Pet Urine Odor Repellent

For as long as humans have had pets, they’ve been dealing with pet urine odor. Many types of repellents are in use, from traditional methods like white vinegar to modern methods containing specially formulated enzymes meant to break down the chemicals and bacteria that cause the odor. Many such repellents work on similar principles and require similar methods of application.

  1. Finding the Source

    • To work effectively, every repellent must be applied to the source of the odor. This can be difficult as pets, especially cats, have a tendency to hide their misdeeds. Because pet urine can soak down into carpeting and other absorbent materials, the repellent has to be able to do the same or it won’t eliminate the source. Any urine that remains can breed further bacteria, only allowing the odor to increase.

    Ammonia Repellents

    • Pet urine contains ammonia, like most other urine, and so ammonia-based repellents won’t do the job. In fact, the smell of the ammonia can encourage a dog or cat to use the area again. Not only because it smells of urine to them but also because they recognize the scent as not being their own. Cats and dogs are both territorial animals and smelling urine not their own can cause them to want to re-mark their territory.

    How Repellents Work

    • To be effective, an odor repellent not only has to be able to break down the urine, but also to kill the bacteria that grows and causes a good deal of the odor. This can be done through several processes. The mild acidity of white vinegar can change the pH of the urine, making it inhospitable to bacteria. The enzymes in modern cleaners actually break down the chemicals in the urine and in the bacteria, neutralizing the odor.

    Applying the Repellent

    • Most repellents need to thoroughly saturate the area, both so that they can penetrate and so that they can cover the same area that the urine did. Spray bottles are good applicators as it’s easy to get a good coverage on the area without completely soaking it. Then a rag should be used to pat the repellent into the area, especially if it is a carpet, furniture or another absorbent surface. Once the repellent has dried, clean the area using your regular means, such as carpet cleaning products or soap and water.

    Persistent Odors

    • If the odor continues after you have cleaned the area, it’s possible that you didn’t get the right spot, or that it didn’t penetrate deep enough or that another area needs to be cleaned. A handheld UV light can be helpful in finding further areas to which repellent needs to be applied. Pet urine glows under UV. However, if the repellent didn’t penetrate deep enough, no glow may be visible. Narrow down the possibilities and, if you suspect it’s the same spot, treat it again with your repellent, but use more. Make sure the area is soaked and again use a rag to press it into the carpet or furniture. If a second treatment doesn’t help, you may have to consult a professional.