Cleaning And Getting Rid Of The Urine Smell

First, I must be frank with you - urine is not the easiest thing to get rid of, let alone the smell. But the good news is, if you are determined, you can do it!

Many of the store bought products promise to do the trick, but honestly, some do it - many don't. What they will do is attempt to cover up the smell, but if you have a pet, this will not prevent them from going back and marking their territory - because they can still smell their mark. so you need a cleaner and odor eliminator. Moving on...

3 Items you probably already have around your house, that you can use to clean up and eliminate urine and its odor are:

1. Vinegar
2. Baking Soda
3. Peroxide

I usually use each of them seperately, with warm water and a fan. And if you read my other hub, you know I use these regularly.

If you have a steam cleaner, or a wet vacuum for furniture, great. Lets do this!

Now I'm sure there are many other ways to do this, but here is mine. I am very impatient when it comes to these things and I want immediete results. If that is not possible (and in this case it is not) I want to know that what I am doing will work. So I use all of these methods, seperately, but at once. I want to walk away from the task at hand knowing I wont have to do it again. i know, I know, I am inpatient!

Before you do anything, if the urine is still damp, get as much as you can up with dry paper towels or washcloths. Soak up all that you can before putting anything on it. Once you have done this, move on to the next steps. You can use them in any order you wish.

If the urine is already dry, I suggest, Spraying it damp with warm water and trying to absorb as much of the urine as you can just as mentioned above. This will help take some of the stink away.

How Vinegar Works:

Vinegar helps gets rid of the odor by killing some of the odor causing bacteria, and neutralizing the smell.

Vinegar Does Not remove the urine, it basically just breaks it apart, loosens it up so you can can get it up. I use this full strength. Spray it on as a light mist, then scrub.Let it sit for a little while. If you apply it full strength, it works faster than if you apply it diluted. I get a clean towel or paper towel, soak up as much as I can, and repeat the process. After i am done I sprinkle baking soda over the damp part and let it dry. Then I clean up the baking soda.

Vinegar is strong, and some cannot tolerate it. but the good news is, the smell dissipates as it dries! And hopefully the urine smell will too.

I apply this as a paste and scrub, scrub, scrub. Afterwards i let the remaining paste stay on and let it dry overnight, or put a fan on the area to dry. Once it has dried the next day I vacuum it up or sweep it up.

Beware when using on visible surfaces - this can lighten your fabrics! so use at your discretion or dilute heavily and still use at your discretion.

I use this full strength. Pour it on a towel or lightly spray on the affected area, then scrub. i usually rinse my towel with warm water, ring it out good, and scrub again - or I get another dry towel/washcloth/paper towel.

You have the option to dilute this or use it full strength.

I must state that it is not recommended that you spray it on the area because then it absorbs in the material and sinks into it, but I feel if you do it lightly what is the difference? Plus it never worked for me when I applied it to a towel and scrubbed. I am 130 pounds soaking wet with clothes on so maybe it's because there is not as much power behind my scrubs as it may be with others. Like I said, your choice.

Rubbing Alcohol - Wintergreen scented (use just a capful on the spot - depending on the size and soak it back up with a towel)

Listerine - the alcohol in this acts the same as the one mentioned above.  This method takes longer though - you have to let it sit a wile before soaking it back up.