Every cat owner knows how bad cat urine smells, and if your cat has ever used your laundry basket as a substitute for their litter box, you know how hard it can be to remove the odor from the soiled clothes. So, what is the best way of removing cat urine odor in clothes?
Vinegar is the best solution for removing cat urine odor in clothes. Vinegar works well because it neutralizes the salts that give cat urine its bad odor. Other effective solutions include using enzyme based cleaners or using baking soda, but there are other ways of removing the smell. Let’s check them out below.
9. Vinegar
Vinegar is the most effective solution for getting rid of cat urine odors in clothes. Just like enzyme-based cleaners, vinegar works by breaking down the alkaline salts in your cat’s urine.
When using vinegar, add the vinegar to your machine’s bleach dispenser and wash the clothes using cold water. After washing, air dry the clothes instead of using the dryer. The heat from the dryer can set the odor instead of eliminating it.
8. Enzyme-Based Cleaners
Enzyme-based cleaners are detergents that are specifically made for odor elimination. How they work is by breaking down the alkaline salts and killing the bacteria that causes the unpleasant smell in cat urine.
Using enzyme-based cleaners to get rid of cat urine odor is very easy. Simply add the enzyme-based cleaner to the machine instead of your normal detergent, and wash the soiled clothes using cold water. Using hot water will stop the enzymatic cleaners from working.
7. Rinse Using Clean Water
After blotting the pee, the next thing you need to do is to rinse out the soiled part using clean running water. This helps remove most of the remaining urine.
During rinsing, avoid scrubbing the affected spot. Doing so will make the urine soak deeper into the fabric. Once you’ve sufficiently rinsed out the spot, get some more paper towels and blot the area until it is dry.
6. Use Mouthwash
Mouthwash, such as Listerine, contains ingredients that kill the bacteria in your cat’s pee, as well as fresheners that will leave a pleasant smell on your clothes, instead of the repulsive cat pee odor.
To use mouthwash to get rid of cat urine odor, apply the mouthwash on the soiled spot, give some time for the mouthwash to seep into the fabric, and then rinse it off using clean running water.
5. Oxygen Bleach
Using detergents with oxygen bleach, such as Vanish or Oxiclean, can also help get rid of cat urine odor in clothes.
To use this method, put some warm water in a sink or basin, add some oxygen bleach to the water, and then soak the soiled clothes in the water for a few hours. After soaking, rinse off the clothes using clean water and put them out to dry in the sun.
4. Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is a natural chemical that helps neutralize odors and can be effective in removing cat urine smell from clothes.
To use hydrogen peroxide, apply a healthy amount of the hydrogen peroxide onto the affected area and allow it to soak into the fabric for about one hour or two. From there, you can put the affected garment into the washing machine and wash normally, then air dry the clothes.
3. Baking Soda
This versatile household ingredient is great for helping neutralize unwanted smells from clothing, including cat urine odors.
To use this method, mix the baking soda with your detergent when putting the soiled clothes into the washing machine. Alternatively, you can add some water to the baking soda to make it into a paste, apply it onto the soiled spot, and then put the clothes into the machine and wash normally.
2. Use Paper Towels To Blot The Urine
If your kitty has just peed on your clothes, the first thing you need to do is to blot the urine using paper towels. This prevents the cat urine from spreading further and deeper into the fabric of your clothes.
Blotting the urine also helps absorb the salts in the cat’s urine that make it so smelly. Absorbing these salts reduces the likelihood of the odor sticking to your clothes.
1. Avoid Mixing Your Clothes
If you notice cat pee on your clothes, you’ll naturally be tempted to quickly throw the soiled clothes into the washing machine with your other clothes. Don’t do this, since this will spread the repulsive odor onto your other clothes and make it harder for you to get rid of the smell.
Even putting the soiled clothes directly into the machine by themselves can lock in the odor, so what you should do instead is…
Related Questions
Why Does Cat Urine Smell So Bad? Cat urine smells so bad because as it breaks down, it produces ammonia as well as mercaptans – the compounds that make skunks smell so bad. So, will cat urine smell ever go away? Fortunately, it is possible to get rid of cat urine odor using various chemicals, such as vinegar or baking soda.
How Do You Get Cat Pee Smell Out Of A Couch? To get cat pee smell out of a coach, start by blotting the urine from the affected area using paper towels. Next, apply some vinegar solution or a baking soda to the affected area to neutralize the odor. Avoid scrubbing the area since this will only spread the urine onto unaffected areas.
How Do You Stop Cats From Peeing On Things? To stop cats from peeing on things, start by thoroughly cleaning up the accident to prevent your cat from being tempted to pee on the same things again. You can also spray cat repellents on the things you don’t want your cat to pee on. You should also make sure that your cat has adequate and clean litter boxes.
