How to get rid of the cat smell in the apartment: ways and means

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Most people know that pets can fill the house with joy and warmth, communication with them heals the soul. Being nearby, they become members of the family, for whom they worry just like people.

Cats are special pets. No wonder there are legends about their independent character. And if there is a problem with a pet, then it is sometimes difficult to deal with it. One of these troubles is the refusal of the animal to go to the tray, which inevitably leads to the appearance of an unpleasant smell in the apartment. In this article, we will talk about the reasons for this behavior and how to get rid of the smell of a cat.

If it's small

Everyone who wants to have a little fluffy ball in the apartment needs to prepare for this event. In addition to bowls, cups, a rug, a comb and shampoo, a cat litter tray is a necessary thing. It should be noted here that when a large breed kitten appears in the house, you need to be prepared for the fact that you will have to buy trays asat least three sizes. Otherwise, the appearance of a cat smell cannot be avoided.

The smallest in size and with low sides are prepared for very small kittens. When they grow up, you need a medium-sized tray, already for constant use. Well, for large breeds, they then buy an even larger tray, with high sides and protection on them so that the animals do not rake the filler onto the floor.

Fillers are different, and you will have to experiment to understand which one your pet likes. Until the baby is accustomed, you need to remove all rugs and shoes. How to remove the smell of cat urine, we will consider later in the article.

How to litter train

In order to accustom a small kitten to the tray, you have to work hard. After all, he must understand what is required of him.

If the baby was taken away from his mother at the age of one and a half months, then, most likely, he already knows what the tray is for. Until this age, kittens are not yet able to remember where the toilet is, and they look for a place where they smell like a cat.

If the kitten was taken earlier, and he is not accustomed to a hygienic place, then the owner will have to work hard. To do this, you need to be very careful and watch your pet. When the animal wants to go to the toilet, it begins to show signs of anxiety, meows, runs from place to place in search of a suitable one. Here the task of the owner is to notice this and put the baby in the tray.

Some people need only one time, others need severalattempts. The main thing here is attentiveness and patience so that you don’t have to think about the question later: “How to neutralize the smell of cat urine?”

If the kitten was not followed, and he went in the wrong place, then you need to scold him a little and put him in the tray.

If an adult pet who knows what a toilet is is brought to the apartment, then he is first planted in a tray. He must first smell it, and then go to other rooms.

Where does bad smell come from

There are several reasons for the occurrence of bad smell, and the ways to solve such problems are different.

The reasons may be as follows:

• the kitten is still too small and doesn't know where the toilet is;
• an adult animal, previously flawless, suddenly starts to shit for no reason;
• the cat marks its territory (the smell of a cat makes it clear that only he is the owner here);
• maybe the pet is not happy with something;
• changed the filler to one that you don't like (smell, tactile sensations);
• the place where the tray is not liked by the animal (in full view or on the aisle);
• the smell comes from the cat litter box;
• the toilet is inconvenient or does not fit in size - in a cramped container it is simply impossible to sit comfortably and position the ponytail correctly.

The owner must be sensitive to the language of the pet in order to properly respond to his needs.

The problem is that the smell of cat litter is corrosive and spreads very quickly. If notclean immediately and systematically, they can soak furniture, clothes and floor coverings. In this case, you will have to take only drastic measures to change everything that smells bad.

Reason - tray and filler

If the owner decides to use a different filler, then you don’t need to do it abruptly - you should first check if the cat likes it. If not, you should expect puddles of protest in various places. This can happen to an adult animal if wood filler is poured into the tray instead of clay. The latter has a peculiar, even harsh, coniferous aroma - a pet may not accept it out of habit. Or he won't like the fact that a new stuffing like silicone sticks to his paws.

The dirty tray case is the easiest. Cats are clean animals, a dirty toilet does not suit them. Some are so demanding in this sense that they will not go into it a second time, but will make a puddle nearby. Therefore, it is imperative to change the filler to a fresh one in time and clean and wash the tray itself once a week with a product that repels the cat smell, such as laundry soap.

Another fairly common mistake owners make is washing cat litter boxes with strong-smelling chemicals that are not designed for this at all. If the plastic absorbs such a smell, the cat will not like it. You should use products from pet stores or ordinary laundry soap. If the tray is heavily soiled and had to be cleaned with a chemical composition, thenthe container must be rinsed well and dried until the smell disappears.

It is also necessary to pay attention to the size and convenience of the tray, as well as to its location - it should be secluded (cats are modest and bashful).

Psychological reasons

Among the reasons for the appearance of an unpleasant odor from excrement, psychological ones also play an important role - to solve the question: "How to remove the smell of a cat?" - in this case, it takes much more time and effort.

And they are:

1. The most banal and widespread is resentment. The animal may be offended by the lack of attention (when the owner does not have time), sudden movements (if the owner has no mood). The way out is careful observation of the pet: if he has become less likely to caress, does not purr, does not meet and even eats less - there is an insult. In this case, you need to show more care, play more often, pick up or just stroke, passing by. The results will not be long in coming.
2. Another reason is jealousy. This may be a new family member (a newborn child or an adult relative), and another animal. This situation becomes stressful for the pet, as he feels that he is already being given less time. This can make him mark his territory to get attention and show the other animal who's boss.
3. Also, a disease can become a reason for a pet's disobedience - only a visit to the veterinarian will help here.

Persistent smell removed immediately

ThanWhat explains the persistence of the smell of cat feces? The fact is that the crystal structure of uric acid does not dissolve in water, and conventional means are not able to cope with it. After the urine dries, the urea decomposes to form bacteria and the characteristic smell of ammonium. Then thiols (thiols) appear, and the aroma becomes even sharper. In addition, stains become sticky and difficult to remove from the surface.

Herein lies the problem: eliminating cat odor is a difficult task because it is harsh and corrosive. Therefore, it is best to detect an emergency immediately, then the consequences are eliminated promptly.

If trouble is detected immediately and the smell has not had time to spread, you need to take a paper towel and absorb moisture without rubbing it on the surface. If it is smooth, then you need to then rinse the contaminated area with a damp sponge and laundry soap and wipe dry. After that, the surface should be treated with fragrance.

If the trouble happened on a carpet or sofa, the place should be washed with carpet or upholstered furniture cleaners, rinsing several times with clean water. Some owners use vinegar as a cat odor remedy.

If you didn't notice right away

A more serious problem is when the crap is not found immediately - moisture is absorbed, dried out and exudes a strong unpleasant odor that spreads around.

Often hosts can't even find such a hiddentoilet. Especially for such situations, there are black Wood's lamps, which can be purchased at a hardware store. In the dark, in the light of this lamp, the old stain will give off yellow.

It will be convenient to use chalk to outline the place of the upcoming cleaning.

Spots with the smell of cat urine on a sofa or carpet will need to be treated especially carefully.

And then you need to proceed as follows:

1. Soak the old stain with water and blot it thoroughly with dry paper towels or sprinkle with the finest filler. After complete absorption, remove the debris in any convenient way.
2. Wet the dirty place with a mixture of water and table vinegar in a ratio of three to one and wait until it dries completely.
3. Then sprinkle the surface with baking soda.
4. Apply foam from a spray bottle on top of soda (after shaking it) - a solution of three percent hydrogen peroxide and water (one hundred milliliters each) with the addition of one teaspoon of laundry soap or detergent.
5. After completely dry, the floor should be washed, and the carpet or upholstered furniture should be cleaned.

The chemical process as a result of such cleaning is the following. The result of the interaction of soda and hydrogen peroxide is the formation of a large amount of oxygen that binds to thiols. This oxidative reaction decomposes them into carbon dioxide and ammonium, which quickly evaporate. Unpleasant odor and traces of reaction disappear.

But this is only one of the answers to the question of how to remove the smell of cat urine. Let's gonext!

Remove smell from tags

Cat marks are a much bigger problem as they have a stronger and more persistent odor. Cats mark territory to mark its boundaries and cats during estrus.

In order not to once again puzzle over the question "how to remove the cat's smell", at the very beginning you should decide whether the owner is going to get offspring from his pet. If not, it is worth castrating or sterilizing him, then peaceful coexistence and peace of mind for the whole family will be ensured.

If the situation is reversed, you will have to fight. The simplest method is the following: in a cat's favorite place, you need to stick double-sided tape on the floor - the pet will not like to stick with its paws. In addition, the contaminated surface still needs to be treated with antiseptics, and then with anti-odor agents. Also, next to the chosen place, you should put a half of an onion or citrus slices. You can also lay foil on the floor and fix it on the wall - its rustling can scare away the cat.

Just remember: if the smell is not completely removed, it is better not to use flavors - the mixture of flavors will turn out terrible.

Upholstered furniture cleaning

Consider how to remove the smell of cat urine from the upholstery of upholstered furniture. This method also applies to carpets and clothing. The main thing is to do everything promptly, preventing the urine from completely soaking into the tissue.

To do this, take note of the following helpful tips:

1. Having carefully processed the sofaor other soft surface with solutions of vinegar and soda, the surface is cleaned with a vacuum cleaner. Then additional treatment with deodorizing agents is carried out. This will make it possible to repel the animal, and it will no longer mark upholstered furniture. An obligatory remedy for this is an aerosol with an imitation of a strong tobacco smell (which cats really do not like) or a “pet smell” remedy specially created for this purpose.
2. Another remedy is glycerin. How to remove the smell of cat urine with it? It is necessary to moisten the foul-smelling surface with this preparation and allow it to be absorbed. After that, the upholstery is vacuumed. This method is good for processing not only textile surfaces, but also leather and suede.
3. Potassium permanganate can serve as an effective remedy against an unpleasant odor. The only advice is that its action must first be tested on an inconspicuous small area in order to be sure that after treatment there will be no whitish spots left and the color of the upholstery will not change.
4. If this is the urine of a small kitten, and it does not yet have a strong odor, you can rub laundry soap into a damp place, wait until it dries completely and vacuum the surface.
5. A solution of liquid (one teaspoon) soap and hydrogen peroxide (one hundred milliliters) will help save upholstered furniture and carpet. It is carefully rubbed into the upholstery and, after complete drying, is vacuumed.

Folk methods

How to remove the cat's smell using folk methods? Consider a few tips:

1. For cleaning fresh urinea weak solution of potassium permanganate is useful - they wipe the surface dried beforehand with napkins.
2. Hydrogen peroxide will help remove persistent odor (this action is due to the decomposition of animal protein in the urine).
3. After a thorough treatment of the soiled surface, it can be covered with mouthwash - cats do not like minty smell, and the air will be freshened.
4. If the animal continues to shit in the same place, after another treatment, you can put a cotton pad with a few drops of camphor or any citrus essential oil there.
5. The smell of cat urine on linoleum or uncoated floors is removed using products containing bleach, but only in the absence of the animal to avoid poisoning.
6. A solution of fifteen drops of iodine and a liter of water, which is used to treat a contaminated area, can also help.
7. You can wipe the cleaned surface with vodka or alcohol.

Special or household chemicals

Today, pet stores offer a wide range of various products that will not only make it easier to accustom the animal to the tray (DesoSan), but also help with the solution of the question "how to neutralize the smell of cat urine".

The following preparations can be used for cleaning (their effect is based on the complete neutralization of uric acid, which gives off a smell, under the action of enzymes):

• "Dufta Fresh" (DuftaFresh).
• "Dufta Car" (DuftaCar).
• "Dufta Pet" (DuftaPet).
• "DuftaSmoke".
• "Bio-F".
• "Odorgon".
• Antigadin.
• Zoovorsin (for furniture).

These funds are analogues of the well-known Vanish, only they can be purchased at a more affordable cost. They will not only clean the place of dirt and odors, but also kill germs. It is only necessary to rinse the surface well with water after them.

Also, Formidron (anti-sweat) and Anti-odor sprayers are suitable as a cat odor destroyer. Shoes can be processed last.

After thorough cleaning of contaminated areas, fragrances can be applied. They can serve as absorbents, essential oils, pads with herbs. But with them you need to be extremely careful not to harm the animal.

There are products that are undesirable to use - this is bleach and ammonia. They can not only not help with cleaning, but also make the situation even worse, reminding the cat of his own smell.

An ozonator will help

Recently, to solve the problem of the presence of an unpleasant cat odor in the house, an electronic device - an ozonator - has been used. When working, it releases ozone, which is the strongest oxidizing agent. The treatment results in air purification and odor elimination.

The actions are:

• for cleaning carpet or upholstery of upholstered furniture, the ozone stream from the device is directed to the treated spot and left for a couple of hours;
• some animals like to go to the toilet in flower pots - in this case, the ground should be watered with ozone water several times;
• the same water can berinse shoes after treatment, then dry them with an ozonizer;
• if the place where the animal shat is not found, and it is not possible to process it, try using a photocatalytic filter in the ozonator to clean the air in the room.

As you can see from the above, cleaning and getting rid of the smell of cat feces at home is not particularly difficult. The main thing is to do everything quickly and carefully.