Cat Urine Odor Removal Easy Steps

How do you remove cat urine odor?  Regular cleaning products cannot remove the chemicals in cat urine that produce odor. Cat pee has a unique chemical composition. It contains pungent thiols similar to skunk spray. These are given off when urea is broken down by bacteria over time. Another component of cat pee is uric acid which lingers for years! This is why enzymes are required to remove the uric acid by breaking it down. Follow these steps and achieve cat urine odor removal success easily! It is not hard if you have the right tools.

Step 1-Identify the Location

How you clean up cat urine depends on whether the marking is still wet or already dry. If it is wet you may be able to clean it up easier. Assuming it is dry however, you will need to find the stain. On any dark colored surface this can be difficult. Cat urine only shows up on white or very light colored fabrics or materials. If it is dry already, use a black light to quickly zero in on the source.

This is my top recommendation: the PeeDar 2.0. This has twice as many bulbs as the original PeeDar and a wavelength of 380-385 nm.

This is the original PeeDar 2.0 with a more effective 365-370 nm wavelength which is hard to find in black lights.

 

This is the Escolite 100 which gives a floodlight effect so you can scan a larger area with ease.

 

There are many black lights out there but the PeeDar emits light at 365Nm wavelength. This is a lower wavelength than most black lights available at 395Nm. This lower wavelength helps the stain show up rather than illuminated the surface with extra light. This is closer to a true black light and emits no purple light that cheap “black lights” emit and makes the stain itself hard to see.  The PeeDar 2.0 light is the one I purchased and love. It has twice as many bulbs as the original PeeDar giving a much larger radius. Both of these lights get great reviews on Amazon.

If you want a floodlight where you can stand back and look at a large area at once, you can try a product like the Escolite 100.  This one has 100 tiny UV bulbs so it is powerful despite it’s compact size. Many small lights with only a few bulbs requires you to get up close. You can not scan a large area. With a larger number of bulbs, you can stand back and look at a larger area at once without holding it down next to the floor. Lights like this use 395 Nm wavelength however, so stains will not stand out as clearly as with the PeeDar. These lights are very popular though. Check it out along with over 1,700 reviews on Amazon! It is top rated for black lights on Amazon, and 1,795 people probably aren’t wrong!

Black lights can be used to find scorpions! They glow in the dark! Black lights can also be used to find bed bugs, evidence of bed bugs, food spills, splatters and stains in the kitchen and all manner of dirty things in a bathroom! If you really want to keep your house clean this is THE best tool to have! They can be used to authenticate paper currency as well.

Note: only dry cat urine will show up with the black light. If a stain is still wet it will not show up yet. The black light only works for finding dry cat urine marks.

Step 2- Start Clean Up

If the stain is still wet, soak up all that you can. Blot up the liquid with paper towels. The more you remove the less is left that needs to be treated. Next, apply enzymatic cleaner made specifically for cat urine odor removal. I use Nature’s Miracle Urine Destroyer.

 

Now wait! Don’t do anything. You need to wait for the enzymatic cleaner to dry and do it’s job. If you get anxious and blot it up you will be defeating the process. You may need to repeat this process several times. If you are treating a carpet you need to use a lot so it can penetrate and waiting for it to dry can take several days. This is aggravating, but that is why cat urine is hard to remove. At least you can take comfort in knowing you will actually be able to get it clean this way even if it takes time. Follow the directions for the product. For deep urine set in carpet it may be necessary to lift up the carpet to get to the pad and floor underneath.

Step 2- How to treat Clothing

For clothing, blot up excess liquid first, then treat with Nature’s Miracle Laundry Boost. Follow the directions on the bottle to pretreat and then wash. You may want to do this twice especially if the mark was already dry when you found it!  Do not dry the clothing between washes though. Drying will set the stain. This product gets amazing reviews on Amazon. Customers love it and say it works on other hard odors as well such as musty towels.

 

Step 3- Repeat Step 2 as needed

Let the stain dry, then repeat application of the enzymatic cleaner if you still smell anything. I usually treat several times just to be sure especially if the stain was already dry and set in when I found it and in deep carpet with a pad underneath. For regular fabrics one application may be enough.

Step 4-Enjoy a Clean Smelling House and Prevent future Mishaps!

So now that you have the spot cleaned up, you need to make sure you keep a close eye on the area. Cats often remark the same spots. Try this awesome spray to prevent urine marking on any surface. It really works! Any place I apply this, my cats DO NOT pee or spray on it anymore. It is calming which is needed to prevent the stress and anxiety that leads to most inappropriate peeing and spraying. Of course this assumes your cat does not have a medical condition such as urinary tract infection or kidney disease. Always have a vet check out your cat first! Don’t assume it is behavioral unless you know it.

 

 

For widespread peeing outside the box or spraying, I use these anti-anxiety products. One is a collar and the other is a liquid. The liquid drops are applied to the fur. No medication to take! They work wonders! I was at my wit’s end before I found these products and I can’t recommend them highly enough! Here is my link to these great products! You won’t find the drops in stores so check them out here.

My scared rescued cat went from a nervous wreck jumping at every noise and peeing on clothing and carpets to a perfect boy. He now follows me all around the house and always wants to be close. He is affectionate and calm. This is due to these amazing products and time and patience. Even after years of affection and patience however, if he does not have these products he reverts back to that scared, jumpy and annoyed creature that pees on everything!

Another Method, Use Borax

If you want another method to clean cat urine or if you have a stain that is soaked into the carpet pad, you may want to try using borax. This natural mineral lifts stains up from the pad and through the carpet. It is amazing and you can see it work. Read my review on borax with directions, How to Clean Cat Urine In Carpet-Use Enzymes and Borax.

 

Let me know what you think, what you use, or any questions you have on cat urine odor removal or these products!

Jessica

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