Removing Cat Smell

A house that smells of a cat or another pet doesn't necessarily indicate bad housekeeping. Because cats and other pets tend to have accidents indoors and spend a lot of time laying and rolling around on the floor, your carpet can soon be permeated with cat smell. Homeowners have options for removing pet odors, though.

Since most cat smell odors are due to accidents, your first step is to clean the resulting stains. Stains from defecation, urination or vomiting must be treated immediately. But just disposing of solid waste isn't enough.

The soiled area needs to be cleaned with an excellent deodorizer like vinegar, mild dish soap, or color safe bleach. When the stain is gone, rinse by blotting with a damp rag or paper towel.

Sometimes wicking can occur with cat urination. The liquid stain has pooled at the bottom of the carpet. After cleaning the surface, the stain can reappear in a few hours or a day or two as the liquid rises up through the fibers to the top of the carpet. The carpet padding may be saturated and cause the stain and odor to remain. To eliminate wicking, place a towel or rag over the stain and weigh it down with books or other heavy items. Let the cloth set overnight to absorb all of the liquid and clean the stain again.

Do not use a steamer to clean cat stains or a hairdryer to dry them. Heat sets stains and odors in fabrics, making them impossible to remove.

If you can’t locate the stain causing a cat smell, use a black light to find impurities in your carpet. Brace yourself for a minefield once you turn off the regular lights.

To keep your carpet fresh-smelling, sprinkle a deodorizing powder or baking soda on your carpet once a week. Baking soda doesn't have an odor and is inexpensive, if you dislike using scented deodorants and want to keep your expenses down.

Avoid using ammonia or acid-based product to clean your carpet since your cat may mistake the product's odor for the scent of its own urine and continue to mark your carpet.

When common household deodorants don't work, visit your local pet store for some heavy duty cat smell removers, like enzyme neutralizers. These can be costly, but they will work.

If everything fails, hire a professional carpet cleaner. A professional will clean the carpet and have it looking like new.

Once the carpet is clean, it's time to clear the air. An electric air purifier will remove any lingering cat smell odors. A more old-fashioned method would be letting a pot of vinegar simmer on your stove. The vinegar neutralizes and removes impurities from the air. The vinegar's scent is unpleasant, but it’s preferable to cat smell and will dissipate.

Cats and other pets are important members of many families, but they have their smelly side. With proper training of your cat and regular removal of cat smell, though, your cat is worth the extra work needed to keep your house fresh-smelling.