Even the best well-trained cats occasionally have an accident outside of their litterbox. Sometimes they accidentally get shut in a room, they get odor, or they are trying to mark their territory. No matter the cause, it leaves behind a nasty stain and odor that can be hard to remove. Luckily, we’re experts at getting the toughest stains out of carpet, including cat urine. Here are our tips:
Tackle The Stain and Odor
The first thing that you need to do is take care of the stain that mess has left in your carpet. You don’t want to let this sit too long or it will become permanent. Here are the steps to take:
What to do:
- Act quickly. The longer you wait, the worse it will get. This is worth dragging yourself out of bed to handle if it happens in the middle of the night.
- If the mess is still wet, remove as much urine as possible using paper towels. Do this by gently laying paper towels on the area, and replacing them when they’re soiled.
- Be sure to blot at the stain, don’t rub it. This will push the urine deeper into the carpet fibers instead of removing it.
- If the stain is dry, pour cold water on it first and then proceed to blot it.
- Once you’ve absorbed as much moisture as you can, use baking soda to help absorb the smell, and vacuum to remove.
- Avoid using cleaners with ammonia. Cat urine contains ammonia, and the similar smells could encourage the cat to mark the same spot again.
Assess The Deeper Damage
Once you’ve finished cleaning the immediate mess, assess the deeper damage. In many cases, the urine will soak through the carpet to the padding and sub-floor. A surface cleaning will not reach these areas. If you still suspect there is a deeper mess after you’ve finished cleaning, you need to call in back-up. A pet urine removal expert such as Southside Chem-Dry will be able to remove the deeper stain. A professional cleaning can also remove dust and drit, allowing you to avoid unfortunate health problems.
Take Preventative Measures
Once you’ve finished the clean-up process, you’ll know that this is an experience you’ll never want to have again. Here are a few steps you can take to make a repeat accident less likely.
- Has anything changed recently? If you have adopted a new pet, moved, or made other life changes, your cat may be spraying. Help your cat feel comfortable and secure in their home.
- Provide easy access to the litter box. The litter box needs to be in a room that the cat can access at all times of the day, and not blocked by anything.
- Clean the litter box often and consistently. You cat might be avoiding their box because it’s full.
Investigate Repeat Behavior
If you’ve taken steps to take care of the problem and your cat is still having accidents outside the box, there may be something deeper at play. Take note of any other strange your cat may be exhibiting and consult your vet. It’s important to check that the behavior is not caused by a medical condition, such as digestive disorders or muscle/joint pain. If this is the case, your vet will help your cat feel better or find a better solution for your cat, such as a lower litterbox entrance for cats with bad joints.
Pets urine stains are annoying, but they don’t have to be permanent! For more help in removing pet urine stains, give Southside Chem-Dry a call today!