How to Choose a Cat Urine Remover

Guide Note

Removing cat urine is never pleasant, but always necessary. Failure to remove it properly will cause the odor to linger and may leave a permanent stain.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Step 1: What Cat Urine Is
• Step 2: Evaluate the Stain
• Step 3: Types of Cat Urine Removers
• Step 4: Types of Home Remedies
• Step 4: Make Your Selection
• Conclusion
• References

Cat Urine Remover Tips

1. Remover urine sooner rather than later.
2. Proper urine removal will reduce the chance your cat will urinate there again.
3. Try to figure out why your cat urinated outside of the litter box to prevent future accidents.
4. Cleansers with bacterial enzymes are the best.

• by Darcy Logan

Introduction

(CC photo by Pietro Jr)

• Choosing the right cat urine remover is essential to preventing future accidents. If there is any trace of urine remaining on the surface, your cat will be naturally inclined to re-soil that area. Ask five people which type of cleaner you should use to remove cat urine and you will get five different answers because the right cleaner depends on what surface you are trying to clean.

Step 1: Understand What Cat Urine Is

• You probably know where cat urine comes from, but you might not understand the composition of it. This is important because urine is different than other types of biological substances, and cat urine is different than most other types of urine.

1. All urine contains uric acid crystals which can only be removed by using an enzyme-based cleaning product.¹ These crystals are insoluble but can be re-activated by any type of moisture.²
2. Cat urine is more concentrated than other types of urine.³
3. Cat urine has at least five different bacteria strains in it.²

Step 2: Evaluate the Stain

(Creative Commons photo by momo)

• Before selecting any urine removers, you need to evaluate the urine stain or odor.

1. Do you need a stain remover, an odor remover or both? Cat urine can penetrate into materials and leave an odor even if there is no stain. The source of urine odors become visible under a black light.
2. How old is the urine stain/odor? Older stains or odors will be harder to remove and will require a tougher urine remover.⁴
3. What am I trying to remove the urine from? You will usually need a different urine remover for harder surfaces such as wood, tile and concrete than you would for softer surfaces such as fabric and carpet.
4. What is the item's value? If you need to remove cat urine from an antique item or expensive rug, it is better to avoid doing it yourself and hire a professional.
5. Would it be easier to replace the item? Removing cat urine can be a timely and messy process. If the item can be easily and cheaply replaced, go that route.

Step 3: Review the Types of Cat Urine Removers

(Creative Commons photo by Per Ola Wiberg)

• Commercial cat urine removers will fall into one of two different categories: cleansers with bacterial enzymes and cleansers without enzymes. For most problems, you will need a urine remover that contains enzymes.

1. Ordinary cleansers can not be used in conjunction with ones with enzymes, but can be used with other cleansers or before using the cleanser with enzymes.⁴
2. Enzymes work by breaking down the urine into water soluble nutrients that bacteria can digest.⁵ These are often referred to as "bacterial enzymes."
   1. Urine removers with enzymes will cost more and take longer to work than other types of removers, but they typically work the first time.⁶
   2. Ordinary cleansers will not remove urine crystals. As long as these remain, so will the odor and the chance your cat will urinate there again.⁷

Step 4: Review Types of Home Remedies

(Creative Commons photo by Michael)

• Long before any commercial urine removers existed, there were home remedies. Here are some of the more common urine removers available in your kitchen:

1. Vinegar is believed to neutralize the ammonia in urine and kill the odor.³
2. Laundry detergent works well because it is designed to target biological stains without fading colors.
3. Baking Soda will help absorb odors, but will not always remove them, but is usually safe to use with other cleansers. ⁶
4. Hydrogen Peroxide can work alone or in conjunction with baking soda.⁸
5. Ammonia and ammonia-based products are often listed as methods for removing pet stains, but are not recommended for pet odors. These products will make the odor stronger and could increase the likelihood that your pet will be attracted to the spot again.⁹

Step 5: Make Your Selection

• Once you have reviewed your options, it is time to make your selection.

1. Select a product that is made for the type of material you are going to use it on. Don't use a urine removal product that is made for wood on you carpet or vice versa because they won't work properly.
2. Always follow the directions on the bottle to ensure the product works correctly.
3. Give the product time to work before trying something else. Some products can take up to two weeks to work.

Conclusion

• Selecting the right cat urine remover can be difficult, but if done properly, will only need to be done once. Of course, when you have chosen a cat urine remover, you will be ready to clean up the cat urine.

• Visit Mahalo's How to Clean Cat Urine and How to Clean Dog Urine for additional information.

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References for How To Choose a Cat Urine Remover

1. ↑ Bedwetting Store: How to Remove Cat Urine Stains and Odor
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} SearchWarp.com: Why Cat Urine Smells So Bad and Doesn't Go Away
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Ezine: What To Do To Remove That Cat Urine Stain On The Carpet?
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} HowToDoThings.com: How To Clean Up Cat Urine
5. ↑ Microtack:How bacteria and enzymes work to digest organic wastes?
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} wikiHow: How to Remove Urine Odors and Stains Permanently
7. ↑ University of Minnesota: Removing Cat Odors and Stains from Carpet
8. ↑ Cozy Cat Furniture.com: How to Remove Cat Urine
9. ↑ Cat Urine Help: Removing Cat Urine

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