Cleaning Cat Pee

Finding and cleaning up cat urine can be difficult. The below information is pretty much everything a person will need to know when it comes to dealing with cat urine.

When working with multiple animals and unsure of which is peeing: dye pills can be helpful. The dye will last 24-48 hours (ish) in a cat’s system and their urine should be easy to see with UV lights.

Fluorescein dye pills can be prescribed by vets (usually 50 mg / cat) to help with identification. Alternatively, opthalmic strips can be impregnated with Fluorescein and fold six 9mg strips into a pill capsule.

Warning

Fluorescein dye pills can stain light fabrics and materials. Test in hidden spots before administering to an animal.

UV lights can be used to find urine spots. The below table has general info on how to find cat urine using UV light.

Warning

Fresh (wet) cat urine may not fluoresce under UV light

Some things to keep in mind when using UV light:

This information applies to cleaning in general.

• If the stain’s fresh, grab some paper towels or a clean rag and press down hard to soak up the liquid. Don’t rub, you’ll just spread the mess.
• Work from the outside in. That way, you keep the stain from creeping into clean fabric.
• If you’re dealing with dried stains, you’ll need to loosen things up. Mix equal parts cold water and white vinegar in a spray bottle and hit the area.
• Let it sit for a couple minutes, then blot again. You might need to treat each layer if the stain soaked through.

• Always use cold water to rinse out cat urine. Hot water will just make the smell worse.
• Put the stained part under running cold water, letting it flow from the back side. That helps push the urine out instead of deeper in.
• Blot, don’t rub, with a clean cloth or paper towel. Swap out for fresh ones when they get wet.
• Keep rinsing and blotting until the water runs clear. It usually takes a few minutes.
• Give it a quick sniff while it’s still damp. If you pick up any odor, rinse again. You want it smelling neutral before moving on.

Three basics from your pantry or medicine cabinet can wipe out cat urine odor: baking soda, white vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide. Baking soda absorbs, vinegar neutralizes ammonia, and peroxide breaks down uric acid crystals.

How to use these items is included in the below sections.

• Blot the area to remove excess pee
• Apply the cleaning solution per the manufacturer’s directions

Baking soda’s great for soaking up moisture and neutralizing odors. It draws out the liquid and gets rid of the smell naturally.

• Blot up as much urine as you can
• Sprinkle baking soda all over the wet spot
• Let it sit for 15–20 minutes
• Brush off the powder
• Wash in cold water

• Mix a cup of baking soda with a cup of warm water
• Soak the area for half an hour
• Gently scrub with an old toothbrush
• Rinse with cold water, then wash
• When the powder clumps up, it’s doing its job: pulling those odor compounds out.

• Vinegar’s acid breaks down those lingering uric acid crystals.
• White vinegar’s acetic acid goes after the ammonia in cat pee. The reaction kills that sharp smell.
• Mix equal parts white vinegar and water. Pour it right onto the stain.
• Let it sit for 10–15 minutes. The vinegar smell fades as it dries, and the pee odor goes with it.
• Rinse with cold water, then wash as usual.

A few things to remember

• Stick to clear vinegar, not the colored kind
• Use 5% acidity vinegar
  • More acidic will more easily damage fabrics
  • Less acidic will not work
• Test on a hidden spot first if you’re nervous
• Don’t mix vinegar and bleach (seriously, just don’t)

• This method works best on fresh stains, but it can help with older ones too.
• Hydrogen peroxide oxidizes uric acid crystals, busting up the stuff that makes cat pee so persistent.
• Grab some 3% hydrogen peroxide and mix it half-and-half with water in a spray bottle.
• Spray it on the stain. If you see bubbles, that means it’s working.
• Let it sit for 5–10 minutes, then rinse with cold water. The bubbling helps lift stains and odors.

Warning

• Test on a hidden spot first
• It might lighten dark fabrics
• Skip it on delicate stuff
• Rinse well afterward

Cold water keeps cat urine from setting into fabric. You’ll want the right machine settings and cycles to break down odors. Air drying is usually better than heat drying; heat can lock in smells you thought you’d banished.

The below sections walk through the specifics.

• Fill a sink or big bowl with cold water. For every two cups of water, toss in a cup of white vinegar.
• Submerge the soiled clothes, making sure they’re completely covered.
• Let them soak for at least 30 minutes. If the stain’s old, leave them for a couple hours.
• Vinegar goes after the uric acid; the main reason cat pee smells so strong and won’t budge with regular detergent.
• Give the fabric a gentle squeeze every 10 minutes or so. That helps the vinegar solution get deep into the fibers.
• When you’re done, lift the clothes out. Don’t wring them out too hard, or you might damage the fabric.

• Set your washer to use cold water. Hot water will just make the urine smell stick around forever.
• Add your usual laundry detergent; don’t overdo it, just use the amount on the label.
• Pour a cup of white vinegar into the fabric softener compartment. If your machine doesn’t have one, add it during the rinse.
• Add an enzyme booster (see the Cleaning Kit & Supplies section below) to help with pee removal. This is optional but strongly recommended.
• Pick the longest wash cycle your machine offers. More time means more odor-fighting action.
• Skip standard fabric softener. It can trap smells in the fibers.

• Air drying is your best bet for clothes you’ve treated for cat urine. Dryer heat can seal in any leftover smells.
• Hang clothes outside if you can. Sunlight is a natural bacteria killer and helps break down lingering compounds.
• If you’re drying inside, pick a breezy, well-ventilated spot. Use a rack and keep it away from heaters.
• Give clothes a good sniff when they’re dry. Check all over; sometimes the smell hides.
• If you catch even a hint of pee, wash again. Don’t risk the dryer until you’re sure the odor’s gone.
• If you do use the dryer, go for the lowest heat, and only after you’re positive the smell is history.

If the ‘smell test’ in the above still yields a pee smell, a second wash may be needed.

• Add the same standard detergent and enzyme booster amounts as the first wash to the washing machine, add two cups of white vinegar straight into the drum and then run another wash cycle.
• If your fabric can handle it, use hot water. The heat can help break down any uric acid crystals that survived round one.
• Still skip standard fabric softener. It’s just going to trap whatever’s left in the fibers.
• For a little extra oomph, throw in a cup of baking soda along with the vinegar. The fizz helps lift odors out.
• After this wash, check the clothes while they’re still damp. Give them a sniff test. If you still smell anything, wash again before you even think about drying.

• Hang your clothes outside in direct sun after washing. UV rays are great at killing odor-causing bacteria that your washer might miss.
• Fresh air helps carry away any lingering smells. Even a gentle breeze does wonders.
• Leave them out for at least 4–6 hours, and flip them inside out halfway through so both sides get sun.

Note: The Fabrics section has additional information to keep in mind.

‘Bedding’ is a pretty open-ended and can include a number of components, each of which need to be cleaned a different way. The below lays out how to clean different bedding components.

• Bedding such as sheets, blankets and pillows should be cleaned the same as laundry
• Mattresses should be cleaned the same as upholstery and carpet
• Bed frames and other bedding components should be cleaned the same as walls and wood

Note: The Fabrics section has additional information to keep in mind.

The standard methods in the Fabrics section should work well with upholstery and carpet, particularly the Cleaning Solution Method. However, if the pee is stubborn and won’t come out, a deep cleaner may be necessary to remove the pee.

See the below Cleaning Kit & Supplies section for deep cleaner hardware options that work well with upholstery. Follow the manufacturer instructions for cleaning when using a deep cleaner.

The best way to clean walls and wood is to use a cleaning solution that contains enzymes, such as Resolve Urine Destroyer.

If the cat pee had a chance to soak into paint, drywall, wood, etc; it may not come out of the surface fully. Cat pee has a habit of seeping into wood, paint and drywall to the point it becomes impossible to get out.

If this happens, clean the best you can and let some of the cleaning solution soak on the surface until dry. This will help neutralize as much of the pee as possible and should prevent cats from peeing on the spot again.

Note

The stained area will always fluoresce under UV light so it can be difficult to know if a cat peed in the spot again. Smelling the surface is probably the best way to tell if a cat peed on a stained area after it has been cleaned.

The items within this section have been tested and are known to work very well.

• Main Product Page
• Amazon Product Page
• Good, basic UV light
• UV @ 395nm
• 3x AAA batteries for power
• Will not fluoresce fresh urine
• Has difficulty in non dark environments
• Any level of light above ‘night light’ should be considered ‘not dark’
• Pocket sized
• Not heavy
• Can be considered ‘under powered’
• If ‘under powered’ for needs; other, more powerful options are available

• CU6 Flashlight - Main Product Page
• NC1840HP Battery - Main Product Page
• High output UV flashlight
• UV specs: 365nm @ 1500mW
• Has multiple modes, including non-UV output
• White LED specs: 440 lumen
• Non-UV output is less than ‘typical’, the design seems to be focused on UV output
• Durable, has some good accessories, etc.
• Uses 1x 18650 or 2x CR123A
• IPX-8 rated (2 meter submersible)
• 1.5m impact (drop) rating

Note

Bissel sells a great cleaning solution that works well with cat pee. The specific solution and additional details are in the Cleaning Solutions section below.

• Main Product Page
• Amazon Product Page
• smaller model when compared to model 3909
• consider this model ‘light to medium duty’
• other, larger and more powerful models exist
• works great on carpet when paired with Bissell PET PRO OXY Spot & Stain Urine Eliminator Formula (2034)
• if dealing with a habitual pee’er; this is a good piece of hardware to have on hand
• if dealing with stubborn pee spots on fabrics, upholstery, etc; this is a good piece of hardware to have on hand

• Main Product Page
• Amazon Product Page
• bigger model when compared to model 3860
• good for ‘bigger settings’
• other, larger and more powerful models exist
• good when regularly having to clean large areas
• consider this model ‘medium to heavy duty’

• Only use white vinegar, others won’t work as well and may stain
• Be sure it’s 5% acidity, other acidity levels may not work or may cause damage
• Any brand should work
• Four Monks brand is used by the author

• Main Product Page
• Amazon Product Page
• Works well
• Can be combined with standard detergents
• Can be combined with vinegar
• Place powder in drum or dusted on top of laundry (for side load washers) for best results

• Main Product Page
• Amazon Product Page
• Works well overall
• Blotting is best method for cleanup
• Can let sit and ‘air dry’ for good results
• Does not penetrate deep into some materials:
  • Wood
  • Plastic
• May leave residual smell / not fully remove smell
• Use baking soda to absorb residual smells.

• Main Product Page
• Amazon Product Page
• Works well overall
• Better options exist for dealing with urine
  • The author prefers Resolve Urine Destroyer

• Main Product Page
• Amazon Product Page
• For use with portable Bissel deep cleaners
• Works well on urine spots
• Works well on non-urine stains

• Main Product Page
• Amazon Product Page
• Can eliminate many pet odors
• Works in litter boxes when mixed into the litter
• Can be dusted over areas that were spot cleaned with liquid to help absorb residual smell.

• Amazon Product Page
• Works reasonably
• There can be a mild ‘smell’ that’s ‘not offensive’ given off

The products within this section are well rated but untested.

• Nature’s Miracle Laundry Boost
• BIZ Powder
• Activewear Laundry Detergent

The following products were tried and did not work and/or weren’t as good as other options.

• Generic odor eliminator
• Rocco & Roxie Litter Box Odor Eliminator
• Rocco & Roxie Stain & Odor Eliminator

The above information was pulled together from a variety of sources and experiences. The source material used is below.

• How to Use Fluorescein Stain When Cats Urinate Outside the Litter Box
• Dye Pills To Identify Cat Urine
• How Uv Light Helps Detect Cat Urine
• How to Remove Cat Pee Smell From Clothes & Bedding
• How to Get Cat Pee Out of Clothes and Its Smell Too
• How To Wash Cat Pee Smell Out of Clothes Using Household Items: A Practical Guide