Completely Removing Cat Odor, Possible?

nospam DeleteThis @nospam.com wrote:
> I'm looking to buy this cat lover's house. The house is full of cat
> hair and cat urine smell that I plan to replace all the carpet covered
> area with new carpet or hardwood.
>
> Yet, I'm afraid that cat urine has penetrate through the capet and
> underlay to the floor board. AFAIK, the owner has been living in this
> house for the last ten years, probably having the cat(s) with him the
> same amount of time. And apparantly, he's pretty messy that I suspect
> he didn't even attemp to clean up the areas where the cat urinated on.
>
> So is it possible to get this house odor free again with new carpet?
> Thanks.
I don't promise anything, but my sister tells me that
you can clear a lot of odors out of a house by toasting
a marsmallow over the kitchen cook top. She found out
when her husband experimented with marshmallows in the
microwave. Before that they had a problem with the odor
of the skunk that moved in under their house. After
that the odor was gone. So, they tried the toasting
method instead of the microwave method and supposedly it
works.

And of course it is cheap.

Bill Gill
 >> Stay informed about: Completely Removing Cat Odor, Possible? 

<nospam DeleteThis @nospam.com> wrote in message
news:l3qtg01frbbmf5135b090jm4au7jeqeqrt@4ax.com...
> I'm looking to buy this cat lover's house. The house is full of cat
> hair and cat urine smell that I plan to replace all the carpet covered
> area with new carpet or hardwood.
>
> Yet, I'm afraid that cat urine has penetrate through the capet and
> underlay to the floor board. [snip]>
> So is it possible to get this house odor free again with new carpet?

Remove all the old carpet and the padding. Cover the bare floor with
generous amounts of baking soda. Install new pad and carpet.
 >> Stay informed about: Completely Removing Cat Odor, Possible? 

ameijers wrote:

>
> In a word, NO. Carpet alone won't cut it, if it is in to the wood.
> Count on replacing subfloor as well. There are products that help
> reduce the smell, and people will jump in here swearing by them, but
> it has been my experience that the first damp day, the smell will be
> back. And don't forget that if he had a tomcat, the bottom few feet
> of drywall is also probably contaminated. (It only takes a few
> drops.) I love cats, but I'm allergic to them, and when I walk into
> wherever the catbox is when I visit people, I about gag. They
> honestly don't even notice the stench. I'd never consider buying a
> former cat house.

If you love cats so much, why don't you get injections to overcome the
allergy? Eh? EH?

It also is illustrative that when you visit a cat owner, you make a bee-line
for the cat box. Then gag. I don't even think the American Psychiatric
Association has a NAME for such a syndrome.

And cat scent can be handled.
 >> Stay informed about: Completely Removing Cat Odor, Possible? 

nospam.TakeThisOut@nospam.com wrote:
> I'm looking to buy this cat lover's house. The house is full of cat
> hair and cat urine smell that I plan to replace all the carpet covered
> area with new carpet or hardwood.
>
> Yet, I'm afraid that cat urine has penetrate through the capet and
> underlay to the floor board. AFAIK, the owner has been living in this
> house for the last ten years, probably having the cat(s) with him the
> same amount of time. And apparantly, he's pretty messy that I suspect
> he didn't even attemp to clean up the areas where the cat urinated on.
>
> So is it possible to get this house odor free again with new carpet?
> Thanks.

There are two solutions:

1. Get your own cat and presently the odor will disappear.

2. Get an Ozone generator. Not one of those pissant Ion Breeze trinkets, but
one that can put out 500-900 ug of Ozone per hour. These are used for
gosh-awful odor remediation such as dead horses in the spare bedroom that go
unnoticed for a few months.
 >> Stay informed about: Completely Removing Cat Odor, Possible? 

"Jonny R" <jonny_rizzo.RemoveThis@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:fa7d8b44.0408030950.2b6fdbc@posting.google.com...
> "ameijers" <aemeijers.RemoveThis@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:<KhEPc.167628$OB3.40583@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net>...
> > <nospam.RemoveThis@nospam.com> wrote in message
(snip)
>
> I wouldn't buy a house that smelled like cat urine, but I would
> definitely not refuse to buy a house simply because the previous
> owners had a cat.

Well, uh, yeah, that is pretty much what I meant- I wouldn't buy a house
where previous cat freak owner had multiple cats and let them piss all over
the place. (I thought the sarcastic euphemism 'cat house' sort of implied
that.) I have been in houses with one or two well-mannered cats,
indoor-outdoor so no damn litter box, and there was no stench or allergy
reaction. Probably not coincidently, they were houses w/o wall-to-wall
carpet. For allergy sufferers, that big sponge/incubator on the floor is
something to be avoided. A house like that wouldn't be a problem. But if it
stinks when I walk in, and/or if my head starts stuffing up after a few
minutes poking around, I'll cross it off the list under 'life's too short'.
Sterilizing a house is annoyingly expensive and time consuming.

aem sends....
 >> Stay informed about: Completely Removing Cat Odor, Possible? 

"Kath" <khavemann.RemoveThis@woh.rr.com> wrote in message
news:ceoi3s$do2$1@mailgate2.lexis-nexis.com...
> <nospam.RemoveThis@nospam.com> wrote in message
> news:l3qtg01frbbmf5135b090jm4au7jeqeqrt@4ax.com...
> > I'm looking to buy this cat lover's house. The house is full of cat
> > hair and cat urine smell that I plan to replace all the carpet covered
> > area with new carpet or hardwood.
> >
> > Yet, I'm afraid that cat urine has penetrate through the capet and
> > underlay to the floor board. [snip]>
> > So is it possible to get this house odor free again with new carpet?
>
> Remove all the old carpet and the padding. Cover the bare floor with
> generous amounts of baking soda. Install new pad and carpet.
>
>
I've been there before. Years ago I had tenants with two male cats. After
they left, the apartment was beyond human habitation. I took them to court
and the judge agreed with me, but only for $300. Must have been a cat lover.

If it was me I wouldn't buy the house. But if you really want it you can do
the following: Tear up the carpets and throw them out. You may have to throw
out some of the wood trim if it is a particularly disgusting area. Get some
bleach (mix some water in, 50/50) and mop the floors and the walls (this
will kill the stench and your sinuses). Give it time to soak in. You may
have to do this more than once. Dump polyurethane on the floors and walls
and mop it in (this will seal the residual stench). If you got all the spots
the cats "hit" then the smell should be gone.

Don't try those miracle deodorizers. They don't work. Never have, never
will. Especially in your situation where the cats have been there for years
and the wood has been "saturated". The only other options are gutting it or
burning the place down (not recommended).
 >> Stay informed about: Completely Removing Cat Odor, Possible? 

nospam.TakeThisOut@nospam.com wrote in message news:<l3qtg01frbbmf5135b090jm4au7jeqeqrt.TakeThisOut@4ax.com>...
> I'm looking to buy this cat lover's house. The house is full of cat
> hair and cat urine smell that I plan to replace all the carpet covered
> area with new carpet or hardwood.
>
> Yet, I'm afraid that cat urine has penetrate through the capet and
> underlay to the floor board. AFAIK, the owner has been living in this
> house for the last ten years, probably having the cat(s) with him the
> same amount of time. And apparantly, he's pretty messy that I suspect
> he didn't even attemp to clean up the areas where the cat urinated on.
>
> So is it possible to get this house odor free again with new carpet?
> Thanks.

The previous owner of our home had three cats and two dogs over a 35+
year period.

Here's what we did last summer before moving in:

1. Removed ~1000 sq. ft. of carpet and padding
2. Poured vinegar/water mixture on subfloor, let evaporate, repeat
3. Poured Nature's Miracle on subfloor, let soak, repeat
4. Applied Kilz sealer on floor
5. Installed Maple hardwood (over rosin paper underlayment)
6. Painted the walls

#2 reduced the smell slightly. I couldn't smell it anymore after #3.
I was very liberal with SEVERAL applications (probably overkill,
but...) Last winter was rainy and cold, and this summer, the indoor
temps. sometimes rose above 90*F (until we recently got a new roof
w/insulation). We've lived here for 11 months now and haven't noticed
any sign of the smell. Good luck.
 >> Stay informed about: Completely Removing Cat Odor, Possible? 

"JerryMouse" <nospam.RemoveThis@bisusa.com> wrote in message
news:-vudnf0mP65c2Y3cRVn-og@giganews.com...
> ameijers wrote:
>
> >
> > In a word, NO. Carpet alone won't cut it, if it is in to the wood.
> > Count on replacing subfloor as well. There are products that help
> > reduce the smell, and people will jump in here swearing by them, but
> > it has been my experience that the first damp day, the smell will be
> > back. And don't forget that if he had a tomcat, the bottom few feet
> > of drywall is also probably contaminated. (It only takes a few
> > drops.) I love cats, but I'm allergic to them, and when I walk into
> > wherever the catbox is when I visit people, I about gag. They
> > honestly don't even notice the stench. I'd never consider buying a
> > former cat house.
>
> If you love cats so much, why don't you get injections to overcome the
> allergy? Eh? EH?
>
> It also is illustrative that when you visit a cat owner, you make a
bee-line
> for the cat box. Then gag. I don't even think the American Psychiatric
> Association has a NAME for such a syndrome.
>
> And cat scent can be handled.
>
You're a twit, Jerry. Any doctor will tell you, the best approach to
allergies is to avoid the cause. Desensitization to allergies is far from an
exact science, and can make you allergic to other stuff. The other approach,
heavy prophylatic dosages of antihistimines, produces side effects almost as
bad as the allergies. My natural body chemistry is screwed up enough on its
own, thank you. I use the pills for when symptoms strike, and try to avoid
them otherwise. And as to if I 'make a bee-line for the cat box' - well, the
cat box is usually (for reasons I can't comprehend) in the guest bathroom.
You hang around somebody's house for a few hours, eventually you need to go
to the can. It's considered bad manners to piss in the bushes in most areas,
after all.

But having said all that, and having scanned a few of your other posts at
random on Google, further discussion with you would be a waste of my time.
Enjoy the bit bucket.

aem sends....
 >> Stay informed about: Completely Removing Cat Odor, Possible? 

DO NOT BUY THE HOUSE!! YOU'LL NEVER GET THE SMELL OUT!

Sijka

<nospam.TakeThisOut@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:l3qtg01frbbmf5135b090jm4au7jeqeqrt@4ax.com...
> I'm looking to buy this cat lover's house. The house is full of cat
> hair and cat urine smell that I plan to replace all the carpet covered
> area with new carpet or hardwood.
>
> Yet, I'm afraid that cat urine has penetrate through the capet and
> underlay to the floor board. AFAIK, the owner has been living in this
> house for the last ten years, probably having the cat(s) with him the
> same amount of time. And apparantly, he's pretty messy that I suspect
> he didn't even attemp to clean up the areas where the cat urinated on.
>
> So is it possible to get this house odor free again with new carpet?
> Thanks.
 >> Stay informed about: Completely Removing Cat Odor, Possible? 

sijka wrote:

> DO NOT BUY THE HOUSE!! YOU'LL NEVER GET THE SMELL OUT!
>
> Sijka
>
> <nospam.DeleteThis@nospam.com> wrote in message
> news:l3qtg01frbbmf5135b090jm4au7jeqeqrt@4ax.com...
>
>>I'm looking to buy this cat lover's house. The house is full of cat
>>hair and cat urine smell that I plan to replace all the carpet covered
>>area with new carpet or hardwood.
>>
>>Yet, I'm afraid that cat urine has penetrate through the capet and
>>underlay to the floor board. AFAIK, the owner has been living in this
>>house for the last ten years, probably having the cat(s) with him the
>>same amount of time. And apparantly, he's pretty messy that I suspect
>>he didn't even attemp to clean up the areas where the cat urinated on.
>>
>>So is it possible to get this house odor free again with new carpet?
>>Thanks.
>
>
>
Don't buy the house. Don't even think about it. My son brought his male
kitty home for a few weeks one summer. Before he had him "fixed" he
decided to mark his territory in two places... the downstairs bathroom
floor and behind the TV in the Den. THANK GOODNESS the carpet was old,
and needed replacing. We Tried everything - every chemical - every
"miracle" marketed in a bottle or can. NOTHING worked. We might THINK it
worked, but actually we were just getting used to the smell for a while
as the perfume wore off - the kitty smell came back. I'm SURE others
smelled long before we did. Anyway, to finally get rid of it, we had to
pull up the carpet AND the padding... AND clean the subfloor by
scrubbing with soap and water several times. Then, when it dried out (a
few days), we painted it several times with KilZ - a primer / stain
blocker. That finally did it. Just glad it happened before the new
carpet. Cats are BANNED from our house now. If you have one, don't come
visit me unless you leave kitty at home.
 >> Stay informed about: Completely Removing Cat Odor, Possible? 

"Steve Henderson" <shenderson_2 DeleteThis @charter.net> wrote in message
news:10hfvlntlqo4r08@corp.supernews.com...

> We Tried everything - every chemical - every
> "miracle" marketed in a bottle or can. NOTHING worked. We might THINK it
> worked, but actually we were just getting used to the smell for a while
> as the perfume wore off - the kitty smell came back.

There's a product called "Urine-Erase" that I think is an enzyme that
specifically attacks urine. I used it once a long time ago and it worked
for me. As far as I know, the company is still in business. You might give
it a try.
 >> Stay informed about: Completely Removing Cat Odor, Possible? 

I am just curious`why cat urine is so rank? I've never smelled it, but
everyone has this reaction so I'm assuming it's different from a dogs. I
have housebroken plenty of pups who've had the occasional accident but no
residual odor remained after cleaning & Lysol. I'm just wondering what the
smell is similar too andthe purpose of nature for it-diet, chemical, etc?
Thank you for the education.
Michelle


"Andrew Koenig" <ark.DeleteThis@acm.org> wrote in message
news:bZWRc.192202$OB3.56368@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
> "Steve Henderson" <shenderson_2.DeleteThis@charter.net> wrote in message
> news:10hfvlntlqo4r08@corp.supernews.com...
>
> > We Tried everything - every chemical - every
> > "miracle" marketed in a bottle or can. NOTHING worked. We might THINK
it
> > worked, but actually we were just getting used to the smell for a
while
> > as the perfume wore off - the kitty smell came back.
>
> There's a product called "Urine-Erase" that I think is an enzyme that
> specifically attacks urine. I used it once a long time ago and it
worked
> for me. As far as I know, the company is still in business. You might
give
> it a try.
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: Completely Removing Cat Odor, Possible? 

I hope you never have a personal relationship with cat odor. It is something
you can't overlook if you have a normal sense of smell.

Boca Jan

"Atom1" <cknospam.TakeThisOut@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:cfajqg$pv1$1@lacerta.tiscalinet.it...
> I am just curious`why cat urine is so rank? I've never smelled it, but
> everyone has this reaction so I'm assuming it's different from a dogs. I
> have housebroken plenty of pups who've had the occasional accident but no
> residual odor remained after cleaning & Lysol. I'm just wondering what
the
> smell is similar too andthe purpose of nature for it-diet, chemical, etc?
> Thank you for the education.
> Michelle
>
>
> "Andrew Koenig" <ark.TakeThisOut@acm.org> wrote in message
> news:bZWRc.192202$OB3.56368@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
> > "Steve Henderson" <shenderson_2.TakeThisOut@charter.net> wrote in message
> > news:10hfvlntlqo4r08@corp.supernews.com...
> >
> > > We Tried everything - every chemical - every
> > > "miracle" marketed in a bottle or can. NOTHING worked. We might
THINK
> it
> > > worked, but actually we were just getting used to the smell for a
> while
> > > as the perfume wore off - the kitty smell came back.
> >
> > There's a product called "Urine-Erase" that I think is an enzyme that
> > specifically attacks urine. I used it once a long time ago and it
> worked
> > for me. As far as I know, the company is still in business. You
might
> give
> > it a try.
> >
> >
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: Completely Removing Cat Odor, Possible?