Cats have a smelly urine, which is a major problem for most cat owners. It seems like they always miss out using their litter box when throwing their wastes.
Also, most of them loves to target their owner’s clothes and laundry baskets. For most cat lovers, this turmoil is head-wrecking and most of them cannot bear it anymore. To help you out, here is how to get cat pee smell out of your clothes.
The Problem
Felines who have no permanent litter box leave their wastes whichever corner they feel fit. They frequently pee in a closet where fabrics absorbs the smelly waste. We cannot blame the pets in making such a bad habit. It is why early litter training is the best thing that cat owners must do.
However, we have the power to get rid of the chaos that our cats do. It is never too late to get cat pee smell out of your clothes.
Why Do Cats Have Such Peeing Issues?
Cat’s inappropriate urination is not a joke. It might indicate that your pet have severe health or behavioral issues. So, consult a vet immediately before it is too late. Experts conclude that the main reason why do cats have peeing issues is because of a dirty litter box.
But some say that a urinary tract problem is another cause of cat’s peeing issues. Whatever the reason is, it takes action to stop the chaos.
The Step-By-Step Solution
The following remedies to remove cat pee smell out of your clothes are in effect while the stain is fresh. Avoid rubbing the stain to prevent spreading out the foul smell throughout the fabric. Without further ado, let’s get it started!
1. Pre-treat Urine-stained Clothes
Putting the stained garments directly on the washing machine is not a decent way to be freed from pee smell. It may contaminate the other laundry loads. Get a paper towel or any absorbent cloth then lock into the clothing until the towel absorbs most of the liquid. We say ‘lock into’ and not ‘rub into’ because the latter may cause further lousy odor on the clothing.
Lastly, rinse the garment with lukewarm water.
2. Add Oxygen Bleach
Fill the sink with warm water and add a scoop of oxygen bleach. Colored garments require at least one hour of water-logged while four hours for white clothes. The prior type of garments is easier to clean than white clothes; that is why it took shorter soaking hours. Do not use chlorine bleach for it might destroy the fabric, especially the colored ones.
3. Vinegar Wash
Use white vinegar in washing away the pee smell. Vinegar neutralizes cat urine’s alkaline pH level with its acidic pH. This solution demands insignificant cost with many options. Soak the cloth with pee into the vinegar mixture, which is composed of three cups of water and one cup of white vinegar, within 15-minutes until extra mess appears. Wait for another 20-minute and then wash employing cold detergent-free water.
4. Cover Up The Stained Area With Baking Soda
Adding a baking soda is optional, especially when you can still smell something terrible after the third step. One cup is enough to cover up the affected area. It works with the vinegar in absorbing the urine odor.
Start washing the fabric with lukewarm water because hot water can set the stain and odor. Do not yet add laundry detergent.
5. Add Enzyme-based Detergent
After doing the previous steps to remove the bad smell, you can proceed to the traditional way of laundering. Look for color-safe and cold-water detergents, which contain enzymes. It is more effective in eliminating urine stains than regular soaps at a lower temperature.
Apply the enzyme-based detergent on the affected clothing spot. Set up the washing machine and put on clothes with a lighter load. It helps to wash each clothing thoroughly. Let it dry naturally, and this will last for hours. Avoid using a machine dryer because it affects setting the odor and stain permanently.
Other Effective Solutions
1. Activated Charcoal
Carbon filters are used in most litter boxes to address odor issues. It is, therefore, useful in absorbing bad odors caused by the cat’s pee. Prepare an unusable cloth and place it on the affected area. Then, add a thick layer of activated charcoal on top of the fabric and let it stay for several hours. Wash up the garment to see results.
2. Nano Active Metal Oxides
Most household products for air filtration, cleaning, and laundry contain Nano active metal oxides. It has a combined power of activated carbon and enzymes that neutralizes terrible odor. You can use Nano active metal oxides as an alternative for enzyme-based detergents. The solution removes any trace of pee smell.
The Result
At first, cat pee seems hard to remove. But there are ways to eliminate its bad odor and even its stain. The process might be too tricky, which requires more time and effort, but it is worth it. So, take the washing action right after the incident to run away from stuck stain and odor.