How to Get the Smell of Dog or Cat Urine Out of Carpets
The method I used worked very well. One of my cats urinated on the carpet in my bedroom one day. I have no idea why. I was sitting at my desk and heard a slight spraying sound. I turned and low and behold she was in the corner, urinating on the carpet. I went to work on it immediately and completely got rid of the smell.
If you catch it soon after it happens, soak it up right away with disposable cleaning cloths or paper towels and clean the area with a good carpet cleaner. Once it dries, dust it with cornstarch, brush it into the area with the broom or cleaning brush and allow it ten to fifteen minutes to absorb the odor then vacuum.
The cornstarch will eliminate most of the odors of dog urine, but you will have to keep treating the area to remove cat urine since it is so much stronger. Repeating the process is recommended because part of the cornstarch which has absorbed the odor is still in the carpet.
Therefore, repeating the process of cleaning it with a good carpet cleaner should remove the residue and get rid of the odor. However, if this fails, you have another option. You can remove the smell permanently by cutting the piece out and replacing it.
My two cats shared the same litter-box which I kept in the laundry room. Somehow, a towel got draped across it, preventing them from using it. Later that morning, I saw the towel and of course I removed it and had no idea how long it had been there. That evening, I was crossing the living room when I caught the stench of cat urine. I knew what had happened. One or both of the cats had urinated in the living room.
Searching the carpet, I found only one spot and proceeded to blot it with paper towels until the area was as dry as I could get it. I cleaned it with carpet cleaner and let it dry. It still smelled. I used the cornstarch and when it dried, I vacuumed. It still smelled. The next day, I repeated the process. It still smelled.
I didn’t know what to do. I simply couldn’t afford to replace the carpet. Then I remembered something I read in the bible where Jesus told us to take our burdens to God (“He careth for you.”) Therefore, taking the problem to the Lord, seeking guidance, was the best course of action at that point. However, I sought guidance on how I could afford to replace the whole carpet, which was what I thought I was facing because repairing it seemed hopeless.
Later, as I was putting laundry away, I noticed the carpet in my closet and got an idea. I figured that even if I ruined the carpet, it was no good the way it was and I would at least get rid of the smell.
Using a box cutter/razor knife, I cut the piece out, took it to my bedroom and cut a piece out of the carpet in the walk-in closet. You can always take the piece to a carpet place and they can usually match it. But there was so much stuff in the closet, I knew the piece wouldn’t be noticed and just took a piece from there.
I pulled on the fibers around the piece of carpet until it frayed a bit then applied a few drops of crazy glue on the bottom and around the frayed edges then pushed it into the place I had cut out. If you apply the glue to the frayed part, it will blend right in with the rest of the carpet. I couldn’t tell exactly where I had patched it so it blended perfectly and the smell was gone. Devine inspiration?
If you’re experiencing this problem, you may have to cut the piece out and patch it. If you have no spare carpet to patch it with, take the piece you cut out to a carpet place and if they don’t have it, they can order it. It’s a lot cheaper than replacing the carpet and a whole lot better than living with the stench.
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