How to Clean Cat Urine
It's nasty, but if you know how to clean cat urine out of furniture or floors around a house, you can get the reputation as a power cleaner. Urine odor is one of the biggest reasons people will call your house cleaning business for help. You can come to the rescue!
Removing cat urine stains from hardwood, carpet or upholstery isn't the most appealing cleaning task, but it needs to be done as soon as possible in order to save floors and furniture.
Cat urine has the potential to stain and rot whatever it touches. And if it doesn't stain badly, it will still leave your furnishings and floor coverings with quite a stench if not treated quickly. It's important to wear rubber gloves during this entire process to protect your hands from germs and illness carried by kitty.
Follow these step-by-step directions for cleaning cat urine.
1. Absorb as much as you can. Gently blot the affected area with a clean rag or paper towel. (If the area is already dried, you will need to use some water to re-wet the area). Try not to rub the affected area, as this will push the cat urine further into the fibers. Using as many clean towels as you need, put pressure on the cat urine. Continue to do this until your cloth comes up dry.
2. Rinse the area. Once you have removed as much of the cat urine as possible, rinse the affected area with clean, cold water. Use just enough to wet down the entire area, but not so much as to drench your carpet again. Then blot up any excess water with a clean cloth.
3. Eliminate the odor. Despite your best efforts, it is likely that some cat urine penetrated further than you were able to clean. In this case, it is necessary to treat the odors that remain in the affected area. You've got a few options when it comes to this step.
Options for How to Clean Cat Urine
Dampen the affected area with clean water and then lightly sprinkle baking soda onto the surface. Now it is okay (and necessary) to rub the baking soda into the affected area. Rub in a circular motion, starting from the edges of the stain and working your way inwards. Then leave it to dry. Vacuum up the remaining baking soda in a few hours.
Mix together a quart of lukewarm water and a half cup of white vinegar. Mist or gently trickle the mixture onto the cat urine stain. Place clean rags or towels on top of the stain, and find something of weight to place on top of the towels to help in absorbing the liquid. Leave this to stand for a few hours, and then remove the towels.
NOTE: you may wish to sample the effects of the vinegar on a hidden piece of fabric or carpet first. When learning how to clean cat urine you may have to try different methods. Always test on hidden areas to avoid damaging fabrics.
For heavy or set-in stains, you should consider renting a carpet cleaner or extractor. Your local hardware or grocery store usually rents these by the half-day or day. This machine forces clean water through your carpet and soaks up the cat urine in exchange. Make sure to familiarize yourself with all operating instructions and use only water for the cleaning process.
It's also possible to neutralize cat urine odor using a variety of different products. Any product that contains 3% hydrogen peroxide will work.
Mouthwash has been rumored to have similar odor-fighting effects, and so has laundry detergent. Simply spray it onto the stain, let it soak in for 5 minutes and then blot dry with a clean towel.
NOTE: Be sure not to ingest any of these products. Keep kids and pets away until this stage is complete.
There are several products available to deal with pet stain odors as well. Look for any brand name pet stain eliminator, pet stain remover, or similar product that cleans the area and neutralizes odors. Be sure to read the instructions for each product to ensure maximum effectiveness.
How to Clean Cat Urine -- The Summary
It's important to be vigilant when it comes to cleaning cat urine odor and stains. Quick action will save floors and furniture. And a thorough cleaning will remove all odors and prevent kitty from repeating his offending act in exactly the same spot.
You may want to consider adding a special list of house cleaning services around urine odors and pet stains. Pet owners find odor removal very frustrating. Get good at knowing how to clean cat urine out of floors and furniture!
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