Tuesday aka how to green clean cat pee without a stinky chemical smell!
I skipped The Studio yesterday so that I could get some cleaning done around the house. We've been so busy with getting ready for the Grand Opening and all that entails that my house has suffered.
During P-Nut's final weeks he was very sick and, well, there was a poop issue. He went in for surgery to correct the problem and the vet found him 'riddled' with cancer. So we said goodbye to Mr. P. and did not see him again. Great Sadness! Kittin was not able to say goodbye to Mr. P. Confused, Kittin spent several days wandering the house looking for him. It was sad, then pathetic, then kinda annoying. Kittin got so upset looking for Mr. P that he made himself sick. Apparently he stressed himself so much that it caused an inflammation in his bladder and then there was a pee issue. I thought I had spot cleaned well enough and then Marzipan got a UTI and was peeing everywhere. So I cleaned cat excretions all day yesterday.
I've been a pet owner for many years and have dealt with a myriad of cat ailments, smells, and fluids. I have likely spent over a thousand dollars in different cleaners in a futile attempt to find one that made the smells go away. As you might be aware, many of the products available will clean the mess and the smell but will leave another not always welcome smell in its place. Usually it smells like a chemical attempt at flowers or citrus. None of which I find at all pleasing and many of which I am allergic to. Nothing better than having a nice clean house only to be driven away by the relentless sneezing that the cleaner causes.
In an attempt to find something that actually worked without setting off all my allergies I trudged through the web of misinformation in hopes of finding some truth to set me and my allergies free while ridding my house of stinky pee. I am happy to report complete success and it's all stuff I already had in my house! Joy! And here it is:
You will need white vinegar, water, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide (3% solution), and liquid dish washing detergent (for hand washing dishes NOT the kind that goes in the dishwasher). You will also need some old towels or paper towels, and two containers that can safely hold liquids. One can be a spray bottle. Neither container needs to be anything special but do not use a metal bowl.
If you have not done this before, please test a small area first to ensure colorfastness.
1) If the pee is new, soak it up as much as possible without putting so much pressure on the puddle that it soaks further into the surface (be it carpet or sofa). Never rub or scrub, it will only spread the stink further into and around the area
1b) If the pee is old skip this step
2) Throughly cover the area in a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water - a spray bottle is a great way to do this.
3) Allow the 50/50 solution to set for at least 5 minutes then remove the solution in the same method described in step 1. If you have a wet vac then use it to speed up the process
4) Mix a cup of hydrogen peroxide with a tablespoon of the dish detergent (remember - hand detergent, not dishwasher detergent) in a non-metallic container
5) Liberally sprinkle baking soda over the area. It's okay if it's still a bit damp from the vinegar/water
6) Slowly pour the peroxide/detergent mix over the baking soda.You don't need to use all of it, just enough to cover the area well
7) Mix the baking soda and the peroxide mix into the stain with gloved hands or a scrub brush that is safe for the surface you're cleaning. You want this solution to penetrate well so make sure you work it into the stain well
8) Once it is completely dry use a vacuum to remove any excess baking soda.
9) Enjoy a pee free, stink free home
This sounds like a lot of work but steps 1-7 are relatively fast. For step 8 I lightly covered the sofa and chair with a sheet overnight so it could dry without kittin playing in it. I vacuumed the next day. No more stink no more chemical flower stench.
During P-Nut's final weeks he was very sick and, well, there was a poop issue. He went in for surgery to correct the problem and the vet found him 'riddled' with cancer. So we said goodbye to Mr. P. and did not see him again. Great Sadness! Kittin was not able to say goodbye to Mr. P. Confused, Kittin spent several days wandering the house looking for him. It was sad, then pathetic, then kinda annoying. Kittin got so upset looking for Mr. P that he made himself sick. Apparently he stressed himself so much that it caused an inflammation in his bladder and then there was a pee issue. I thought I had spot cleaned well enough and then Marzipan got a UTI and was peeing everywhere. So I cleaned cat excretions all day yesterday.
I've been a pet owner for many years and have dealt with a myriad of cat ailments, smells, and fluids. I have likely spent over a thousand dollars in different cleaners in a futile attempt to find one that made the smells go away. As you might be aware, many of the products available will clean the mess and the smell but will leave another not always welcome smell in its place. Usually it smells like a chemical attempt at flowers or citrus. None of which I find at all pleasing and many of which I am allergic to. Nothing better than having a nice clean house only to be driven away by the relentless sneezing that the cleaner causes.
In an attempt to find something that actually worked without setting off all my allergies I trudged through the web of misinformation in hopes of finding some truth to set me and my allergies free while ridding my house of stinky pee. I am happy to report complete success and it's all stuff I already had in my house! Joy! And here it is:
You will need white vinegar, water, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide (3% solution), and liquid dish washing detergent (for hand washing dishes NOT the kind that goes in the dishwasher). You will also need some old towels or paper towels, and two containers that can safely hold liquids. One can be a spray bottle. Neither container needs to be anything special but do not use a metal bowl.
If you have not done this before, please test a small area first to ensure colorfastness.
1) If the pee is new, soak it up as much as possible without putting so much pressure on the puddle that it soaks further into the surface (be it carpet or sofa). Never rub or scrub, it will only spread the stink further into and around the area
1b) If the pee is old skip this step
2) Throughly cover the area in a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water - a spray bottle is a great way to do this.
3) Allow the 50/50 solution to set for at least 5 minutes then remove the solution in the same method described in step 1. If you have a wet vac then use it to speed up the process
4) Mix a cup of hydrogen peroxide with a tablespoon of the dish detergent (remember - hand detergent, not dishwasher detergent) in a non-metallic container
5) Liberally sprinkle baking soda over the area. It's okay if it's still a bit damp from the vinegar/water
6) Slowly pour the peroxide/detergent mix over the baking soda.You don't need to use all of it, just enough to cover the area well
7) Mix the baking soda and the peroxide mix into the stain with gloved hands or a scrub brush that is safe for the surface you're cleaning. You want this solution to penetrate well so make sure you work it into the stain well
8) Once it is completely dry use a vacuum to remove any excess baking soda.
9) Enjoy a pee free, stink free home
This sounds like a lot of work but steps 1-7 are relatively fast. For step 8 I lightly covered the sofa and chair with a sheet overnight so it could dry without kittin playing in it. I vacuumed the next day. No more stink no more chemical flower stench.