Cleaning the area thoroughly with vinegar first and then applying an enzyme treatment will break down and evaporate the uric acid and your home will be free of cat odors. Vinegar and enzyme cleaners work on all surfaces: hardwood floors, carpets, mattresses.
Multiple things can cause your house to smell like cat urine, even if you don't have a cat. Investigate if there is mold, leaking Freon, sewer gases, smelly plants, spoiled food, or even stains from previous pet owners.
Use air neutralizers and masking scents like cleverly placed dryer sheets, carpet fresheners, scented candles, plug-in air fresheners, and sprays. Change Your Filters.
Mix equal parts white or apple cider vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray the vinegar cleaning solution on the affected area, whether your floor or furniture. Blot away the solution with a paper towel or old cloth. Repeat until the smell is gone.
When you clean or treat the spot, it may seem like the urine is gone because the stain and odor disappear. But the urine salts are still there. In their dry state, urine salts have no odor. But when it gets damp or humid, moisture reactivates the crystals and urine odor comes back – with a vengeance.
Baking Soda and Vinegar
Vinegar, while a bit smelly itself, works to remove the lasting odor of sprayed cat urine because vinegar is an acid that neutralizes the alkaline salts that form in dried urine stains. A solution of one part water and one part vinegar can be used to clean walls and floors.
The smell can last 3-5 days. Cats can smell over a mile depending on wind conditions. Then make the scent strip and “Cat Chum” (Described below) trails back in the most direct and safe way to your house and/or traps.
Orange and lemon peels (cats dislike citrus smells), cayenne pepper, coffee grounds, pipe tobacco, lavender oil, lemon grass oil, citronella oil, peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, & mustard oil.
Air purifier for pet odors
If cleaning up has not solved the problem and you have ruled out medical issues, an air purifier that deals well with VOCs is a good tool for eliminating pet odors. Some air purifiers are very good at removing or destroying VOCs, while some barely do anything with VOCs.
As a general rule, cats are sensitive when it comes to smells, but there are a few scents they hate that might just surprise you. They can't stand citrus and as much as you might love the smell of fresh herbs, cats hate rosemary and thyme. Banana and mustard are a big no-no too, as well as lavender and eucalyptus.
Cats have the potential to make your house smell. However, cats have little to no odor due to frequent self-cleaning. Cat urine and poop can leave a long-lasting odor if it is not confined to a litter box. Any animal you get will give your house even a light smell, including cats.
Regular litter box maintenance and careful clean-up can keep your house smelling fresh. No one likes a home that smells of cat odor. Cat odor can come from a variety of places: litter boxes, cat urine and feces. Each can be managed effectively with a little attention.
Baking soda is one of the best items you can use to absorb bad smells. You can leave an open box or bowl of baking soda in your refrigerator and sprinkle some in the bottom of your trash cans to neutralize foul odors that tend to develop in these places.
Sprinkle the mixture onto fabric surfaces, including carpeting, and let sit for 30 minutes or overnight. Vacuum up the baking soda mixture, and with it, those bad smells.
Because the vinegar is acidic, it will neutralize the bacteria in the dog pee, offsetting its odor. Vinegar is pet safe, effective, cheap, and eco friendly. Let the vinegar solution sit for 3-5 minutes or carefully follow the instructions on the cleaning product's label.
Combat Pet Odor
That water gets into the rugs and upholstery, or puddles up on the floor. Dehumidifiers help to suck up excess moisture and can help reduce those pet odors that are taking over your home.
Some recommend adding one pound of baking soda to the wash or to run a cycle with a cup of white vinegar and no detergent, then run a second cycle with regular detergent. Try again. Cat urine odor is a difficult smell to get rid of and you might have to repeat the steps again until the smell is gone.
Vacuum or Sweep Daily. You don't have to spend hours upon hours vacuuming, but just keeping a small hand held vacuum or dust pan in your cat's designated area for easy cleanups from litter and food throughout the day will keep your house nice and tidy while preventing those things to be tracked all over your home.