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Whether you own a cat or someone owned a cat before you moved in, bad odors may start to develop over time. These bad smells come from your cat’s hair, litter box, or anywhere it had an accident on the floor, but luckily you can easily freshen up your home again. We spoke with multiple feline experts to learn what cleaners work best for removing odors and how to setup litter boxes properly, so keep reading.
How to Get Rid of Cat Odors
To completely neutralize the cat urine odor, apply an enzymatic cleaner to break down the strong-smelling uric acid. If you’re in a pinch, a home remedy of equal parts vinegar and water or a sprinkling of baking soda can help remove the odors from your home.
Steps
How to Clean up Cat Urine or Poop outside the Litter Box
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Blot up or remove as much waste as you can. If there’s solid waste, scoop it off of the floor carefully so it doesn’t spread around. Then, use paper towels or absorbent towels to soak up as much from the floor as possible. Press down firmly on carpets to absorb even more waste that soaked deeper into the padding. [8] X Research source
- Wear rubber gloves while you’re cleaning so you don’t get any waste on your hands.
- If you’re not sure where your cat went outside the box, use an ultraviolet light . Urine spots will glow under the light.
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Treat the area with an enzymatic cleaner for the best results. Lusvardi explains that enzymatic cleaners completely break down the odor-causing chemicals in cat urine and poop. Each enzymatic cleaner has its own instructions, so follow the label directions for the cleaner you purchase. Most times, you’ll apply the cleaner for a set amount of time before blotting it up.
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Try detergent and club soda for a simple home remedy. If you’re in a pinch, add a few drops of dish detergent to a cup of water and wet the area for about 1 hour. Then, gently blot the area with a wet sponge to lift up the soap. Afterwards, splash club soda over the area and let it soak for 10 minutes before cleaning it up with a paper towel. [9] X Research source
- This solution is temporary, so try to follow up with enzymatic cleaner the following day.
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Cover the spot to keep your cat away. Tent a piece of aluminum foil over the area or set an upside-down laundry basket on top of the spot. Otherwise, your cat may try to poop or pee there again because of the odor. [10] X Research source
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Let the area air-dry completely. Leave the spot covered the entire time the spot is drying. Just to be safe, leave it alone overnight so it has time to dry before removing the cover. [11] X Research source
- If you still notice an odor, treat the spot again or check nearby for any new sources of the smell.
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Rule out issues causing your cat to go outside of the box. Molly DeVoss, a certified feline behavior specialist, mentions the 4 main reasons why a cat stops using a litter box are medical issues, territorial marking, dislike for the box, or trauma from their past. Try to figure out what’s making your cat go on the floor so you can make a plan to stop it from happening .
- Contact your veterinarian and let them know what’s happening to determine if there’s an underlying medical condition.
- Make sure you have one more litter box than the number of cats in your home, and that they are at least 1.5 times longer than your cat.
- DeVoss notes to place the litter boxes in quiet areas, but not in confined spaces like closets.
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Tips
Warnings
- Avoid using heat or steam to clean cat urine or other stains because they could make the odors more prominent.Thanks
References
- ↑ https://thevets.com/blog/how-to-get-rid-of-cat-pee-smell/
- ↑ https://thevets.com/blog/how-to-get-rid-of-cat-pee-smell/
- ↑ https://www.zoetispetcare.com/blog/article/get-rid-cat-pee-smell
- ↑ https://cats.com/reduce-unpleasant-cat-odor
- ↑ https://pangovet.com/pet-lifestyle/cats/how-to-wash-a-cat-bed/
- ↑ https://cats.com/reduce-unpleasant-cat-odor
- ↑ https://icatcare.org/advice/soiling-indoors/
- ↑ https://thevets.com/blog/how-to-get-rid-of-cat-pee-smell/
- ↑ https://indoorpet.osu.edu/cats/problemsolving/cleanupurine
- ↑ https://www.zoetispetcare.com/blog/article/get-rid-cat-pee-smell
- ↑ https://www.zoetispetcare.com/blog/article/get-rid-cat-pee-smell
- ↑ https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/you-asked/why-does-cat-urine-smell-so-bad-and-what-can-i-do-about-it
- ↑ https://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/how-often-should-i-wash-my-pets-food-bowls
- ↑ https://www.livescience.com/do-air-purifiers-help-with-bad-smells
- ↑ https://todaysveterinarynurse.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2019/02/TVN-2019_Brushing_Cat_Teeth.pdf
- ↑ https://cats.com/reduce-unpleasant-cat-odor
- ↑ https://cats.com/reduce-unpleasant-cat-odor
About This Article
To eliminate cat odors around the house, empty the litter box 1-2 times a day, and change the litter at least twice a month. Not only will this keep your home smelling fresher, but it will encourage the cat to continue to use the litter box. If your cat does go somewhere other than their box, use a cleaner made from vinegar or an enzyme-based cleaner on any cat urine stains. This will help break down the crystals that are the source of the odor. Keep reading for tips from our veterinary co-author on how to deal with bad breath on a cat!
