How to Treat Cat Urine Stains

If there is one thing that cat owners know, it's that cats are full of surprises. Unfortunately, not all of those surprises are positive and few are as unpleasant as discovering that your beloved pet has urinated outside of the litter box. Because of the extremely malodorous nature of cat urine, it is usually the smell of ammonia that tips cat owners off that there is a problem. When discovered, proper treatment is the only way to eliminate the stain and prevent damage to your carpet.

Things You'll Need

  • Gloves
  • Black light
  • Water
  • Paper towels
  • Enzyme cleaner
  • Wet-vac
  • Carpet stain remover
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Instructions

    • 1

      Pull on a pair of gloves and locate the stain. If your cat has been urinating outside of her box for some time, there are likely stains that you can't easily see. Using a black light, dim the room and sweep the light over the floor or any area where you suspect your cat has urinated. Any urine stain that is present will appear as a fluorescent green glow. Mark the stains with chalk or tape as you find them so that they can be easily located once the lights are turned on.

    • 2

      Rinse the stain with warm water, and blot the area thoroughly. This is especially important if the urine has dried or if the area was previously cleaned with commercial cleaners. When blotting the stain, fold over several pieces of paper towel and place them on the wet spot. Apply pressure with your gloved hand or a heavy object for several minutes before discarding the soiled towel. Continue until the paper towel is no longer discolored from the urine and the carpet is damp, but not overly wet.

    • 3

      Apply an enzymatic cleaner to the stained area. Enzyme cleaners break down the bacteria in cat urine and will eat away at stains and odors. Completely saturate the stain and allow it to sit according to the instructions given by the manufacturer. If the instructions require that the cleaner remains moist, cover the area with aluminum foil or plastic.

    • 4

      Rent a wet-vac for stubborn or old stains that are difficult to remove. The wet-vac helps to remove stains by forcing plain water into the carpet and pulling the dirty water back out. For best results, follow the manufacturer's instructions.

    • 5

      Treat any lingering stain with a carpet stain remover. Allow the carpet to dry after extraction with the wet-vac, and look for any remaining signs of the stain. Apply the stain remover, blot and vacuum after it has fully dried.