A problem in keeping cats that worries owners is the desire of pets to mark territory, pee in the wrong place out of spite or for other reasons. Often the tailed prankster chooses not a secluded corner under the bathtub or bed, but a sofa, armchair, couch, shelf with clothes in the closet. The question becomes relevant: how to remove the smell of cat urine from the sofa.
How to Remove Fresh Cat Urine Smell
This is the first part of 4 articles about the problem of cat urine odor. Links to 3 other parts are published in the last paragraph. Be sure to read all parts - all tips are different!
Also unpleasant, but not as critical as with a dried puddle. How to step by step remove the smell of cat urine from a sofa without using copious amounts of water? This is very important when cleaning a leather sofa.
Do cats love us? The main cat secret in part 4!
- Remove any remaining moisture with a clean napkin (paper or textile). Apply the napkin to the stain, pressing lightly. Do not overdo it so as not to push the urine even deeper.
- Collect the urine using a blotting motion without rubbing the moisture into the surface.
- Sprinkle baking soda, salt, or cat litter onto the stain. Leave for 30-40 minutes. The powder absorbs remaining moisture and prevents it from being absorbed even deeper.
- Cover the spot to limit the cat's access and avoid recurrence.
- Lather a piece of soap in warm water. Glycerin, which is included in its composition, is capable of breaking down urine even if the tag has had time to dry.
- Collect the foam with a clean sponge and apply to the stain. Don't rub it in. Leave for 20 minutes, then carefully remove with a clean cloth.
- Natural lemon juice dissolves uric acid crystals and refreshes the surface - after treatment, the upholstery will smell like citrus. Squeeze out the juice and strain. Soak a sponge in the juice and apply it to the problem area. Repeat after 20-30 minutes. Instead of lemon juice, use citric acid (1 teaspoon per 100 ml of water), a weak solution of 9% table vinegar or medical alcohol with water.
- At the end of the procedure, sprinkle the stain again with salt, soda or pot filler. The powder will collect remaining moisture and prevent streaks.
- The bulk substance is collected with a vacuum cleaner.
Special means
There are special products that allow you to wash off the stains left after your cat’s urine dries. Which one to choose depends on the upholstery: its color, pattern and type of material.
Similar products are available in veterinary pharmacies or specialized stores:
- "DezoSan" is effective in combating the smell of cat urine.
- Duftapet has the ability to remove organic particles and is an excellent odor remover. The product is applied to furniture upholstery and covered with plastic film.
- Bio-G - the product is not used very economically, but it is effective. During use, an unpleasant odor occurs, which soon disappears.
- OdorGone - odor removal occurs due to the fact that the components of the product adsorb substances that provoke the appearance of odor.
Advice! Before using a special product, be sure to test its effect on an inconspicuous area of the sofa upholstery. Sometimes the composition contains aggressive substances that can irreversibly damage the appearance of the furniture.
Professional urine odor remover
Traditional methods cannot always help in removing the smell of urine, as it quickly spreads and eats into the fabric. In this case, it is better to use professional means.
There is a SmellOff cat urine odor neutralizer that has proven itself well among customers. An important advantage of this product is its composition.
Firstly, it is completely natural, does not contain aggressive substances, and therefore is safe for you and your pets. Secondly, the main active ingredient is enzymes, which not only mask the “aroma” or “interrupt” it with a brighter smell, but completely destroy its smallest molecules, penetrating to the very depths of the product.
Why does the cat smell occur?
It's all about the composition of cat urine. It consists of urea, urochrome and uric acid. After drying, cat urine becomes sticky - this is due to the specific properties of urea. Thanks to uric acid, urine crystallizes very quickly, which prevents it from being cleaned with water later. Well, urochrome is responsible for color.
The main culprit of stench is urea, which crystallizes under the influence of uric acid. As mentioned above, it is quite difficult to wash these crystals. Even if everything looks normal on the outside, the smell will still remain until effective remedies are used.
Old smell of cat urine
How to remove the smell of cat urine from a sofa, an odor that has become part of the room? Most often it happens like this: the nose smells, the eye does not see. An old cat trail will smell constantly and strongly, but how can you spot invisible urine?
Buy a black ultraviolet lamp or Wood's lamp. In the dark, the light from devices causes metabolic products to glow. Cat urine will "glow gently" with a yellowish light. The lamp will help you find traces anywhere. Instead of this expensive equipment, a Blacklight attachment is suitable for determining the fluorescence of composites. With the help of these devices you can save a children's sofa, carpet, wooden furniture, etc.
- Before applying the stain remover, moisten the dry area with water.
- Be sure to test the stain remover in an inconspicuous place so as not to damage the upholstery.
Kitchen cabinet saviors
How to remove the smell of cat urine from a sofa at home using simple household preparations? It’s so convenient to just open the closet. Can you use the money you save to buy your cat a treat?
Laundry soap + medical alcohol
The brown bar, originally from the USSR, contains large amounts of sodium salt, which breaks down the stinky thiol. The reviews on the forums are good.
How to remove the smell of cat urine from a sofa without spending money on dry cleaning and without spoiling the upholstery of your favorite “bed”? Grate laundry soap on a medium grater and pour in warm water until it covers the shavings. When the soap becomes limp, stir it with a fork. Soak a new dish sponge in the solution and scrub away the stain. Leave for 15-20 minutes. After this, moisten the problem areas with alcohol or vodka. Leave for an hour, covered with a plastic bag. Take a clean sponge and scrub the stain with warm water. It is important to thoroughly wash away any remaining soap. Dry the sofa with a hairdryer.
Table vinegar 9%
How can you remove the smell of cat urine from a sofa with vinegar if it itself emits an unpleasant aroma? – Don’t pay any attention to the amber of the vinegar itself, it dissipates quite quickly and is certainly more tolerable than the “aroma” of a cat accident.
Clean traces of cat madness with a solution of 9% table vinegar and water (1:4). Vinegar perfectly kills any odors, I have personally tested this, and in a perfume bottle. The product does not mask, but rather destroys the remnants of an unpleasantly smelling substance, which helps to effectively eliminate stench.
Lemon juice
Fresh lemon juice effectively eats away dirt and deodorizes the surface. Moisten the contaminated area with fresh juice and leave for 40 minutes. Then you need to remove the remaining sticky juice with water.
It is known that cats cannot tolerate citrus smells. So while the aroma of citrus is felt, the cat will not go to this place. Lemon juice is used only on light-colored surfaces, as it can discolor dark ones.
Traditional methods
Home methods for combating unpleasant odors, when used correctly, can be a good alternative to special chemicals. To avoid additional problems, the following recommendations must be followed:
- It is not recommended to wash away stains with plain water. Otherwise, the affected area may increase.
- Stains must not be rubbed over. Otherwise, urine will penetrate into the deeper layers of the tissue, which will make the smell even more persistent.
Dried uric acid crystals are invisible, so identifying the affected area is quite difficult.
In this case, the smell in the room will only intensify over time. Wet filler is a favorable environment for the growth of bacteria and fungi. When re-wetting, microorganisms are activated. Knowing how to wash cat urine from a sofa upholstery can prevent an unpleasant odor from appearing in the room. In addition to washing out stains and eliminating odors, the range of measures includes keeping pets away. This can be done with vodka or iodine. Bleach and ammonia will not help at this stage. Deodorants and fragrances will also not be beneficial.
Recommendations on how to remove the smell of cat urine from a sofa using folk remedies:
Lemon juice with water
To prepare the solution, you will need freshly squeezed juice of one lemon. Dilute the juice with water and pour into a spray bottle. Apply a thin layer of cleaning solution to the soiled sofa. Leave the solution on the fabric for 15 minutes. Afterwards, clean with wet wipes. Lemon juice will give the material a citrus aroma. This method is characterized by environmental friendliness and safety. This product does not cause irritation or allergic reactions.
Chlorine solution
This composition has a specific smell. Bleach has powerful disinfectant properties. Thanks to them, you can quickly eliminate the source of odor, which is bacteria. Before treatment, prepare a bleach solution. Rub it into the stain with a sponge or brush, wait 25-30 minutes. After disinfection, rinse the affected area with clean, cool water. To speed up the drying process, blot the stained area with paper towels.
Ammonia
This product is classified as an alkali. It affects the structure of molecules that cause odor. Ammonium hydroxide solution does not contain alcohol-containing substances. Care should be taken when using it. To prevent damage to the skin and respiratory tract, you must wear a mask and gloves. This substance has a toxic effect if ingested. During the procedure, the following nuances must be taken into account: stains should be treated starting from the edges to the center; increasing the concentration of the active ingredient is strictly prohibited.
The color of the upholstery does not matter; the composition does not have a whitening effect. The ammonium hydroxide solution must be applied to the damaged area using a cotton pad.
Baking soda
Sodium bicarbonate has a gentle effect. It is not recommended for use on upholstery made of wool, silk, cotton, leather and linen. If cleaning is unsuccessful, color or texture may be damaged. Before starting the procedure, the sofa needs to be vacuumed. This way you can prevent the occurrence of dirty stains and unpleasant odors.
The sofa should not be wetted too much. If moisture gets into the filler, mold may appear, which will make the unpleasant odor even stronger. After the initial treatment, a thin layer of baking soda should be poured onto the surface of the upholstery. After a certain time, the soda must be removed using a vacuum cleaner or dry cloth. Drying is carried out using paper towels, cotton cloth, a hair dryer or a fan.
When choosing a cleaning method, you need to consider the type of fabric. Silk, cotton, tapestry and linen do not like water, so cleaning should be dry. Velor, flock, velvet and chenille are strictly prohibited from being subjected to excessive friction. This will negatively affect the quality of the upholstery. Cleaning is carried out using a soft brush; you can also vacuum with a nozzle without bristles.
Potassium permanganate solution
Sodium permanganate is used to clean dark upholstery. To prepare the solution, just dissolve a few crystals in water. It should have a light pink tint. The solution should be applied to the fabric using a diaper or towel. The last stage is drying, and it is best to carry it out in natural conditions. If the unpleasant odor still remains, the procedure can be repeated.
Preventive measures
To prevent your cat from pretending to be a skunk, try to never spray your cat in the wrong place.
- Change the filler more often . I clean each cat litter box 2 times a day (our cats have litter boxes with bars and do without litter). Sometimes and more often if the pot is “mined”.
- Choose a litter that your cat likes. Try mixing a handful of sand into it - the smell of earth attracts the cat irresistibly.
- Castration . Our cat underwent surgery 3 years ago, and now I recommend it to all cat owners. Firstly, the cat does not mark anything, although before this he led a quite active sex life. Secondly, the animal became calmer. No, no, it will meow. But it doesn’t come to concerts. By the way, the “bells” remained, but they were made smaller. A cat simply cannot become a dad. Which is very appropriate (one of our cats is still not sterile). So love the cat turns. But without consequences. Ideally, a kitten is castrated at the age of 6-7 months, before he becomes concerned about gender issues. We were lucky, and castration reined in a fully accomplished man.
- Small pot? Our cat is big and impressive. In order not to test his patience, I purchased a plastic tray the size of one and a half standard cat litter boxes. And to prevent the paws from getting wet, I put a plastic mesh on the bottom for washing.
- When you get home, wipe the soles of your shoes with a solution of chloramine (1-2 tablespoons of powder per liter of water). Cats are more willing to mark things that have a new, unfamiliar scent attached to them. Especially of physiological origin (another cat or dog rubbed up against you, you entered into something “natural”, etc.). The same thing, but with undiluted Formidron.
Reasons for refusing a personal toilet
Cats are clean animals. But suddenly they start shitting in the wrong place. Do not immediately hit or throw your pet out of the house. Trouble arises due to serious problems in the animal. It is worth being more patient to eliminate the reasons for refusing to use the toilet in the right place.
Unsuitable tray or litter
Cats are finicky animals. If the owner constantly moves the tray from place to place, then the pet is more likely to relieve itself in a corner or on the sofa. You need to prepare a place for the tray where no one walks. The cat will not go into an uncomfortable or dirty litter box. It is also not worth changing the filler from the usual one to a new one. If the cat is comfortable and has become accustomed to the smell and structure of the litter, then changing it will cause a negative reaction.
Stress, restless behavior
For a pet, any experience or stress causes a refusal of the usual tray. If there has been a change of owner or a move to a new place of residence, then you should not be surprised that the cat peed on the sofa.
Health problems
A cat will not be able to control the process of going to the toilet if it has symptoms of urolithiasis. This disease is typical for purebred felines. When there is constant urination or, conversely, the pet cannot go to the toilet for a long time, it should be examined by a veterinarian.
The cat is sensitive to smells. If someone goes to the toilet on the sofa, then she will do it too. When small children drag animals by their tails, injury can occur. The consequence is the lack of control over urination.
Tags
Like all animals, domestic cats use the smell of urine to limit their territory. If there are several cats in the house, and one has marked the corners of upholstered furniture, then the others will do the same. One must be patient with such an act. When the smell causes discomfort, you can have your pets neutered at a veterinary clinic.
See also
How to treat and what to wash with to get rid of the smell of feces
So!
- Read the next portion of advice in the second part of this article. Veterinary medications, household chemicals, products for upholstered furniture and carpets. How to clean a sofa without chemicals? Useful tips.
- The third article contains the best tips from the forums. How to clean so as not to damage the furniture. Why and why the cat does not pee in the tray. How to stop an animal from making puddles.
- The final part explains why urine stinks so much and how to solve this problem on your own. What pharmaceutical preparations are suitable for this. How to clean urine that has soaked into the depths of the sofa. How to train your furry pet to use the litter box. Do cats love their owners or not?
If you cannot or do not want to fight the ugliness of a cat, you can only console yourself with the thought that cat marks suppress the reproductive instinct in rodents. Be glad that you will never have mice, or something... But then you don’t have to blame the cat for everything.
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