What should you do if your cat marks your clothes? Is it possible to save them from the unpleasant smell?

You can remove the smell of cat urine using traditional methods, using lemon juice, manganese solution, ammonia, vinegar and vodka, laundry soap and baking soda; mixtures of several components are especially effective. But professional products are best at eliminating unpleasant odors - SmellOff, OdorGone, Odor kill, Dezosan. They are safe for pets and people, eliminate odors and stains, and prevent re-contamination of the area.

The best way to get rid of the smell of cat urine is dry cleaning, but this method has a number of disadvantages.

How to get rid of the smell of cat urine: the best neutralizers

The smell of cat urine is very persistent, you can get rid of it with special neutralizers - SmellOff, OdorGone, Odor kill, Dezosan, and the best ones belong to the category of professional products, because only they can quickly deal with the components of cat urine:

• urochrome – gives a certain color to biological fluid;
• uric acid – ensures rapid crystallization of urine, which gives a sticky coating at the site of urination;
• urea - “responsible” for the pungent odor.

Folk remedies will also give the desired effect:

• Laundry soap + medical alcohol. You need to grate the soap and add a small amount of water to it to make foam. Moisten the stain with water, place foam from laundry soap on it and leave everything for 20-30 minutes. Then wash everything off with a damp cloth and wipe the surface with medical alcohol.
• Baking soda + hydrogen peroxide. You need to mix 2 tablespoons of the dry component, 15 ml of liquid and add 2 tablespoons of any detergent to them. The finished mixture is applied to the dirty area and left for 30-40 minutes until completely dry. Final cleaning involves rinsing the area with warm water.
• Iodine solution. Add 15-20 drops of the drug to 1 liter of water, stir and rinse the stained area with the prepared product. Then you just need to dry everything. This recipe is only suitable for washing on dark fabrics and surfaces because light ones may stain.

Citrus fruits - lemons, oranges - are considered effective in eliminating the smell of cat urine. After drying the stain, you need to wipe the area with a cut of the fruit. You can lay out lemon or orange peels - their aroma literally scares away cats. But you cannot use essential oils with the aroma of citrus fruits for this manipulation - mixing with urine, the smell will only attract animals to this place.

Professional products

For complete cleaning, you can choose one of the professional products:

• Odor kill – produced in the UK, has a pronounced vanilla aroma. The product is diluted with water; the finished solution can be used to treat both hard and fleecy surfaces. It is used economically - to treat 100 m2 you only need 1 liter of solution with water.
• Urine-off Cat & Kitten - produced in the USA, belongs to the category of bioenzymatic products, effective for eliminating odors and stains from cat urine on any surfaces. The components of the product destroy urea, so it can be classified as a cat urine odor blocker. It is allowed to use this drug in homes with small children and allergy sufferers; it is absolutely harmless to pets.
• Dezosan is a detergent that does not contain chlorine, phosphates, or fluorine. The pronounced advantages of the product include the ability to destroy cat urine odors at the molecular level, remove stains from any surface, and remove territorial marks. Safe for children and pets.
• OdorGone - produced in the USA, is a spray that eliminates the smell of cat urine. It differs from other similar products in its natural composition, economical use (only 10 sprays are needed to treat 15 m2), hypoallergenic, safe for children and pets, and bactericidal properties.
• SmellOff - does not contain aggressive substances, a pleasant aroma after use is provided by plant extracts, only 10 ml of product is required per 1 m2 of surface. It does not neutralize the smell of cat urine, but destroys it at the molecular level. After treating the stained surface, there is no need to rinse off the product - it simply absorbs and dries.

You can dry clean soft surfaces - the procedure is very effective against stains and the smell of cat urine, but is expensive. Treating the soiled surface with a dry mist will also give the desired result - the stains will disappear, the air in the room will become as fresh as possible, but for this you need to purchase an expensive device. Steam generators also remove stains, but they are only effective on fresh “marks” while the moisture has not yet evaporated from them.

Detergents

If you need to get rid of the smell quickly, but you don’t have the necessary substances and professional products at hand, then you can use oxygen bleaches:

• SANDOKKAEBI Oxycle;
• CJ LION Beat Pre-treating;
• BioKleen.

They do not contain chlorine and are safe when applied even to colored fabric.

What not to use

It is strictly forbidden to use:

• products that contain chlorine - pets will stain their paws in it, then lick off the remaining chlorine, and as a result severe poisoning will occur;
• air fresheners - the smells will mix and their intensity will become stronger, and the “notes” of the aroma will become downright fetid.

How to remove cat marks and remove traces of them: simple peroxide

It is sold in any pharmacy and costs a penny, so it is cheaper to buy than an expensive disinfectant. This is a very strong product, but it must be used with extreme caution: do not treat varnished surfaces or fabrics with this composition. We are talking about the well-known hydrogen peroxide.

You can try this combination: add a little liquid you buy for washing dishes to 100 ml of solution. Rub the resulting mixture onto the stain using a stiff bristle brush. Remove the remaining foam with a wet rag or damp sponge.

photo from website: HeaClub.ru

How to remove the smell of cat urine from various surfaces

In order to quickly remove the smell of cat urine, you need to know what products are appropriate to use on various surfaces so as not to damage it. If professional ones are suitable for any place, then folk ones are used individually.

How to clean up a fresh puddle correctly

If the cat has just “done its job,” then the puddle needs to be removed from the surface as quickly as possible - it is necessary to prevent the absorption of moisture and the persistence of an unpleasant odor for a long time. Important:

• first blot the puddle with a rag or paper napkin;
• cover the “crime scene” with cat litter and after 5-10 minutes collect everything on a scoop;
• wash the area with any detergent or vinegar solution.

When cleaning up a puddle, you should not wave the rag widely - the urine will spread over the surface, and getting rid of the stains and smell will be much more difficult.

From the floor - laminate, linoleum

It is quite simple to remove stains and the smell of cat urine from the floor (laminate or linoleum) - you need to use a solution of vinegar and water. It is prepared in a ratio of 1:3, respectively, the coating is washed three times, each time you need to change the product and thoroughly wash the rag. To prevent vinegar fumes from damaging the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose and eyes, when working, you need to open windows and doors wide and create a good draft.

To clean parquet, it is advisable to use a completely different product: pour 1 tablespoon of table vinegar into 1.5 liters of ordinary mineral water and spray the solution over the surface. After 5 minutes, wipe the parquet first with a damp and then with a dry cloth.

On any floor surface, a mixture of Bos washing powder, water and vodka will be effective - all components are taken in equal proportions, then the finished slurry is added to a bucket of water. The floors are washed with the prepared solution 2-3 times in a row.

Watch the video on how to remove the smell of cat urine using improvised means:

How to remove fabrics from clothes

Stains and odors from cat urine can be removed from any fabric and clothing by regular washing and rinsing the item in water and vinegar. When washing, you cannot use conditioners - the odors will mix and you will get an “explosive mixture” of aromas that will be difficult to neutralize even with vinegar.

If your pet has just soiled your clothes and you need to wear them, you can remove the stains and smell with vodka. The only disadvantage of this method is the remaining smell of alcohol, which only disappears outside and within an hour.

How to wash shoes

The biggest problem is removing stains and getting rid of the smell of cat urine from shoes. If the “crime” was noticed immediately after it was committed, then you need to quickly put crumpled newspaper or a thick towel inside the shoes - you need to ensure complete absorption of moisture. After this, it is enough to wash the affected item in warm water and laundry soap.

In case of late action, when urine has been absorbed into the material, you will need to wash the shoes 2-3 times in a solution of laundry soap, then wipe the inner and outer surfaces with vinegar.

If nothing helps at all, then you need to resort to the help of professional means - spray your shoes, dry them completely and only then wash them.

If the cat marked the bag

The bag, if the cat has already marked it, will need to be treated both inside and outside. The exception is those models on the outside of which waterproof material or “traces of a crime” were noticed immediately after their appearance.

In any case, table vinegar will come in handy - you need to dilute it with water in a ratio of 1:3 and use a spray bottle to treat the soiled surface and the inside of the bag (if necessary). After everything has dried, you need to wash the item in the usual way with powder or laundry soap.

The second way to remove cat urine odors and stains is to wipe the surface of the bag with lemon juice. It can be diluted with water in equal proportions or used in “pure form” if the material allows it.

How to remove from a mattress

Carbonated water and regular table salt will help remove unpleasant odors from the mattress. You need to fill the stain with sparkling water (not sweet!) and cover it with a thick layer of salt on top. Everything remains for several hours, after which the salt is removed with a napkin, and the remains are washed off with warm water.

Instead of carbonated water, you can use a solution of boric acid - 1 tablespoon of powder is dissolved in 1 liter of water at room temperature.

How to get rid of the tray

If the smell of cat urine comes from the litter box, there are several ways to get rid of it:

• clean the toilet every day;
• treat the tray before adding the filler with a pink solution of potassium permanganate or vinegar;
• Place a thick layer of baking soda on the bottom of the toilet.

You can also use professional sprays, but not repellers, but neutralizers. You just need to spray the tray and the area around it with the chosen product so that the smell completely disappears.

Watch the video about what you can put in the tray to prevent odor:

If there is a smell in the car

If your car smells like cat urine, you can use:

• citric acid - use lemon juice or citric acid diluted with water in an arbitrary proportion;
• table vinegar - diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio;
• hydrogen peroxide - dissolve in water in a proportion of 10 ml of the drug per 500 ml of liquid.

All surfaces in the car interior are simply treated with ready-made solutions using a spray bottle. 5-10 minutes after application, you need to wipe everything with a dry cloth.

If the location of the puddle is well known, then you need to specifically wipe it with the indicated means so as not to treat the entire car.

From concrete

If cat urine has already soaked into the concrete, it will not be easy to remove the stains and unpleasant odor, but it is quite possible:

• If the puddle is fresh, then it should be thoroughly blotted with paper towels.
• If the stain is old, then paper towels are folded in several layers, moistened in plain water and placed over the old stains. After 5-10 minutes, remove everything and wipe the concrete with a wet rag.
• Mix 1 liter of hydrogen peroxide 33%, ¼ cup of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of liquid soap, but not in a metal bowl. Spray the resulting mixture through a spray bottle onto the stained concrete and allow the surface to dry completely.

You can repeat the “procedure” 3-5 times until the smell of cat urine completely disappears. As an additional measure, it is recommended to use baking soda - cover the cat urine stain with a thick layer, and after 20-40 minutes sweep it all away with a broom. This method can be used indefinitely, because baking soda is an effective natural deodorant.

Furniture remover

You can remove the stain and smell of cat urine from upholstered furniture using the following means:

• solution of potassium permanganate - wipe the stain with it if the upholstery is not a light shade;
• vinegar - dilute in a ratio of 1:3, thoroughly wipe the stain and wait until it dries completely;
• baking soda - first moisten the dirty area with a vinegar solution, then pour a thick layer of soda on it.

If the urine has penetrated deeply, then you can use a syringe to inject the prepared solution directly into the upholstery. Once dry, the smell of cat urine should disappear.

Why doesn't my cat go to the litter box?

Cats are capricious, there may be many reasons why they do not go to the litter box.
When a small kitten has not yet learned to go to the litter box, he can arrange the toilet in any place he likes.

Gradually, he grows and gets used to relieve his needs in a special place where the owners install a tray, but if an adult cat goes to the toilet in a place other than the designated one, this can happen for the following reasons:

1. The cat doesn't like her litter box. When choosing a litter box for their pet, owners should take into account that the kitten will grow up and therefore select its litter box for growth. The size of the tray should be at least 1.5 times smaller than an adult cat. If there are several cats in an apartment, each one should have a separate toilet, because this is a calm and secluded place that representatives of the feline family do not like to share among themselves. Also, the reason why a cat does not go to its litter box may be due to poor quality cleaning and rinsing. Cats have a very developed sense of smell, and they are acutely aware when the litter box is not cleaned. To do this, it is necessary to clean the cat's litter box from litter and feces every day using detergents.

   
   If you have a urinary tract disease, your cat may simply not have time to reach the litter box.

2. When new odors appear, the cat may react in such a way as to drown out the new smell by going to the toilet in the place where it comes from, so you need to be very attentive to the shoes of guests and place them during the visit in a place inaccessible to pets.
3. Cats have very delicate natures and require appropriate treatment. They do not accept rudeness and too persistent caresses, so an offended cat can express its dissatisfaction by going to the toilet in the wrong place.
4. With some illnesses and at a fairly old age, cats may urinate more frequently and sometimes develop incontinence.
5. A cat can mark its territory with small urinations, thus declaring its dominance. Moreover, the smell of the marks is more pungent than the smell of urine.

If the cat has gone past the litter box, clean up the urine immediately, otherwise the area will become saturated with odor.
If a situation arises where the cat has urinated in a place not specifically designated for this, you must immediately begin cleaning the floor and take measures to ensure that the resulting odor is removed.

All cat owners are familiar with the problem of eliminating cat urine. It can be removed, but it is not easy, and these difficulties bring unhappy moments into the lives of cat owners. If a puddle is discovered, it must be removed quickly, leaving nothing behind. You can use paper napkins for this. Urine dries quickly and then becomes almost invisible.

Fresh urine must be removed immediately because once it dries, it will be impossible to do so.

When dried urine gets wet, an odor immediately appears, the intensity of which is no less than the original one. This is especially noticeable on shoes; after the first wear, the smell appears unbearable.

How to remove the smell of cat urine in an apartment if it is old

The old smell of cat urine in an apartment is not as pungent as a fresh one, but it needs to be removed - the air in the rooms must be fresh, for this there are several proven ways to solve the problem: with citric acid, mustard powder, vinegar with soda and peroxide, ammonia.

Vinegar, baking soda and peroxide for cat urine odor

First, the stains are wiped with a rag well moistened in a solution of table vinegar - proportions with water 1:2. After drying, you need to use hydrogen peroxide; you can also simply wipe the stained area with it. And the last step is to cover the stain with a layer of baking soda.

You need to wait 10-20 minutes, during which time the soda will be saturated with moisture, after which it can be swept away with a broom and the treated area can be rinsed with plain water. This method helps remove old stains and completely get rid of even the very persistent smell of cat urine.

Lemon acid

Freshly squeezed lemon juice
It is better to use freshly squeezed lemon juice - soak a rag/napkin in it until it drips a little. When treating a cat urine stain, you need to vigorously rub the stained area until it is well wet. Next, everything is covered with a layer of baking soda and after 5-10 minutes you can vacuum the treated area.

If there is no lemon juice, then you need to prepare a concentrated solution of citric acid - take 1 tablespoon of the product per 200 ml of water.

Mustard powder

This product works great on old stains on linoleum and laminate flooring. You need to dilute the mustard powder with water to the consistency of thick sour cream. Apply the resulting mixture to the “crime scene”, and after 20 minutes, rinse everything off with warm water.

Mustard powder can stain surfaces, so you must first test this property on a coating hidden from view.

Ammonia for the smell of cat urine

Ingredients for preparing the solution
You need to prepare a solution from 1 part ammonia and 2 parts ethyl alcohol. The resulting liquid should be poured over the old stain and left for 20-30 minutes, then wipe everything with a rag soaked in a soapy solution and rinse with warm water.

You can work with ammonia only with free access to fresh air - open windows and doors, create a good draft. Along with the aroma of alcohol and ammonia, unpleasant odors will completely disappear.

Cleaning service

When you don’t have the energy and time to properly clean a foul-smelling carpet or carpet yourself, you can use the services of special cleaning companies. Representatives of these services come to your home and carry out cleaning using highly effective professional products, methods and equipment. At the request of the owner, they can take the product to a specialized dry cleaner.

Cleaning company employees will visit your home if necessary.

A good friend of mine’s cat, in her old age, began to shit everywhere. The housewife is already tired of constantly washing all the bedside table rugs and rugs. She periodically washed large carpets and rugs with Vanish, and in the summer she took them to the dacha and washed them there with some kind of super powder. But the corrosive cat odor was never completely removed, and therefore the harmful animal returned to the scene of the crime and repeated its deed. Several times a friend called a cleaning service worker who cleaned everything on the spot. In the end, I had to take all the carpet products to a dry cleaner, but their appearance after a long wash suffered a little and became a little “crooked.”

Will dry cleaning help with the smell of cat urine?

Dry cleaning will not only help get rid of the smell of cat urine, it is the most effective method of dealing with the problem. But it is only suitable for upholstered furniture and carpets, mattresses. Dry cleaning specialists can go to the customer’s home or take the damaged item to their premises.

The work will use specific cleaning products from the professional line, which are not sold in regular stores and have a number of advantages:

• do not reduce the color intensity of the fabric surface;
• do not violate the structure of materials;
• destroy any stains, even old ones;
• completely neutralize odors.

The only disadvantage of this procedure is the high cost of the work. And specialists don’t come to your home at first request - hardly anyone wants to endure unpleasant odors for 1-3 days.

Impact on the cause

Uncleanliness is one of the most negative aspects of having a cat in the house. Puddles on the carpet, wet corners, stains on the sofa can outweigh all the good emotions from communicating with your pet. The only way to get rid of the stench once and for all is to teach your cat cleanliness.

You just need to find the reason that encourages your pet to leave puddles and eliminate it:

• changes - a new sofa, renovation, change of regime, a new family member. Cats are very conservative. Not all changes can be undone, but you can always support and reassure. More communication, games, gatherings together - distractions from a stressful situation;
• The fight for territory will not get rid of the smell of urine, since the cat’s claims will force the pet to increasingly mark the area to be washed. We need to find the cause of the conflict - a family member is offending, there is a new pet in the house, lack of attention. The solution is to make it clear that the cat is loved and is safe here;
• dissatisfaction with the tray, the place chosen for it, the filler. It is important to analyze recent events. Perhaps they changed the air freshener or moved the laundry basket - every little thing matters in this delicate matter;
• illness, injury change behavior and habits - an always clean pet can demonstratively stain the table, the owner’s lap, or pillow. This is a request for help, a demonstration of a painful condition;
• sexual instinct - only castration will help here. If this is unacceptable, it is worth discussing the issue again with your veterinarian. Pets that do not participate in breeding do not require abstinence torture.

Fact from zoologists: animals do not know how to take revenge. If the owner thinks that the cat is marking out of harm, he simply does not understand the motives for her behavior. A veterinarian or an experienced breeder will help you figure it out.

Why does a cat smell of urine and what to do?

The cat itself can smell like urine, and before you understand what to do about it, you need to find out the reasons for what is happening. Normally, felines do not smell of urine, and if such an odor is present, it can be triggered by:

• urolithiasis disease;
• experienced stress (severe fright, prolonged stay without owners or in someone else’s apartment);
• unbalanced diet;
• old age (age-related changes in the body);
• period of puberty of the animal;
• diabetes;
• progression of the malignant process.

It is possible to rid a cat of the unpleasant odor only by carrying out therapy for a detected disease or castration if there are no plans to produce offspring in the future. It is advisable to check the size of the tray/toilet (the cat has grown and it is uncomfortable for him to sit down - urine involuntarily gets on the fur), make sure that he does not leave puddles in unauthorized places.

Rules for eliminating odor

Wipe up the urine as soon as possible.
To put it briefly, here are the basic rules for responding to cat urine in the wrong place:

• Speed ​​reaction. The faster the better. For any surface.
• Surface accounting. The harder the better. It’s easier if the cat chooses a small thing that can be soaked if necessary.
• Features of animal urine (composition, depending on hormonal levels and age)

The choice of means to eliminate troubles depends on the first three points.

• Do not use harmful or unpleasant-smelling products. Especially chlorine containing ones. The cat will eliminate such an unacceptable stench even faster and more willingly, and the owners may get pulmonary edema.

Is the smell of cat urine harmful to humans?

The smell of cat urine can be dangerous to humans because it contains ammonia. This substance can cause severe poisoning and provoke the formation of burns on the mucous membranes of the mouth, nasal passages and eyes. The concentration of ammonia in cat urine is not very high, but if it is constantly present in the air, then a person can suffer:

• bothered by headaches - mild, unobtrusive;
• the heartbeat quickens - so-called non-pathological tachycardia develops;
• there is a dry, irritating cough.

Unpleasant odors from furry pets pose a great danger to the respiratory system - ammonia can provoke attacks of bronchial asthma. Smells are extremely undesirable for allergy sufferers, even if the main irritant for them is food or pollen.

The smell of cat urine is always unpleasant, and it will not be possible to get rid of it by simply ventilating the room. Puddle stains are also an unpleasant sight, so pet owners need to know how to deal with traces of their presence in the human home. There are both professional and folk remedies - the choice is made on an individual basis.

Products that should not be used

Trying to get rid of the stench in the apartment, housewives resort to various tricks and use any substances and store-bought products. This cannot be done, as it can damage the coating, cause it to lighten and destroy the top decorative layer. Our main task is to carefully remove the smell of cat urine from linoleum, parquet, and tiles. In eliminating the problem, observe the main condition - do not harm your home, the health of your children, or animals. To do this, avoid using the following:

1. Flavors. No deodorants or aromatic oils! As well as fragrant herbs and ground coffee. These products temporarily mask the aroma and then cause it to intensify.
2. Chlorine-containing products. They are often recommended to each other by cat owners. But this is one of the most powerful misconceptions! Bleach enhances the aroma, and its fumes cause allergic reactions, damage the respiratory tract, and are dangerous for small children and animals. The aggressive product leaves white streaks on colored surfaces.

Choose safe but effective traditional methods and/or ready-made sprays and granules to remove traces of cat feces and urine.

If a cat marks territory, then the secretions contain caustic enzymes, the removal of which raises a lot of questions and difficulties. First, find out the reason for this behavior, and then start the fight. Numerous useful tips will help you break down uric acid into its components and effectively eliminate each of them separately. Follow the instructions in the recipes and on the packages of ready-made products, and soon the house will smell fresh.

The article has been verified by the editors

What products can make the smell worse?

It is better not to use strong-smelling products and fragrances, especially chemical ones. We are also talking about essential oils, ground coffee, special deodorants, etc.

Cats really do not like fragrances.
Such substances will mask the odor for a short time, while impairing its subsequent removal due to mixing with uric acid crystals. The stench, by the way, will also only intensify and worsen.

The main mistake many homeowners make is using chlorine-based detergents. Chlorine increases the stench, harms the health of both owners and pets, and also spoils many surfaces by the appearance of light spots.

Be aware of personal allergies and intolerances. Also remember if your pet had a similar reaction to any medications. Choose the right product that will certainly help with odor and dirt without causing harm to the health of residents or the surfaces to be cleaned.

How to remove traces of urine from automatic washing

When excreting urine, you should not use hot water, since urine contains proteins that denature and eat into the tissue when the ambient temperature rises. The water should be approximately 40 °C, and the rinse mode should also be set.

Attention! Before you wash your cat's urine in the washing machine, you need to look at the product label. If the item is made of delicate fabric, then automatic washing is often prohibited.

Powder selection

When removing urine, you can add a little more powder than required, since urine stains are a difficult task even for the latest washing machines. It is recommended to purchase a powder with a disinfection effect: as a rule, household chemicals for washing children's clothes have this property.

To remove cat urine stains, powder alone is not enough - you must use stain removers, follow the instructions for use and do not exceed the dosage so as not to spoil the product.

It is also recommended to fill a cap of conditioner when washing a damaged item, as it softens the fabric and gives a pleasant aroma.

Cat urine is a complex stain that is not easy to remove: it quickly eats into fabric and leaves an unpleasant odor. Urine can be removed using folk remedies and washing in a machine, but you must follow the instructions and safety rules when working with aggressive solutions. If the item is expensive and cannot be processed at home, it is recommended to have it dry cleaned.

5/5 — (1 vote)

Why is it so difficult to remove an unpleasant odor?

Cat urine consists of three main components: urea, urochrome and uric acid, which gives a persistent, powerful, unpleasant ammonia odor.

The first two components are usually quite easily removed even with plain water, not to mention all kinds of cleaning agents, but the last component is the most difficult to remove.

After all, even when the carpet looks clean outwardly, the acid crystals still remain on it, creating an unpleasant odor , and if water also gets on them, the smell becomes simply unbearable.

So, since the main fight is waged against ammonia acid, under no circumstances should you use products containing it! Otherwise, the smell will only intensify and not go away.

If you plan to clean the carpet with chemical cleaning agents, then you must read their composition and exclude those that contain ammonia.