How to get rid of the smell of cat urine on carpet at home?

Cleanliness and freshness in the house is the key to the health and mental balance of the owners. Unfortunately, absolutely all carpets tend to absorb moisture and retain various odors. Every parent or pet owner has experienced the appearance of a “puddle” on the carpet at least once in their life. This is especially problematic when it comes to cats. After all, if a cat once went to the toilet in the wrong place, then, most likely, this place will become his favorite in the future. This article will collect all the effective ways to get rid of the pungent smell of cat urine or child urine on the carpet at home.

In order to remove the smell of cat urine from the carpet, you can use professional enzyme-based products or folk remedies.

Features of eliminating urine odor from carpet depending on the “freshness” of the stains.

Dealing with urine on carpeting is not an easy task, but it is quite doable. The older the stain, the more effort it will take to completely get rid of the smell of urine on the carpet. Therefore, it is necessary to act immediately, without delaying “for later.”

Funny little animals bring a lot of joy to their owners, but there are also disappointments.

If the puddle is still fresh, then the initial task is to collect as much moisture as possible from the carpet. To do this, you need to cover the surface of the stain with paper napkins and, using palm pressure, absorb the urine into them. And thus change wet wipes for dry ones until they stop collecting moisture. Then you can start cleaning (methods are given below).

Even the most cultured animals can sometimes leave their mark or puddle on the carpet.

If the stain was noticed to be already dry, then the main goal is to remove urine from the carpet. To do this, you need to wet it again. You need to pour a glass of water onto the stain, wait for it to be absorbed, and follow the procedure described above to absorb the moisture with napkins. Repeat this at least 3 times (the more the better) depending on the size of the initial stain, and only after that start cleaning.

What to do if nothing helps?

If all of the above steps do not help remove the smell of cat urine, then your last chance is to go to the dry cleaner.

Tips for choosing and working with it are below:

Dry cleaners currently offer two cleaning options - dry and wet cleaning. The first one does not remove odors, so if the carpet allows it, it is better to choose aqua-cleaning.
The leading brands in the field of modern cleaning are Italian and German companies. Therefore, it is worth clarifying what equipment and what chemistry the selected service uses.
If the carpet is very large and difficult to transport, you can invite dry cleaning representatives to your home, having previously specified what exactly you need to clean and that the main element of the fight should be the smell.
In this case, you should remember that after cleaning at home, the item remains wet for another 2-4 hours, so it will be difficult to use the carpet - you will need to give it time to dry.
If a dry cleaner asks you to sign a document that contains a waiver of claims, then you should think about choosing a service company for a friend.

What not to do

Basic rules of what not to do when cleaning carpets.

These marks have a persistent, pungent odor and spoil the appearance of floor coverings.

Pour hot water. Heat treatment is not suitable for all carpets and can lead to deformation of the product.
Rub the stain vigorously. Friction can ruin the texture of the material.
Remove the stain using chemicals without first checking the reaction on a separate piece of carpet. May cause discoloration.
Treat the stain with bleach or bleach.
Dry with a hair dryer or iron.
Use colored napkins or cloth to remove moisture.

How to wash a carpet yourself

To finally finish off the cat odor, it is advisable to wash the carpet. You can do this yourself using available tools.

Laundry soap solution. Tip: You need to rinse the soap itself thoroughly, otherwise the grease will collect dirt.
"Vanish." I wash my cat potties with this gel. The smell disappears completely. So the forecasts for the bucket are very rosy!
Pour vodka over the stain. Let it dry. Then treat with Mr. Muscle floor cleaner. The method is good for rugs and carpets that cannot be pulled out from under the furniture.

Washing the carpet in an apartment is not easy, but the results are worth it.

Rubbing alcohol is useful for disinfection

Review of Home Recipes and Methods

At the moment, there are a large number of ways to properly clean a carpet from cat urine at home. Therefore, if a stain is found, do not panic and run to the dry cleaner! Simple but very effective folk recipes will help you quickly wash away even the most stubborn stains.

Most enzyme-based products do not work immediately, and it may take several days for the odor to go away.

By the way, these methods can remove the smell of both cat and child urine from the carpet. After all, kids, getting used to the potty, can sometimes pee in the wrong place.

So, you can clean your carpet from urine using:

hydrogen peroxide, soda and vinegar;
laundry soap;
lemon or citric acid;
hydrogen peroxide and ammonia;
potassium permanganate and iodine;
soda and hydrogen peroxide;
glycerin;
a mixture of ammonia and vodka;
soda and liquid soap;
vinegar and salt;
specialized chemistry.

If you don’t want to spend money on professional chemicals, you can use one of the folk remedies.

All these methods and rules of application will be described in this article.

Attention! All actions must be carried out with gloves so as not to damage the skin of the hands and prevent bacteria from entering the blood. Before you start cleaning, you need to remove the urine from the carpet as thoroughly as possible with dry wipes (as described above in the second section)

Vinegar, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide

Cat urine contains ammonia, which is why it has such a pungent and pungent odor. The urine of a child eating “from the common table” also has a characteristic odor that is not easy to get rid of.

The sooner you find the stain and do something about it, the higher the chance of getting rid of the annoying smell.

Vinegar is an essential ingredient that will help restore your carpet to its original freshness without much hassle. And in combination with soda and peroxide it will not leave any chance for contamination.

Step-by-step instruction

Mix vinegar with water 1:3 respectively.
Pour the mixture onto the stain, cover with a paper towel and leave for 10-15 minutes for the chemical reaction to process.
Blot excess moisture with a napkin.
Cover the stain with a small layer of baking soda.
Mix hydrogen peroxide and water in equal parts.
Spray the solution onto the baking soda and leave until completely dry.
Vacuum up any remaining baking soda.

Laundry soap

Laundry soap is known to everyone as a very effective remedy in the fight against various types of dirt and unpleasant odors. At a time when there was not such an abundance of powders and stain removers, laundry soap came to the aid of housewives. It contains glycerin, which breaks down uric acid into crystals, which means it can easily rid your home of a piercing odor.

It is very good at dealing with the pungent odor of urine, since the glycerin contained in soap serves as a good solvent for uric acid.

Application

The stain must first be moistened with water.
Apply soap liberally to the soft surface of the sponge and lather.
Apply the foam in a thick layer to the carpet and rub the foam into the pile using gentle movements from the edge to the center.
Leave to interact for 15-20 minutes.
Using a clean, damp cloth, carefully remove any remaining soap from the carpet.
Blot with paper towels until dry.

The wet stain is smeared with a mixture of laundry soap diluted in water, and after a while the area is thoroughly washed.

It is recommended to repeat the procedure one more time if necessary.

Lemon or citric acid

If a cat peed on the carpet, lemon juice will help clean it and remove the unpleasant odor. It can also be replaced with a ten percent citric acid solution.

To treat the carpet we need the juice of one lemon diluted in a glass of water.

First, you need to blot the stain with toilet paper or napkins to remove as much urine as possible from the pile. Squeeze lemon juice and pour it evenly over the puddle area. Remove moisture with napkins and repeat the procedure again, then leave to dry. Then you can sprinkle the area with baking soda and vacuum it after 20-30 minutes.

Citric acid neutralizes aromatic substances in urine.

Lemon removes stench and gives the carpet a pleasant citrus aroma.

Hydrogen peroxide, ammonia

To implement this method, you need to mix 15-20 ml of hydrogen peroxide with two tablespoons of any liquid detergent or powder. Add two teaspoons of soda to this solution and mix. Apply the resulting mixture to the stain and rub in with a soft brush. After 20-30 minutes, spray the surface of the damaged area with ammonia from a spray bottle.

Leave until dry, then remove the remaining soda with a vacuum cleaner.

Potassium permanganate and iodine

How to get rid of the smell of baby or cat urine on the carpet using manganese and iodine? This method is only suitable for carpets with dark colors.

You need to stir until the crystals are completely dissolved in the water.

To obtain this solution, mix 1 liter of water, 15-20 drops of iodine and a little potassium permanganate on the tip of a knife.

It is necessary to clean the carpet in several stages: apply liquid to the stain, rub in with a brush or sponge, and remove moisture with napkins. Repeat several times, then leave the stain until completely dry.

Baking soda and hydrogen peroxide

Another effective remedy is a mixture based on soda and hydrogen peroxide. It reacts chemically with uric acid and breaks it down, releasing it through the formation of gases.

After a couple of hours, you can remove the remaining product from the carpet.

To prepare the mixture you will need:

table soda - 2 tbsp. spoons;
hydrogen peroxide - 15-20 ml;
dishwashing liquid - 2 tablespoons.

Mix all ingredients, apply to the damaged area and leave until completely dry. Then rinse with warm water, blot off excess moisture with napkins and leave to dry again.

Glycerol

Any soap or detergent based on glycerin will help you win the fight for cleanliness and freshness in your home.

Glycerin serves as a good solvent for uric acid.

You just need to apply soap foam with a sponge or brush to the dirty area and clean the stain with gentle movements. Leave for 10-15 minutes, then remove the foam with a clean wet sponge. Collect remaining moisture with paper.

A mixture of ammonia and vodka

This product works well even on old stains. True, after this you will need to thoroughly ventilate the room, since a mixture of vodka and ammonia does not have the most pleasant aromas.

Wipe the stained area with a cloth soaked in vodka or alcohol and leave to dry.

To treat the surface, mix vodka and ammonia in proportions of 2:1, respectively. Pour this liquid over the stain and leave to react for half an hour. After this, make a soap solution from warm water and any detergent. Wipe the carpet surface with a sponge and blot it with dry wipes to remove excess liquid.

If the surface is heavily soiled, you can sprinkle baking soda on the surface; it will help remove remaining odors.

After complete drying, vacuum the carpet.

Soda and liquid soap

First you need to remove urine from the carpet using napkins. Sprinkle soda on top of the stain and leave it for 15-20 minutes. Then liquid soap containing glycerin is poured onto the sponge and foamed. Clean the carpet with foam and leave again for 15-20 minutes. After this, you need to wash it off with a clean, damp sponge and blot with paper towels.

The trace of urine is smeared with soda, after drying, cleaned with a brush and removed with a vacuum cleaner or broom.

Vinegar and salt

To thoroughly clean the carpet from urine, step-by-step application of vinegar and salt is also used. First, you need to dilute vinegar with water in proportions of 3 to 1, then distribute this liquid over the entire surface of the former puddle, cover with a napkin and leave to act for 15-20 minutes. After this, blot the stain with paper towels or toilet paper and sprinkle with salt.

Once completely dry, vacuum the area and, if necessary, wipe the area with a solution of vinegar and water.

Specialty Chemistry

In order to remove the old smell of urine from the carpet, you should use specialized chemicals.

To solve the problem radically, purchase products from specialized stores.

Important! It is not recommended to purchase chlorine-based products!

When urine reacts with chlorine, the result is a bomb mixture that emits a more terrible and pungent odor, which is even more difficult to get rid of. In addition, the fumes of this chemical element are not safe for health.

Products that contain enzymes or enzymes are best suited.

Therefore, it is better not to experiment here, but to buy special solutions designed to eliminate urinary bacteria and combat unpleasant odors. Such products are sold in livestock stores or chemical products departments.

The price category is suitable for any wallet, but as practice has shown, this does not change the effectiveness.

Here is a list of effective chemicals.

Urine Off.
Odor eliminator "Zoosan".
Odorgone Animal Gold.
"DezoSan".
Neutralizer spray Fresh.

Why is it so difficult to remove an unpleasant odor?

Cat urine consists of three main components: urea, urochrome and uric acid, which gives a persistent, powerful, unpleasant ammonia odor.

The first two components are usually quite easily removed even with plain water, not to mention all kinds of cleaning agents, but the last component is the most difficult to remove.

After all, even when the carpet looks clean outwardly, the acid crystals still remain on it, creating an unpleasant odor , and if water also gets on them, the smell becomes simply unbearable.

So, since the main fight is waged against ammonia acid, under no circumstances should you use products containing it! Otherwise, the smell will only intensify and not go away.

If you plan to clean the carpet with chemical cleaning agents, then you must read their composition and exclude those that contain ammonia.

Preventive actions

It is important to understand that cats are ambitious animals and if they go to the toilet in the wrong place, then you should clean their litter boxes more often.

If the animal has already peed on the carpet, then without taking any measures, the owners risk getting a puddle again in the same place. Therefore, you should remove urine and deal with unpleasant odors immediately! In addition, removing the smell of already dried cat urine from the carpet is much more difficult than fresh.

Cats love cleanliness, so change the litter often and don’t forget to wash the litter box.

For prevention, you can wet clean the carpet once every two weeks with lemon juice added to the water. Cats don't like this smell, so they won't pee on the rug.

You can also buy animal repellent at a specialty store. Of course, this won’t make your pet afraid of the carpet, but it won’t want to make a toilet out of it either.

Your cat may simply not like the location of his toilet; there is too much foot traffic or noise from household appliances.

Cleaning service

When you don’t have the energy and time to properly clean a foul-smelling carpet or carpet yourself, you can use the services of special cleaning companies. Representatives of these services come to your home and carry out cleaning using highly effective professional products, methods and equipment. At the request of the owner, they can take the product to a specialized dry cleaner.

Cleaning company employees will visit your home if necessary.

A good friend of mine’s cat, in her old age, began to shit everywhere. The housewife is already tired of constantly washing all the bedside table rugs and rugs. She periodically washed large carpets and rugs with Vanish, and in the summer she took them to the dacha and washed them there with some kind of super powder. But the corrosive cat odor was never completely removed, and therefore the harmful animal returned to the scene of the crime and repeated its deed. Several times a friend called a cleaning service worker who cleaned everything on the spot. In the end, I had to take all the carpet products to a dry cleaner, but their appearance after a long wash suffered a little and became a little “crooked.”

First steps to neutralize odor

In the fight to keep the carpet clean, the speed of the owner’s reaction to an incident is of great importance. So, if a cat was caught committing a “crime”, you should not rush to reprimand the animal, but save the carpet:

The puddle needs to be blotted, collecting as much moisture as possible - it is important that the urine does not spread. The easiest way to do this is with large quantities of paper napkins. You can also use a rag, but you can’t overdo it - you shouldn’t rub the carpet too much, soaking movements will be enough.
In place of the pee, it is necessary to pour an absorbent into which the remaining urine will be absorbed. The simplest example, which can be found in every home, is soda or salt.
In the place where there was a puddle on the carpet, you need to pour an absorbent, which is perfect for baking soda
After a couple of hours, the absorbent needs to be collected with a vacuum cleaner, and the carpet itself must be treated with water and detergent and one of the methods of oxidative neutralization of uric acid must be used, which will be described below.

It is not recommended to immediately wash the puddle with a regular soap solution - this will only spread the urine components over a larger surface and complicate further fight against the odor. A timely reaction will significantly simplify the process in the future, and, most likely, the problem of an unpleasant “smell” in this place will no longer arise.

Professional products

In pet stores, the range of products for cleaning cat litter and getting rid of pet marks on various surfaces varies in level of protection and pricing policy. Below are the top popular products that have been tested over time and have earned many positive reviews from consumers.

OdorGone

It is a widely used neutralizer - it will remove odors from carpets and upholstered furniture. This product is also intended for washing cat litter, for cleaning a pet’s bedding and for washing things that smell of the “aroma” of a pet.

OdorGone does not mask odors, but acts through local destruction of bacteria. The neutralizer is non-toxic and is used in homes with children and allergy sufferers. The product contains a complex of natural essential oils.

Zoosan

This drug affects not only odors, but also stains, including old ones. Area of application: houses with several (from three or more) animals, livestock farms, dog and cat kennels (clubs, veterinary clinics). Zoosan does not contain chlorine and phosphates, which is important if the product is planned to be used in the presence of children and asthma patients.

Dezosan

Treating carpet surfaces with Dezosan is made easier by the ability to pour the liquid solution into the container of a washing vacuum cleaner. Contact cleaning for small areas of carpet is also possible.

The composition of dezosan is non-toxic; working with the product is allowed in small rooms with poor ventilation.

Manufacturers guarantee the destruction of odors of any strength by decomposing uric acid at the molecular level.

Urine-off Cat & Kitten

The product differs from a line of similar products in that it works at the level of pheromone suppression - that is, it discourages pets from marking treated surfaces. As a preventive measure or to eliminate traces of urine, it is enough to treat the carpet once with Urine-off Cat & Kitten, and the problem will be forgotten. From time to time it is recommended to carry out cleaning with this drug to remove associated odors that are always present in a house where there are animals.

The product contains no phosphates or chlorine.

Odor kill

A remedy for English lovers of cats and cleanliness, it fights all negative odors in general. At the same time, it leaves behind a delicious vanilla aroma. Odor kill is a concentrate that requires dilution with water. It is better to apply it using a spray bottle, spreading it over any surface with a soft sponge.

The product does not need to be washed off, it is harmless and does not contain allergens.

For shoes:

It is extremely difficult to remove the smell from these products. While high-quality sneakers or fabric slippers can still be washed 2-3 times, it is almost impossible to treat leather shoes - upon contact with feet, they will still “bestow” the owner and others with cat odor.

Therefore there are not many options...

Potassium permanganate. We thoroughly wash the shoes in cold water, then rinse them with a solution of potassium permanganate and wash them in a washing machine. We dry exclusively in the open air.
Vinegar. We wash the shoes, wash the insoles separately, and then thoroughly rinse the inside with a vinegar solution. We air dry it again.
Liquid glycerin. The product is suitable for shoes made of leatherette or smooth leather. We carefully treat it from the inside with glycerin and leave it in the room until the product is completely absorbed.

Impact on the cause

Uncleanliness is one of the most negative aspects of having a cat in the house. Puddles on the carpet, wet corners, stains on the sofa can outweigh all the good emotions from communicating with your pet. The only way to get rid of the stench once and for all is to teach your cat cleanliness.

You just need to find the reason that encourages your pet to leave puddles and eliminate it:

changes - a new sofa, renovation, change of regime, a new family member. Cats are very conservative. Not all changes can be undone, but you can always support and reassure. More communication, games, gatherings together - distractions from a stressful situation;
The fight for territory will not get rid of the smell of urine, since the cat’s claims will force the pet to increasingly mark the area to be washed. We need to find the cause of the conflict - a family member is offending, there is a new pet in the house, lack of attention. The solution is to make it clear that the cat is loved and is safe here;
dissatisfaction with the tray, the place chosen for it, the filler. It is important to analyze recent events. Perhaps they changed the air freshener or moved the laundry basket - every little thing matters in this delicate matter;
illness, injury change behavior and habits - an always clean pet can demonstratively stain the table, the owner’s lap, or pillow. This is a request for help, a demonstration of a painful condition;
sexual instinct - only castration will help here. If this is unacceptable, it is worth discussing the issue again with your veterinarian. Pets that do not participate in breeding do not require abstinence torture.

Fact from zoologists: animals do not know how to take revenge. If the owner thinks that the cat is marking out of harm, he simply does not understand the motives for her behavior. A veterinarian or an experienced breeder will help you figure it out.

To summarize

After cleaning the carpet by any means, the area that the cat carelessly marked may noticeably stand out as a cloudy stain. Therefore, it is necessary to immediately balance the color scheme of the coating by using carpet cleaning products.

Among carpet shampoos, Vanish has proven itself well. Its use does not require any skills - just dilute the concentrate in water, foam it and apply directly to the entire treated area with a brush or sponge. After waiting the required time, the powder remaining after applying the shampoo is removed with a vacuum cleaner.

How to restore a healthy atmosphere

To remove the persistent smell that seems to permeate the apartment, you should think about air purification. Use an ozonizer or one of the recipes.

Moisten a wad of newsprint with a pleasant perfume or cologne. Set it on fire and let it burn. Ventilate the room, as the smoke will also stink. After airing, all negative odors go away.
Place open containers of coffee in different places. Coffee absorbs amber. You can use dried, sleeping coffee, but the pleasant coffee aroma will no longer be there.
If your cat gets into the habit of going into flower pots, place lemon and tangerine peels there. Citrus will scare away the furry saboteur.
Use incense sticks with a smoldering effect.

What should you not do when removing stains?

To ensure that the carpet always remains in good condition, you need to follow a number of rules when cleaning it. The following recommendations will help prevent product damage:

Do not use hot water for cleaning, as... temperature exposure can easily ruin the pile. In this case, the carpet will lose its attractiveness.
Do not scrub off dirt by moving in the direction opposite to the direction of the pile.
It is advisable to remove urine stains immediately as they appear, otherwise they will penetrate deep into the tissue.
For processing, it is undesirable to use washing powders, dishwashing compositions and other mixtures that contain aggressive substances.
Before using any product, you should first test it on an inconspicuous area of the carpet. If after half an hour the structure and color of the tissue in the treated area have not changed, the procedure can be continued.
It is prohibited to use liquids that contain tea, sauerkraut and other products with dyes. They will ruin the appearance of the product. To solve the problem, you will have to go to dry cleaning and spend money.