Neither my family nor I can leave a stray animal on the side of the road – – we cannot pass by a homeless dog or cat without bringing it home with us to live. Throughout the past twenty years, we have adopted several stray cats and have helped them adjust to a loving family, as well as, indoor living. However, some of our cats have had issues with spraying and using urinating outside of their litter boxes. I love my cats but I will not tolerate them using my home as a litter box. We were successful in helping all of them but there were a few accidents along the way that required me to learn how to remove cat urine and urine stains from fabrics. Remember, if a cat continues to use the bathroom outside the litter box then there may be a problem that requires a visit to the vet.
When cleaning a cat urine stain, always remove as much liquid as possible by blotting the fabric and repeating until you cannot get any more cat urine out of the fabric. Use cool water to rinse the entire area and blot again. Mix ½ cup of white vinegar with 1 cup of warm water and saturate the stain and surrounding fabric. Place a white towel over the stain and put a heavy object on top of the towel to help soak the liquid from the fabric (you may need to use several towels). Allow the fabric to air dry, using fans if necessary, and repeat the process in forty-eight hours.
Hydrogen peroxide is a well-known stain remover and also works well for cat urine stains and odor. Use a spray bottle filled with 3% hydrogen peroxide to spray the area and stain until it is completely saturated. Use a clean, white cloth or towel to blot the stain (do not rub) for about one minute repeating the blotting process until the area is dry (use more cloths as necessary to blot).
Laundry detergents containing enzyme cleaners are best for removing cat urine stains and odor from clothing. Pre-treat the garment with a stain remover containing enzymes and then wash with an enzyme laundry detergent. If the cat urine is on carpets or upholstery, combine the laundry detergent with warm water and apply the mixture to the stain. Use a sponge and cold water to blot the area and a clean cloth to extract and dry the fabric.
If all else fails, “Remove Cat Urine” says this recipe works to remove cat urine stains and odors. Combine 1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide, ¼-cup baking soda and 1 teaspoon of liquid soap. Use this solution to clean cat urine stains and to remove odors. They do caution not to shake or mix vigorously and to use a non-metal container to avoid explosion – and do not seal the mixture in an airtight container.
Sources:
CozyCatFurniture.com
CatWorld.com.au
Remove-cat-urine.com
