Tips to Prevent and Remove Cat Urine

I can't imagine not living with cats but I can't take living with the smell of cat pee! Over the years I've had my fair share of rebellious felines who think that my plants make a good bathroom or perhaps find a nice cozy spot near the curtains that they somehow think I won't see. Here are some methods I've picked up for both preventing this from happening in the first place and removing urine from clothes, carpet, etc when it does.

Prevention Tips

Here are some basic tips on preventing cats from peeing outside the liter box in the first place.

Place rocks at the top of potted plants. Cats may be drawn to the dirt in a potted place as a place to pee but covering the dirt with rocks will persuade them otherwise.

Keep the litter box clean. This should go without saying but an overly full litter box is a recipe for disaster.

If you have multiple cats, use multiple litter boxes. Some cats just won't share and they'll share this with you by peeing elsewhere.

Indoor/Outdoor Cats. If you're comfortable letting your cat outside, many cats will naturally begin using the bathroom outdoors. I've had more than one cat that ended up training me (!) to always let her outside (she would scratch) when she had to pee. Be sure to always keep a litter box available in the house even if you know your cat goes outside most of the time.

Removing Tips

Here are some specific tips on how to remove cat urine from various items.

Removing cat urine from fabric is always risky. Keep in mind you might damage the item in the process. When possible, test a hidden area of the fabric first with whatever method you're using to see how the fabric reacts.

Commercial cleaners like Sport Wash can be used to clean up cat urine on both hard surfaces, carpets, fabric, and leather. If possible, soak the item in a mixture of Sport Wash and water for several hours and then wash as you normally would.

Mix equal parts water and vinegar and spray directly on hardwood floors to remove any left over smells after wiping away urine with a towel.

Another cheap solution is to go to your local Dollar Store and pick up some cleaner there. Most of the time you can find something for removing cat urine in a spray bottle and it will just cost you $1.

Finally, one of the best home remedies for removing cat urine is to make your own cleaner by combing 8 ounces of hydrogen peroxide, 1/2 tablespoon of baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon of liquid dish detergent. Vigorously stir until parts combine and then pour into a spray bottle. Spray area directly but do not apply pressure with any towels or do anything other than spray it with this solution! Allow it to air dry before vacuuming area. This trick is effective at removing the smell out of many carpet stains!

Thanks to Ben at The Portable Closet Guide for giving us these tips on dealing with cat urine smells and how to remove them! If you're looking for a way to create some extra closet space on a budget, be sure to check out his great site on portable closets.

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Posted in: Uncategorized by Betty on November 25, 2011 @ 2:12 am

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