First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Clean it as soon as you find it.
- Blot up as much as you can with paper towels.
- Cover the spot with a towel or paper towels and stand on it, repeating several times.
- Treat it with an enzymatic cleaner, following that product's directions.
Cat urine soaks into carpet, pads and other porous materials, and old urine odor comes from bacteria breaking down urea while the spot stays damp. With cats, the odor is the real problem, since they re-soil and spray areas they have marked with their scent. So the goal is to neutralize the smell, not just cover it up, and on hardwood or concrete an enzymatic cleaner is the option to reach for.
Start by blotting up whatever is still wet. Then work in an enzyme cleaner for cat pee, since it breaks down the urine rather than masking it. Skip bleach, which can leave the smell behind and makes the job harder.
4 items
What you'll need
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- Paper towelsThey pull up as much urine as possible before you treat the spot. (opens Amazon)
- Clean towelYou cover the blotted spot with it and stand on it to press out more urine.
- Enzymatic cleanerIt neutralizes the odor instead of masking it, so follow the product's directions. (opens Amazon)
- Cold waterIt is the only water you use for dampening and rinsing the spot.
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6
Blot up the fresh urine
Press paper towels onto the spot, then cover it with a towel or a pile of paper towels and stand on it. Repeat several times with fresh towels until little more comes up.
Tip. Switch to fresh towels each round so you don't press the urine back in.
Step 2 of 6
Dampen the spot with cold water
Lightly dampen the spot with cold water, then blot it again with fresh paper towels. Keep going until the towels come up clean.
Step 3 of 6
Apply the enzymatic cleaner
Saturate the spot with an enzymatic cleaner, following that product's directions, so the odor is neutralized rather than masked. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes before you blot again.
Tip. Use enough cleaner that the whole spot is wet, not just dotted.
Step 4 of 6
Blot out the cleaner and rinse
Blot up the cleaner and any remaining urine with fresh paper towels. Rinse the spot with cold water, then blot it as dry as you can.
Step 5 of 630 minutes
Repeat for a stubborn spot
If the stain or smell remains, apply the enzymatic cleaner again and let it sit for another 30 minutes. Then blot and rinse as before.
Step 6 of 6
Let the area dry completely
Let the spot air dry fully before anyone walks on it. Keep the cat out of the area until it is completely dry.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for cat urine
Look for an enzymatic cleaner made for pet urine, and follow the label's directions exactly.
Nature’s Miracle Dog Stain & Odor Remover, Enzymatic Cleaner, 32 oz
Nature’s Miracle Advanced Dog Stain & Odor Eliminator, Severe Mess
OdoBan Odor Eliminator & Disinfectant Concentrate
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on these surfaces, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →Pick what it is on
Cat Urine on every material
No match. Try the main search for anything else.
How to tell it's working
The spot is done when the towels come up clean and the area no longer smells once it is dry. If the smell returns after drying, repeat the enzyme treatment before you move on.
What changes for yours
Adjust for where the stain is
Carpet and rugs
Carpet holds urine in the fibers and in the padding underneath, so the steps above have to reach down that far. Use the enzymatic cleaner generously and let it soak through rather than sitting on top.
If the smell returns after the spot dries, the urine has likely reached the pad. The old-stain treatment below explains what to do next.
Washable clothes and bedding
It can come out in the wash, but only if you give it the full soak. Start with cold water and an enzyme presoak for at least 30 minutes, or for several hours on an aged stain. Then wash in warm (not hot) water and rinse.
If the stain is still there, soak it another half-hour and wash again. A stubborn stain may need a soak of 1 or 2 days, stirring occasionally, before it is fully gone, and then the item can air dry.
Hardwood floors
On hardwood, blot the urine right away and treat the spot with an enzymatic cleaner, the same as the steps above. Work the cleaner in with a damp cloth and wipe up what is left after the wait.
If the smell stays after treatment, the wood may need sanding and refinishing. The Hardwood Floors guide is the better place to go for that next step.
Concrete and cement
Cement and concrete take the same approach: blot the urine, then treat it with an enzymatic cleaner and let it sit for at least 30 minutes. Rinse the area with cold water and blot it dry once that time is up.
If the odor persists, repeat the treatment, since porous concrete can hold urine below the surface. If it is still there after two rounds, a flooring pro can check the slab.
Leather furniture
Leather needs different care, so the carpet and fabric approach doesn't apply to it the same way. Rubbing alcohol is unsafe on leather, and any cleaner should be tested on a hidden spot first.
For a leather couch or chair, use the Leather guide for the right method and products for that finish. Carpet, fabric and hard floors are the surfaces this treatment is meant for.
Old, dried or set-in stains
An old cat urine stain needs more time than a fresh one, so give the enzymatic cleaner several hours rather than the usual 30 minutes. For a washable item, soak it in cold water with an enzyme presoak for several hours as well.
Dried urine often needs several rounds of treatment before it is fully gone. Reapply the enzymatic cleaner after each round and let it sit before you blot.
If a washable item went through the dryer with the stain still in it, the heat has likely set it, so treat it again before the next dry. If the smell is still there after several rounds on carpet, the padding is probably holding it, so replace the padding and clean the floor underneath.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on cat urine?
Plenty of home remedies show up for pet stains, but most of them either don't handle urine or can make it worse. An enzymatic cleaner is the only product you really need for urine, so be wary of any remedy that replaces it.
Helps1Skip2Avoid3
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't use ammonia or vinegar cleaners
Both smell like urine and can be irritating, and ammonia can attract the cat back to that spot. Stick to an enzymatic cleaner for the whole job.
Don't steam-clean or use hot water
Heat permanently sets urine into man-made fibers and bonds the protein, so the stain and odor get harder to remove. Steam also kills the biological enzyme and bacteria products you just applied, which undoes the cleaner's work.
Don't rub the spot
Rubbing pushes urine deeper into the carpet or pad and spreads it wider. Press and blot instead, using fresh towels each round.
Don't put a washable item in the dryer too soon
Heat from the dryer makes a lingering odor harder to remove, and it can set the stain. Keep the item out of the dryer until both the stain and the smell are gone.
Don't use chlorine bleach on fresh urine
Urine contains ammonia compounds, and mixing them with chlorine bleach can produce hazardous gases. Bleach also doesn't remove urine odor, so it adds risk without solving the problem.
When to call a professional
If the smell survives the enzyme treatment and the cat keeps using the spot, a carpet or flooring pro can check the padding and the floor underneath. Replacing the padding and cleaning the subfloor are the next steps in that case, and a pro can judge how far the damage goes.
Questions
Is bleach safe to use on cat urine?
No. Keep bleach away from urine altogether and use an enzymatic cleaner, which is the product built for this job. Bleach is not a fix for the odor, so the enzyme treatment is the one that works.
Will cat pee come out in the wash?
Usually, if you treat it before the item goes in the dryer. Start with a cold water soak and an enzyme presoak, then wash warm and check the item before drying. Old stains may need repeated soaks.
Are cat urine stain removers safe for pets?
Follow the label's directions and keep pets away from the area until it is dry and rinsed. Stick to enzymatic cleaners, since ammonia-based cleaners can draw the cat back to that spot. Ask a vet if you're unsure about a specific product.
Which enzyme cleaner works on cat pee?
Use an enzymatic cleaner made for pet urine, and follow its directions exactly. It is the one product this cleanup relies on, since it neutralizes the odor instead of covering it up.
Why does the spot still smell after cleaning?
A lingering smell usually means some urine is still in the padding or the floor underneath. Treat it again with the enzymatic cleaner and let it sit for the full time before you blot.
Does getting the cat fixed stop spraying?
Spaying or neutering reduces hormone-driven spraying, which is a common reason cats mark. Spraying usually shows up as small amounts on vertical surfaces like chair backs and walls, so neutralize the odor everywhere the cat has sprayed.
Does a pheromone product stop spraying?
Many cats won't spray where a synthetic pheromone product is applied. Ask your vet about options if the spraying continues.
Odor guides
Still smells?
Related
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.