Does it seem as though your entire home has taken on a stale, cat litter-like odor? The only way to restore the original, clean scent to your home is to eliminate the cat odors that have settled into the carpets and furniture.

The question now is, how do you get rid of cat odor permanently, as opposed to just masking it?

Here’s what you need to know.

Why Is Cat Pee So Strong? 

Most people don’t pay attention to cat urine outside of the litter box until it becomes a major issue. Stale, old urine has an ammonia-like odor because the bacteria in the urine decomposes over time. Urine emits mercaptans, the compounds responsible for skunk spray’s foul odor.

Urine from a cat leaves behind a uric acid stain that can take years to fade from carpets, fabrics, and wood. Keep in mind that the kidneys of older cats are less efficient, so their urine often has a strong odor.

A humid day can cause the uric acid to recrystallize, and the infamous “cat odor” will return, even if you use baking soda, vinegar, soap, or hydrogen peroxide to temporarily neutralize the odors.

What’s a great solution? 

An enzyme cleaner is required to completely eliminate the uric acid. Enzyme cleaner should be applied to the stained area of the carpet or fabric and then left to dry naturally. You can buy enzyme cleaning products from many different stores, including online.

If you need professional cleaners, Clean My Space is here to help.

How To Effectively Clean Cat Pee 

To help you get started, here are some fundamental principles to keep in mind:

  • As soon as you find a spot, blot and absorb as much urine as you can using an old towel.
  • Allow the enzyme cleaner to sit on the stained area for a few hours, and then leave it to dry on its own.
  • Keep the cat away from the cleaning solution by placing a laundry basket over the area.
  • To aid in the removal of unpleasant odors, open windows and turn on fans.

The uric acid can be removed from the home by cleaning the area thoroughly with vinegar and then applying an enzyme treatment. Cleaning products containing vinegar or enzymes are safe for use on hardwood floors, carpets, and mattresses. However, before treating an entire room, it is important to test a small area because different flooring and fabrics may react differently to cleaners.

Don’t Use Steam Cleaner

You should not use a steam cleaner or anything with heat on cat urine stains or spots. It can make the stain harder to remove because it sets the stain. Fabrics and carpets can hold on to odors for a while, making additional treatments necessary if they are particularly pungent.

How To Prevent Cat Smells In Your House?

Below are the tips that can help you prevent cat smells in the first place.

Change to Fresh Litter 

Always use fresh litter and add baking soda to the litter box to help control odors. Additionally, your cat may benefit from a gradual switch to a food that aids in the reduction of hairballs and urinary stress if they are prone to having accidents or are constantly vomiting.

Use Fabric Softener and Water 

Even though cat urine and feces are the most common sources of unpleasant odors in the home, accumulated cat hair can also be a problem.  Use a spray bottle to combine fabric softener and water, then lightly mist the area to remove cat hair. Use rubber gloves that have been dampened with the spray to pick up the cat hair after you have sprayed the surface.

Provide Your Cat With Healthy Food 

If you feed your cat a healthy diet, keep the litter box clean, and brush your pet regularly, you should be able to maintain a pleasant smell in your home. If you must use a quick fix, like an air freshener, make sure it is pet-friendly so that you don’t end up with more problems.

Questions People Often Ask About Cat Pee Smell

  • Why Can I Still Smell My Cat’s Pee After Cleaning?

Your home still smells like cat pee because you used the wrong cleaning solution. Most cleaning solutions will have bleach or ammonia. They will neutralize the odor of urine. So will vinegar and baking soda. But these chemicals have no effect on the salts and uric acid left behind.

Uric acid is a component of animal urine and isn’t water soluble. It also has a half-life of about six years. If you don’t want your house to smell like cat pee for years, you need to use an enzyme-based cleaner. The enzyme will break down the uric acid and turn it into carbon dioxide. This will then evaporate.

  • How Effective is an Ammonia-Based Cleaning Solution?

Ammonia is an efficient cleaning agent. It’s great for cleaning glass surfaces and stubborn stains. But it’s ineffective against animal urine. Using an ammonia-based cleaning solution might even cause your pet to pee in more areas in your home.

It’s because ammonia is also found in urine. Your fur baby will smell the ammonia and think another animal has peed in their territory. Instinct will tell them they should mark their territory. They will urinate again in the same spot. They might even pee in other areas where they smell the ammonia. You could find yourself cleaning up cat urine all over the house.

  • What’s the Best Way to Stop My Cat from Peeing Around the House?

Seeing pee stains on the carpet or in various corners of your home can be annoying. There’s only so much independent house cleaners can do about this. But you can take steps to prevent your cat from urinating all over.

The first thing you should do is bring your cat to the vet. There might be some medical issues at play here. You should then clean every place your cat has peed on. You must get rid of the odor so your cat doesn’t return to it. Use your sense of smell to find out where your cat did its business. A black light can also help. Throw bedding and fabrics in the washing machine. Use a bacterial or enzymatic cleaning solution for other surfaces.

More litter boxes will also help. You can also put cat food in the area. Your cat won’t pee where it eats. You should also consider having your pet spayed.

Allow Clean My Space CT for Your Home Cleaning Needs

Clean My Space is the team to call if you need assistance with home cleaning. We have been in business for years, we know what it takes to clean your home to perfection. Our staff maintains a spotless facility while ensuring the safety of all guests. Get a free estimate and set up an appointment.