How To Remove Cat Urine Smell From A Mattress?
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You can get rid of a cat urine stain easily enough, but it’s much more difficult to eradicate the smell. Unfortunately, water doesn’t dissolve uric acid, so the odor is extremely hard to remove, especially if old or dried-in. It’s for this reason that ordinary detergents aren’t enough… Instead, here’s how to remove cat urine smell from a mattress:
Emergency Measures
In order not to have to dry clean your favorite mattress or your sofa upholstery, it’s important to respond to a “gift” from your kitten quickly. According to restfaq.com, first of all, it’s necessary to absorb moisture. They share the steps you need to take below:
- Absorb moisture with paper towels or cellulose sponges. Never rub the stain – you’ll just be allowing the liquid to go deeper into the mattress. Instead, just try to soak up the majority of the liquid without applying strong pressure.
- The next step is to use an absorbent treatment. This will absorb most of the cat’s urine and slow down the breakdown of “odorous” substances. Soda or salt is suitable for this. Cat litter can be used if it consists of small granules. Sprinkle the stain and press down lightly. After half an hour, remove the absorbent with a vacuum cleaner like the Litter-Robot 3 Connect, or sweep it with a brush.
- If you’ve followed the above two steps but can still smell cat urine, unfortunately you’ll have to try another method: Prepare a solution of one part of vinegar and five parts cold water. Soak the mattress with this solution for an hour. Then you need to wash the mattress cover.
Homemade Solutions: Vinegar, Soda, Peroxide
Vinegar, soda and hydrogen peroxide are traditionally considered the most effective means of popular struggle with toilet tricks of pets. They will help clean the mattress from cat urine . Affected by these substances, crystals of organic substances break down and the smell disappears forever. Moreover, the products act both individually and together.
Table vinegar must be mixed with water. Sprinkle the stain from the spray. The vinegar solution cleanses within an hour. 60 minutes later, wipe the rest of the cat’s mark with a cloth.
Baking soda isn’t worse than vinegar. True, it takes longer. Pour soda on the problem area and leave it for two to three hours. The longer, the more effective. After the required time, vacuum the mattress.
Hydrogen peroxide isn’t used in its pure form to remove stains from urine. It’s mixed with water. Take a teaspoon of peroxide and a few drops of any dishwashing liquid for 200 ml of water. It’s best to spray the problem zone. After two hours, wipe the mattress with a cloth.
If the products didn’t work separately, then the “3 in 1” method will help get rid of cat urine on the mattress. It can even remove dried marks. First, soak the stain with 9% vinegar and wait until it’s completely absorbed.
Before using soda, vacuum clean the mattress. After you pour sodium bicarbonate on the stain, immediately proceed to the treatment with peroxide. It must be used in the same way as in the case of a separate application. Experienced breeders say that after applying a 3 in 1, your pet will never urinate on the bed again.
Citric acid
Citric acid belongs to the category of “big guns.” This method is used when others didn’t work.
Take a teaspoon of citric acid and dissolve it in 150 grams of water. The substance will work if an important condition is met. It’s necessary to saturate the stain with a citric acid as heavily as possible and leave it for two hours. During this time, the acid usually eliminates urea and leaves a pleasant, fresh smell in return. Then wipe with a cloth.
Professional Tools
Let’s have a look at the action of popular products used in cleaning mattresses from cat urine.
Duftapet
The product is released in the form of a spray. The spray gets rid of the very cause of stench, it breaks down the chemical compounds of electrolytes. It’s safe for small children and animals. Except using on fabrics, you can also wash the floor. The composition contains enzymes that make the product hypoallergenic. For maximum effect, you must leave DuftaPet on the problem area for two to three hours. For this time, it’s recommended to cover the stain with polyethylene. Wipe the rest of the product with a cloth.
Stain & Odor Remover
Stain & Odor Remover is produced by Nature’s Miracle. The product can be used to remove marks from delicate fabrics. Judging by the feedback from the cats owners, it can even remove old cat urine from the mattress. The spray smells of citrus. This aroma stays on the fabric for a long time and discourages the pet to urinate in the same place.
The product can also wash away animal hair and footprints. Approved for use near children and asthmatics.
Depending on the “age” of the stain, the product is applied for a period of 15 minutes to an hour.
Repeated application is allowed, as Stain & Odor Remover has a soft composition that is safe for any fabric.
Steam cleaner
You need to be careful using a steam cleaner. According to Gemma Tyler from Smart Vacuums, a stream of hot air will cause urine to soak even more into the mattress, and the smell is going to become harsher. It is recommended to only use the steamer at the very end, after removing the stain by other means.
In this case, the device will not only help remove residual contamination but also kill the remaining harmful microbes and bacteria.
Air purifiers
When odor sinks deep in your home, it becomes part of your home. According to FreshAirGuide.com, in cases of years with cats around, only a good air cleaner can help you get rid of the smell.
Old spots
There are two ways to deal with stains of dried cat urine. The first is citric acid. But if it didn’t help, then you can use a universal disinfectant – sodium pyroborate. It is available in powder form at any pharmacy.
The treatment of the mattress with borax should be done only in protective gloves.
First, the traces of feline “crime” are moistened with a sponge. Then rub the powder intensively into the stain. Leave the substance to dry completely. The final step is vacuum cleaning.
What Not To Use When Trying To Remove Cat Urine Smell From A Mattress?
Do not attempt to use chlorine-based products to remove cat urine smell from a mattress. The logic is clear, as they can remove even the most complex spots. But in the case of cat urine, bleach works exactly the opposite. It does not remove the smell, but only enhances it, stimulating your pet to new “toilet accomplishments”.
For the same reasons, stains shouldn’t be washed with ammonia. In addition, it can affect the sense of smell of the animal.
To clean the mattress with deodorants, perfumes and aromatic oils will be a mistake. All these products do not clean, but simply mask the smell. Too harsh scents can cause an allergic reaction of both the cat and the owner.
