Cats have very strong, concentrated urine that can make certain areas of your household such as flooring, furniture, and linen smell bad, even after cleaning. After a while, bacteria in the urine decomposed and gives off an ammoniacal odor characteristic of stale old urine. This smell is quite potent and difficult to remove.
We have compiled a list of the best home remedies and other solutions to remove old cat urine odors from clothes, flooring, furniture, carpets, and walls with solutions that are simple to create at home. Not only can the ingredients for many of these odor-neutralizing solutions be found in your home, but they are guaranteed to work!
How to Get Rid of Old Cat Urine Odor:
1. Enzyme Cleaning Sprays
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2. White Vinegar and Water Cleanser
| Ingredients: | Vinegar and water |
| Saturation time: | 30 minutes |
| Target cleaning area: | Carpet and upholstered furniture |
Make a solution with 50% white vinegar and 50% water in a spray bottle. The acidity of the vinegar will neutralize the ammonia in cat urine. Saturate all the areas that smell of old cat urine with this solution and let it sit for 30 minutes to fully neutralize the odors. After you have let the solution sit in the solution, soak up the excess moisture with a paper towel. If any trace of the old cat urine remains, respray the area and let it air dry overnight.
3. Baking Soda Rinse
| Ingredients: | Bicarbonate of soda |
| Saturation time: | Overnight |
| Target cleaning area: | Carpet, furniture, clothes |
Sprinkle a scoop of baking soda over the affected area or add a heaped scoop of baking soda to any linen and clothing that you’re washing that has an old cat urine smell. For stubborn, old cat urine smells, you can mist water over the baking soda to allow it to soak up the odor on furniture and carpets. Sodium bicarbonate (the main component of baking soda) is excellent at neutralizing and absorbing potent cat urine odors.
4. Apple Cider Vinegar and Baking Soda Wash
| Ingredients: | Apple cider vinegar and baking soda |
| Saturation time: | 30-minute cold wash or on affected areas for 15 minutes |
| Target cleaning area: | Linen, clothing, carpets, flooring, walls, furniture |
Apple cider vinegar is great at removing odors of cat urine from linen and clothes once it has been added to the washing machine with an enzyme-based detergent. Apple cider vinegar is a gentle form of cleaner that can be found in the baking section of most grocery stores. It does not leave a potent vinegar smell as white vinegar does, and it can be combined with baking soda to effectively neutralize stubborn old cat urine odors. You can also spray a solution of baking soda, apple cider vinegar, and water over affected areas. It is gentle enough to be used on walls and furniture without bleaching fabric or damaging paint.
5. Hydrogen Peroxide and Water
| Ingredients: | Hydrogen peroxide and water |
| Saturation time: | 20 minutes |
| Target cleaning area: | Floors, furniture, clothing, linen |
Hydrogen peroxide and water work to eliminate cat urine odor on hardwood flooring, furniture without delicate fabrics, linen, and clothing. If you choose to use this solution on hardwood flooring, a concentration of 5% hydrogen peroxide to a cup of water can be sprayed on the flooring and left to saturate for 20 minutes. A less concentrated amount of hydrogen peroxide and water should be used on furniture, linen, and clothing to prevent damage to the fabrics. You can also add one teaspoon of baking soda to the solution to make it more effective.
6. Mouthwash and Water
| Ingredients: | Alcohol-based mouthwash and water |
| Saturation time: | 1–2 hours |
| Target cleaning area: | Furniture, flooring, carpets, walls |
Any alcohol-based mouthwash will work for this method. Use a discarded spray bottle and add two parts of water combined with one part mouthwash (such as Listerine), apply a few spritzes to the affected area, and let it sit for an hour or two maximum. Not only will this method remove stubborn old cat urine odors, but it also leaves a refreshing smell. You can also combine the solution with two teaspoons of baking soda to thoroughly remove any odors.
- See Also:Â How to Get Cat Urine Out of Leather Boots
Conclusion
When we think about cleaning old cat urine, we may initially reach for bleach and ammonia products. However, these are not the types of cleaning agents you should be using when ridding your home of old cat urine odors.
Instead of using ammonia-based cleaning agents that will provoke the opposite of removing cat urine smell and instead entice your cat to urinate in the area again, you’ll want to use enzyme-based cleaners (homemade or store-bought) for the removal of old cat urine odors. These solutions are easy to make and can be stored and used again if you find that the odor has returned.
Related Reads:
- How to Find Hidden Cat Pee and Get Rid of the Smell (Step-By-Step Guide)
- Why Does My Cat Pee On My Clothes?
Featured Image Credit: Yongyut Hemsa, Shutterstock
