If you are here, then you are wondering how to get rid of cat urine smell. Cat pee smell is a strong odor that is hard to remove. So, this post will show you how to remove the odor for good with a Homeright steam machine.
You know when your kitty gets old they have a hard time holding their urine. Well, Tink kept having accidents, and after numerous tries, I had finally figured out how to get rid of cat urine smell.
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How to Get Rid of Cat Urine Smell
Cat pee smell has a strong urine odor. Cat urine is odorless, but when it transfers through the kidney’s under normal circumstances, it becomes concentrated and comes out with a strong ammonia smell.
It doesn’t take much urine for the smell to be intense. If your cats urine is strong and they are urinating outside of the liter box or in areas they should it can be an indicator that something is wrong.
Take them to the vet just to make sure they are well.
Locate the Cat Urine
If you start smelling the cat urine odor begin by finding where your kitty has gone. Typically they will go in the same spot over and over.
Once you find their spot, then it’s a matter of getting rid of the smell.
In our situation, our kitty would go in the guest bathtub, bathroom mat or next to this cute little table in the corner.
Clean up the Urine
Now that you know where your kitty has gone take some toilet paper, remove and soak up the mess. Once it is visibly gone throw the toilet paper in the toilet and flush and let’s remove that kitty urine smell.
Vinegar and Water
My first plan of attack is vinegar and water. I use this step only when I know the urine has been there for minutes. If it has been there a long time then this step may do nothing.
Take and mix one part vinegar to three parts water and put it into a spray bottle. Shake the bottle until you feel it is mixed together.
Next, spray a small area on the carpet or tile that is not noticeable for a test run. Spraying a sample area is vital to make sure it will not discolor your flooring.
I have used vinegar and water on tile, wood, and carpet without any problems but always test for yourself.
If the solution is safe, then go ahead and spray generously over the affected area and under anything where the pee may have traveled.
If the urine soaked into the foot of a piece of furniture, and you have nothing to lose if the solution discolors the furniture, then take a bowl or cup and pour the cleaner into the container and set the foot into the solution.
Let it sit for about 5 minutes so it can soak it up and kill the smell.
Be careful about this step if your piece of furniture is made with MDF. This kind of material will swell when it gets wet.
I would not recommend this step if you have a piece of furniture that swells when it gets wet.
Mop up the floor after the vinegar and water has sat for about 5 minutes. If this step doesn’t work lets go to a product called Natures Miracle and a steamer.
Homeright SteamMachine
Steaming is my heavy duty step.
Sometimes you need to go to the tough guys to get the job done especially if you cannot reach the odor. Because cat urine likes to seep into grout, cracks, and crevices, you will need a Homeright SteamMachine.
To combat the smell that has gotten into the hard to reach places here is what you will need and how to remove the odor with Homeright SteamMachine.
Supplies
- Homeright SteamMachine
- Triangle steam mop attachment and pad
- Jet nozzle attachment
- Straight adaptor attachment
- Washcloth
- Distilled Water
- Natures Miracle stain remover
Prepping the Space
Make sure everything is out of the way. I cleared out the table so I could easily get to the areas where my cat had gone.
Apply Natures Miracle
Next spray the Natures Miracle generously on the floor and along the baseboard. If the urine went under anything spray the stain remover wherever you think there is urine.
Let the Natures Miracle sit while you get the steamer ready.
Steamer
Next, make sure the steam machine is unplugged.
Fill the steamer with 40 oz. of distilled water. Do not to overfill with water.
Tighten the lid, plug in the machine and turn it on.
After about seven or eight minutes the steamer will let you know it is ready because the orange light will go off.
Clean with No Attachment
First, do not attach any attachments. Pull the trigger and let the steam flow onto the baseboard.
Steam 12 inches down the baseboard at a time and take a clean washcloth and whip up the baseboard.
Continue to clean the baseboard where you noted the smell.
Not only is this helping with the smell but your baseboards will sparkle.
Clean with Jet Nozzle Attachment
Now put the straight adapter on the steamer gun nozzle and then the jet nozzle.
Then begin where the smell begins and direct the steam under the baseboard right along the crack where the floor and base meet.
Continue down until you reach the end of where you smelled the smell.
Wipe up any excess steam with the clean washcloth
Clean with Triangle Steam Mop Attachment
You are almost finished.
Attach the mop attachment and pad and begin steaming the floors.
Start in one corner and draw the steam mop back towards you and move up that space again and on to the next area.
Take your time, so the mop has plenty of time to push steam into the grout.
Wipe up any excess water with a clean cloth.
Pet Cleaner
Here is a little more information about using a pet cleaner.
I am not a fan of using chemicals but Natures Miracle is a safe pet product, and I only use it if I have to. I have heard there are other very good products on the market too.
This product was a life saver one time when my kitty decided to urinate in the back of my van coming home from the vet.
Can you image the smell in my van in the Florida heat? I had tried vinegar, and water, but the only thing that worked was this cleaner and steam cleaning the floor. In my van I used a steamer that extracted the steam from the carpet. I feel certain that helped a great deal on the carpet.
This product is used on carpet, hard floors, furniture, fabric and more.
Conclusion
You came here to learn how to get rid of cat urine smell, and you have many possibilities.
I found that I had to resort to something more aggressive and healthy for our home and pets to get rid of the cat urine smell and the Homeright SteamMachine did the trick.
Here are a few last tips.
If you have left the cat urine in this place for a long time, you may have to repeat all or some of these steps.
The quicker you clean up cat urine, the easier it is to remove the smell.
I hope this post helps you get rid of that cat pee smell.
And if you want more fun ideas for your kitty then check out my pet bar station which gives a fresh idea for your cat’s foot station. Or if you need to do some painting after your finish cleaning the cat urine try my paint like a pro post.
Happy Decorating!
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Leslie in Maine says
Inappropriate urination and strong smelling urine can also be a sign of the kitty having some urinary problems/infection. Looking into that may keep you from having to repeat the cleaning procedure. Win-win…