Can be used for cat urine/ odors as well as dog urine/ odors.

Warning: DON’T use any ammonia based cleaning products to clean cat urine as this will make the problem much worse)

Borax should not be used for cleaning the actual mess or soaking up pet urine. Instead, Borax should be used to treat upholstery and carpets that continue to smell long after the accident. The Borax powder can neutralize the uric acid crystals so that you don’t experience a reblooming effect later on.

Borax should never be used on your pet, or left in areas where it could be accidentally ingested by your pet. Keep pets out of the area when applying the treatment.

Before you turn to Borax, be sure to thoroughly clean the pet stain beforehand. Use a wet paper towel to scrub the stain. Then use dry towels to soak up the remaining liquid.

In the large bowl, mix ½ cup of Borax and 1 pint of hot water if you are putting the solution on upholstery. If you will be using the solution on a carpet, then use ¼ cup Borax, ¼ cup Salt and ¼ cup Vinegar.

Use your sponge or towel to apply the mixture to the stain. If it’s on a sofa, be sure to just blot the solution onto the stain. If the stain is on the carpet, then scrub away!

Once you have cleaned the area fully, let the solution sit for 30-45 minutes. Once this time has passed, blot the stain with water.

Vacuum the carpet or scrub your couch with soap one last time to make sure you get the most thorough clean. Be sure everything ends up dry or place a towel to soak up the remainder.

Using Borax as a Dry Carpet Deodorizer

For tough carpet odors, try mixing in equal parts of borax to the baking soda for a homemadecarpet freshener (with or without the addition of fragrant oils or spices). Leave the mixture on the carpet for an hour or longer, then vacuum like you would when using plain baking soda.

If you prefer to add some fragrance, mix in a few drops of your favorite essential oil into the baking soda before applying it to the carpet. Some good deodorizing choices are citrus oils, such as lemon, orange or lime, as well as lavender, peppermint, rosemary, cinnamon or eucalyptus. If you don’t have any essential oils on hand but like the idea of adding some scent, you can mix some dried spices or herbs into the baking soda. Spices like cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg have a pleasant fragrance.

Sometimes cat urine can be embedded very deep into the surface—especially carpet, and that’s why the smell persists. Consider having your carpet pad replaced (which is underneath your carpet) because no DIY method will work well if it’s your carpet pad holding most of the cat urine smell. Cat urine odor can sometimes be hard to get rid of on your own.

Accidents can happen, especially for your feline friend. But what about accidents that have been cleaned thoroughly and are still leaving behind a strong cat pee odor?

It is important to soak up and remove as much of the urine as possible. Whether it be on the material of your upholstery or in your carpet, it is better to get as much of the urine off the fabric it’s on to achieve the most effective outcome. It’s best to remove the urine as soon possible in order to avoid stubborn stains and strong musky odors.

Vinegar or Vinegar & Baking Soda

Vinegar has been found to be a powerful product to remove the smell of cat urine. Since vinegar is very acidic it helps offset and neutralizes the bacteria that forms in dried urine stains that create that horrible smell. Mix white vinegar or apple cider vinegar in water to dilute it (usually 1:1 ratio) and spray the solution on any fabric or floor. Use an old hand towel or paper towel to dab or blot the solution. Repeat this process until the area is mostly dry again.

  • Hydrogen-peroxide:

You can use hydrogen-peroxide right after using the vinegar and water solution to further eliminate the odor. Hydrogen-peroxide is best for hardwood floors suffering from cat urine smells but also works for carpets, couches, and even clothing. According to CatCentric, hydrogen peroxide is 30% more oxidizing than chlorine. This will allow the elimination of the ammonia smell coming from cat urine. A successful way to use hydrogen-peroxide is pouring it directly on the surface where the smell is coming from, and let it rest for at least 5 minutes. Then, repeat the process of blotting the area. *Note: this may cause discoloration, test a small area first.

  • Baking Soda:

Baking soda has great properties that deodorize the smell of urine. Sodium bicarbonate is the substance baking soda is made of, and it’s amazing at soaking up odors. You can sprinkle it on the carpet or furniture after you’ve cleaned your cat’s urine, make sure the area is dry before doing so. Leave the baking soda in for about 15-30 minutes and then vacuum up the area thoroughly. *Note: Even with a nice suctioning vacuum, it is impossible to remove all the baking soda, so don’t overdo it!

 

  • Reduce the chance of cat urine accidents happening again

This is probably the most helpful step, and you can do this in a variety of ways.

      • Keep that cat litter cleaned!

Using a dirty bathroom is not ideal even for cats, and they might react by using your carpet instead. Cleaning your cat’s litter more often will help solve this issue.

  • Retraining.

Sometimes cats need a reminder of where to go, especially if they are kittens or introduced to new surroundings. Be patient, and actively show where the litter is to your cat. It is important to praise them when they do use their litter.

  • Add extra litter boxes.

If you have more than one cat it is a good tip to have more than one litter box in order to allow the cats to have more areas to do their business.

  • Use dog-training urine pads under their litter box.

If your cat pees even a little over the sides or back of the litter box sometimes, put down these dog-training pads to protect the floor or carpet. Doing this will help definitely help the litter area to smell better.

Your house should be smelling better in no time! And just remember, professional carpet cleaning is always a better choice for getting rid of cat urine smell for good. Please consider sharing this article with all your cat-loving friends and family! We love carpet cleaning here at ServiceMaster of Kalamazoo. It’s what we do! Well, along with like 26 other cleaning and restoration services. We’ve been in business for over 65 years and love to spread knowledge about what we know best.

 

Use a black light to locate where there is pee that requires cleaning (I call this the “pee light”.)

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