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Cat pee smells BAD. Follow these steps to effectively remove the smell of cat pee from your clothes or bed.
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Cats peeing outside of their litter box is, unfortunately, quite common. According to the ASPCA, an estimated 10% of all cats will eliminate outside their litter box at some point in their lives. Cats might target your clothes or bed for several reasons, often related to territorial marking, scent, or stress. It’s not spiteful, but rather a way for them to communicate or feel secure. So take a deep breath, and let’s tackle removing the cat pee smell from your clothes and bed.
To prevent re-marking (and bad smells), it’s important to get rid of cat pee odour as effectively and as quickly as possible. The longer cat urine sits, the stronger the smell gets. And that smell is a siren song: if you don’t get rid of the smell, it’s highly likely your cat will pee there again.
If you don’t get rid of the smell, it’s highly likely your cat will pee there again.
Why Does Cat Pee Smell So Bad?
Cat urine contains bacteria as well as uric acid. This combo causes cat pee to have a stinky, enduring odour. The strong, ammonia-like smell of cat pee is due to the decomposition of urea by bacteria, releasing ammonia and other sulfur-containing compounds, like mercaptans. The smell intensifies as urine sits and decomposes, i.e. the longer you take to clean up a cat pee “accident,” the worse/stronger it will smell.
Older cats and male cats tend to have stronger-smelling urine.
Steps to Get Rid of Cat Pee Smell from Your Clothes & Bedding
Follow these steps to get rid of cat pee smell.
PRO TIPS:
Don’t wash the peed-on clothes with anything else. Cat pee odour is strong and lasting. Don’t throw the peed-on items into the washing machine with other clothes; doing so can make your other clothes smell, too.
Regular Cleaning Products Won’t Do the Job Laundry detergent, baking soda, vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide can make the smell go away temporarily, but it will usually come back. Why? These products don’t remove the uric acid, which means the odour is likely to return.
1. First, Remove as Much Urine As Possible.
If the cat pee is still wet, blot up as much cat pee as you can, soaking up the urine until the clothing item is no longer wet.
2. Be a Cat Pee P.I. (Or is that P.U.?): Locate the Things That Have Been Peed on Using Blacklight
Use an ultraviolet light to help find any old stains that you can’t see. The urine-marked areas will glow in the dark.
3. Pretreat Using Enzyme Cleaners
Enzymes cleaners are an essential part of getting rid of cat pee. Enzymes are proteins that essentially help speed up chemical reactions. In this case, the enzymes in the enzyme cleaner acts to break down the uric acid in cat pee into carbon dioxide and ammonia, which evaporate. Goodbye cat pee smell!
Choose an enzyme cleaner that is specifically designed to combat pet odours and urine. Check the label to make sure it is appropriate for use on the desired fabric or surface.
4. Soak It
Soak the peed-on clothes in the enzyme cleaner and leave them to sit for 10 – 15 minutes. But don’t wash right away—instead, blot up the enzyme cleaner and let your clothes air dry. This gives the enzyme cleaner to time to work, breaking down the uric acid.
5. Machine or Hand Wash
Next, use your washing machine (or hand wash, in the case of delicates) to wash the clothes. Regular detergent is fine, but an enzyme detergent is even better. Afterward, air dry your clothes.
Other options:
Add a cup of baking soda to the wash OR Wash with a cup of white vinegar and no detergent, then run a second cycle with regular detergent.
6. Air Dry
Air dry the clothes to avoid locking in the smell.
7. Repeat
Cat urine odour is a difficult smell to get rid of. You might have to repeat the steps again until the smell is gone.
What Not to Use
Don’t use ammonia-based cleaning products. They smell like cat pee and will attract your cat to keep urinating there.
Why Is My Cat Peeing On My Clothes and Bed?
Your first step is to rule out any health problems. When a cat pees on your clothes, it can be a sign of health issues or behavioural problems.
Common Reasons Your Cat Is Peeing On Your Clothes or Bed
- Cats use urine to mark their territory, and your clothes, with your scent, can become a target.
- This behavior is more common in unneutered or unspayed cats, but can also occur in neutered or spayed cats when they feel insecure.
- Cats are highly sensitive to smells and may find your clothes comforting due to your scent.
- They might be trying to mingle their scent with yours, indicating affection or claiming you as part of their family.
- Soft, absorbent materials like laundry can also be appealing, especially if the litter box isn’t their preferred space.
3. Stress and Anxiety, Litter Box Issues, and/or Health Problems
Read this article next for an in depth looks at reasons your cat is peeing outside of the litter box and solutions from a cat behaviourist to putting peeing outside of the box in your past!
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