.

Fresh Wave for Stinky Pets. Fresh Wave has an array of all natural, non-toxic and earth friendly products for the laundry, upholstery, floors and the air that are designed to attract, capture and neutralize pet odors. Amazon sells Fresh Wave Crystals in a 24 oz container.

For the laundry. If Fluffers let loose on a rug, some clothing or even worse, your bedding, just throw a quarter cup of apple cider vinegar in the wash along with your regular laundry detergent.

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