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\nIt\u2019s an eye-watering smell that\u2019s instantly recognizable \u2014 cat pee. Litter typically does a great job at deodorizing cat pee, so when you smell it in your house, you know something\u2019s not right. And so the hunt for the source of the stench begins. Behind the couch? The laundry basket? Under the bed \u2014 or worse, on<\/em> the bed?<\/p>\n In situations like this, it\u2019s good to be prepared and have the supplies you need to remove cat urine odor and stains as quickly as possible. The sooner you clean cat urine up, the easier it is to eliminate that lingering cat pee odor. To help you know what to do when a urine cat-astrophe inevitably happens, we\u2019ve got some cat pee cleaning tips and some advice on how to prevent urinary accidents<\/a> in the first place. So bookmark this page for future reference!<\/p>\n Although cat pee has a very strong and distinctive smell, normal cat urine is actually about 95 percent water. The tell-tale acidic smell of cat pee comes from urea, uric acid, creatinine and ammonia, which are the natural waste products of broken-down protein in the urine. If you notice a strong ammonia smell coming from the litter box, that\u2019s caused by urea in the pee being broken down into ammonia by bacteria in the environment. If you smell ammonia coming from the litter box, that\u2019s a good sign that the litter needs your attention.<\/p>\n Cat urine generally smells worse than dog urine because it\u2019s more concentrated and it contains felinine. Found only in the urine of domestic cats and their close relatives (e.g., bobcats and lynx), felinine is a sulfur-containing amino acid that is actually odorless. But it breaks down into highly volatile and stinky compounds. Unneutered male cats (tom cats) typically have smellier urine due to testosterone and higher amounts of felinine in their pee.<\/p>\n If your cat has had an \u201caccident,\u201d don\u2019t wait to clean it. Dried urine stains are harder to remove and the smell will become stronger the longer the cat urine is left there. As well as removing the smell so you can breathe fresh air again, quickly removing the urine stain and odor helps ensure your cat doesn\u2019t use the same spot again next time. If they (or another cat in your home) can smell cat urine, they\u2019ll likely keep using it as their new place to pee.<\/p>\n We\u2019re going to go over a few \u201cdon\u2019ts\u201d first. Don\u2019t scrub or rub the urine \u2014 you\u2019ll just make it soak in even further. Don\u2019t use a steam cleaner by itself because the heat can make the cat urine stains and smells even worse. Don\u2019t use any ammonia-based products because your cat may be attracted by the ammonia smell and pee in the same area again. Don\u2019t punish your cat. There is typically a reason a cat pees outside their box, and you need to work out what that is (more on that later).<\/p>\n The Ohio State University Indoor Pet Initiative has some useful tips on cleaning urine<\/a> off different surfaces. The supplies you should keep on hand include white vinegar, paper towels, club soda and possibly an enzyme cleaner. Here is a summary of their cat urine cleaning tips plus recommendations from the Sleep Foundation on removing cat urine from a mattress.<\/p>\n Machine wash your laundry using a cup of white vinegar and no detergent. Once the cycle is done, repeat the wash using regular detergent.<\/p>\n Use a towel or paper towels to blot up as much of the urine as you can. Cover the area with paper towels or a towel and stand on them \u2014 do this several times. Saturate the area with carpet cleaner or a few drops of dish detergent mixed with water and let it sit for an hour or two. Rinse the spot by gently blotting and using a wet sponge with water to rinse again. Soak the area with club soda for 10 minutes then blot up the club soda and put a pile of paper towels on the spot again with something heavy on top overnight. The next morning, spray the area with an enzyme cleaner. If your cat continues to use the area, you may need to replace the padding underneath the carpet.<\/p>\n For linoleum, use paper towels or a mop soaked in soapy water to wipe up the pee. Rinse the area with warm water and then wipe with a sponge moistened with white vinegar and let the floor air dry. For hardwood floors, blot the urine then use an enzyme cleaner. If the smell remains, you may need to sand, bleach and refinish the hardwood floor.<\/p>\nWhy Does Cat Pee Stink So Bad?<\/h2>\n
Even More Reasons for That Cat Urine Smell<\/h2>\n
If You Smell It, Clean It<\/h2>\n
What Not to Do to Get Rid of Cat Urine Odor and Stains<\/h2>\n
How to Clean Up Cat Urine<\/h2>\n
How to Get the Cat Pee Smell Out of Clothes<\/h3>\n
How to Get the Cat Pee Smell Out of Carpet<\/h3>\n
How to Clean Cat Pee Off Linoleum or Hardwood<\/h3>\n
How to Get Cat Pee Smell Out of a Mattress<\/h3>\n