Cats are known to be independent, curious, and loyal and can make lifelong companions for you. Generally, Cats are said to be low maintenance. Despite this, there are many benefits of owning a cat. People own cats for many reasons:
- To alleviate stress.
- To aid in the treatment of anxiety and depression.
- To get over loneliness.
- To boost cardiovascular health.
- To be more active.
As you see, there are many benefits of owning cats as your pet. However, cleaning cat urine from your carpet or any fabric can be a hurdle, especially dried cat urine from the carpet, which leaves a urine stain. Likewise, the cat urine smell is just unbearable, which leaves your house with an unpleasant odor. But worry not. This article will help you remove cat urine odor and stains.
Why does cat urine outside of the litter box?
Though cats are low maintenance, they are also known for having urinary issues. Sometimes they urinate outside the litter box. It could be for various reasons like unfamiliar litter, moving litterbox to a different location, uncleaned litterbox, behavioral issues, and medical conditions.
Cat urine contains urea, urobilin, urobilinogen, uric acid, sodium, other electrolytes, creatine, Pheromone, and bacteria. The strong ammonia smell results from bacteria breaking down the urea, which is essentially odorless, at the initial stage of the decomposition of the urine. But as time passes, the odor becomes more vital, which is harmful to humans and can set off asthma attacks, induce migraines, and even lead to life-threatening respiratory conditions like pneumonia.
The foul smell of cat urine can spread all over the home, if not cleaned up properly, can leave an unpleasant smell similar to ammonia. Also, cat urine leaves stains, especially on fabric and carpet. It is best to clean the urine sooner to get rid of the odor and stop your pet friend from urinating in that spot again. Whether the urinated surface is recent or has old stains and odor, we need solutions.
Cat urine has a distinct odor due to the high concentration of uric acid and the presence of proteins. Cats do not like drinking a lot of water. As a result, their urine becomes concentrated, leaving stains on the carpet, which are challenging to remove. As urine dries and becomes alkaline, the uric acid crystallizes or produces urine salts. Dried cat urine results in the most foul-smelling pee a person can’t tolerate.
Also Read: Inbred Cats: What You Need To Know
Remedies for cleaning dried cat urine and its smell from the carpet
Before we get on with remedies for removing/cleaning cat urine from the carpet, we need to:
Things to do Before Cleaning Cats Urine stain and smell.
Search for urine stain on the carpet
So, to remove cat urine. First and foremost, we need to find where the odor is coming from to spot the urine stain. Cats tend to pee, especially in hidden areas. An effective tactic is to inspect the carpet’s edge first. The stain may not be visible; in that case, we first need to purchase hand-held black light. Most urine stains will glow when in contact with the UV rays produced by the hand-held black light.
Wear rubber gloves:
Second, wear rubber gloves or thoroughly wash your hands after contacting cat urine for personal hygiene. Rubber gloves are required to protect yourself from chemicals from the cleaning products, and you do not want to get a cat urine smell on you.
After we have done the above, let’s look at some remedies to get cat urine out of your carpet.
Use a mixture of (distilled white or apple cider) vinegar, and water
Distilled white vinegar is acidic; it contains no tannins (natural plant dyes) that can stain fabric. It helps to subdue the bacteria that cause dried urine spots to generate a horrible cat urine smell. You will need white vinegar and water.
Combining equal measures of white vinegar and water generously, apply this solution to the stained area. Leave it for 20-30 mins. Once done, use a paper towel or any cloth to clean the area. You can also sprinkle the area with baking soda to absorb and remove odors.
Use Hydrogen Peroxide and baking soda
After cleaning with the vinegar solution, you can try a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda if the stains or smell persists. These items will remove the discoloration and eliminate bacteria and odors.
First, sprinkle the baking soda over the dried urine spot. Mix 250ml hydrogen peroxide (3%) with a teaspoon of dish detergent liquid in the empty spray bottle. Spray the combination generously over the baking soda. Once sprayed properly, scrub the area with a toothbrush or cleaning brush.
Lastly, allow the area to be arid (1-2hrs), and vacuum up the area.
If it still smells, you can repeat the process of this remedy to clean the carpet.
Also Read: Why Do Cats Knead?
Commercial products to remove cat urine
Oh, gotch you. Still, reading? Want to know more methods to clean cat pee from the carpet or any other surface?
Okay, get yourself oxygen and enzyme-based cleaners from the stores. The latter is particularly effective in dealing with cat poop because they degrade the poop and eliminate odors.
Oxygen-based cleaner for cat urine
An oxygen formula becomes active when it comes into contact with a stain on the carpet or fabric. The odor purifier disperses the odor-causing particles, but the process alters the color residue at the molecular level. As a result, oxygen-based treatments are ideal for removing brightly colored stains such as vomit.
Oxygen cleaners use oxygen bubbles to remove stains and clean surfaces. They are powerful and efficient when used correctly. Sodium percarbonate, sodium perborate, or liquid hydrogen peroxide are all active ingredients in oxy cleaners. It is free of chlorine and bleach and safe to clean cat urine from the carpet.
Some oxygen-based cleaners are:
- Oxy stain remover
- OxiClean
You can find them on amazon or store. For instructions, look at the instructions written on the bottle of the products.
Also Read: How to Find a Reputable & Responsible Cat Breeder
Enzyme-based cleaners for cat urine
An enzyme cleaner is a cleaning item that uses biological enzymes to disintegrate dirt molecules that speed up chemical reactions quickly. When these cleansers are used on a surface, the good bacteria in them spread rapidly and start to produce these enzymes.
Enzyme-based cleaners effectively remove cat urine stains or any other type of stain by disintegrating protein, starches, and oils and can remain active until the stain is removed. An enzymatic cleaner may be the best alternative if the stain has been on the carpet for a long time.
Some enzyme-based cleaners are:
- Biokleen Bac-Out Natural Stain Remover
- Naturally, It’s Clean Carpet Stains & Odors
You can find them on amazon or store.
Note: Please test any product on a small part of the carpet to ensure there is no damage before using it.
You can also find carpet cleaners for cat urine in the store or on amazon.
Scents to Stop your Cat Peeing Everywhere
Citrus Scent:
Citrus has a solid acidic scent that cats dislike. So, to prevent cats from urinating and remove the cat urine odor on the carpet or in that area, leave some peels of citrus items like oranges and lemons or get a citrus diffuser.
The Scent of Vinegar:
While eliminating the lingering scent of the cat urine, it also helps in preventing your cat from peeing in that particular area. In that case, you can mix vinegar and water, put the mixture in a spray bottle and spray the mixture on the areas you want your cat to avoid.
Mint Scent
Cats despise the distinctive scent of mint and will do anything to avoid it. Fresh mint bags around the house prevent your cat from urinating, but you can also make a mint-infused mist by boiling one cup of fresh mint with one cup of water.
These are some scents that can keep your cat from peeing on the areas where you want to avoid cat pee.
However, if your cat has urinated on your clothes and wants to remove the cat’s urine smell, it is best to soak them in enzyme cleaner-based detergent for ten to twenty minutes before allowing them to dry. If the smell is still there, you may need to repeat the process.
If you own cats, you might know that cats don’t just urinate on the carpets but can urinate all around the house, like on a couch, concrete floor, or even your clothes.
We’ve already discussed how to clean cat urine from carpet; how about we discuss some of the alternatives for cleaning from the concrete floor or leather couch:
Concrete floor:
You can use enzyme-based cleaner to clean the cat stain or smell of the urine, but sometimes it does not clear the cat urine smell. So, it is ideal to use TSP, also known as Trisodium Phosphate. To use this on the concrete floor, mix a solution of one-half cup TSP (Trisodium Phosphate) to 3.78541 liters of hot water, then scrub the area. TSP, in this proportion, is highly potent. For safety reasons, gloves and eye protection is a must.
Also Read: Cats and Kittens Vaccination Schedule: Right Vaccines at Right Time
Leather couch:
It is best to use enzyme-based cleaner to clean the cat urine off the leather couch, but please check the instructions on the label before use. Also, as a caution, try it on a small spot, as it could leave the leather with minor discoloration. Likewise, most of these cleaners enable you to extensively wet the stain, wait 5 minutes, and then blemish dry. Repeat this procedure until the urine stain and scent are gone. There is no need to rinse the cleaner.
Please test any product on a small piece of carpet to ensure there is no damage before using it.
FAQ
Why does my cat keep peeing everywhere?
It could be because your cat is stressed or have health issues like urinary infections, diabetes, kidney stone, or cancer. So, to be entirely convinced get your cat checked by a veterinarian.
Why does my cat drink his pee?
It could be because your cat may be very dehydrated. Though cat pee is not harmful to your cat, if you’re unsure, visit a veterinarian.
Conclusion
In conclusion, using these remedies, you can quickly return to having a stain and odor-free carpet. If your cat proceeds to pee outside the litter box, call in a professional or visit pet stores to assess your cat’s urination habits and ensure that your cat is not missing the litter box due to urinary or other health conditions.
