Dealing with the unpleasant smell of cat urine on hardwood floors can be a frustrating experience for any pet owner. Not only is the odor strong and persistent, but if not treated properly, it can linger and affect the quality of your indoor environment.
To remove cat pee odor from hardwood floors, first blot up urine with paper towels. Then, mix equal parts white vinegar and water, apply to the area, and let sit. Wipe clean and if needed, apply baking soda overnight and vacuum the next day.
Fortunately, there are also other several effective home remedies to tackle this problem using common household items.
In this article, I’ll share my personal experienced approaches, including the use of vinegar and baking soda, enzymatic cleaners, water and vinegar solutions, hydrogen peroxide, and a combination of dish detergent and club soda.
If you have a crawling baby who is always peeing around home while crawling, worry not! I have also written a whole guide on removing human urine smell from hardwood floors that you should read today!
Table of Contents
How To Get Cat Pee Smell And Odor Out Of Hardwood Floors?
I’m going to share my personally proven methods, which I’ve applied many times, for removing the smell and odor of cat pee from hardwood floors.
1. Using Vinegar and Baking Soda
Vinegar and baking soda are great for cleaning urine smells and stains from wood floors. Vinegar, being acidic, breaks down the urine and gets rid of the ammonia smell (1). It’s also a natural germ-killer. Vinegar cuts through the urine’s greasy bits, making it easier to remove the stain.
Baking soda is good at soaking up smells, which is why it’s mostly used in fridges. It can also absorb the urine odor from your floor and gently scrubs away any leftover stains (2).
When used together, vinegar deals with the initial mess, and baking soda gets rid of any remaining smell. They’re both safe for homes with pets and kids.
How To Get Rid Of Cat Pee Smell And Stain With Vinegar And Baking Soda?
- First, blot up as much urine as possible with paper towels.
- Mix equal parts of water and white vinegar and apply it to the affected area. In my case, I used Heinz All Natural Distilled White Vinegar with 5% Acidity. It worked really well with baking soda and deodorized my hardwood floor. Let it sit for a few minutes.
- Sprinkle Arm & Hammer Baking Soda over the vinegar solution while it’s still wet. This will cause a fizzing action that helps to break down and absorb the odor.
- Once dry, vacuum up the baking soda residue.
Learn everything you need to know about deodorizing hardwood floors.
2. Using Enzymatic Cleaners
Enzymatic cleaners are really good for getting urine smells and stains out of wood floors. They work like this: enzymes in the cleaner attack the urine, breaking it down into tiny, harmless parts. This doesn’t just cover up the smell; it actually gets rid of it (3).
The best part? These cleaners are safe for your wood floors. They clean up the mess without hurting the floor itself. So, you get a clean, fresh-smelling floor without any worry about damage. It’s a simple and effective solution!
How To Get Rid Of Cat Pee Smell And Stain With Enzymatic Cleaners?
- Choose an enzymatic cleaner specifically designed for pet odors and stains. I use Rocco & Roxie Supply Co. Enzymatic Cat Urine Destroyer because it’s gentle, certified safe for pets and kids, and backed by the Carpet and Rug Institute. It worked wonders, eliminating both the stain and the stink from cat pee, thanks to its powerful enzyme-activated formula. Plus, the 100% satisfaction guarantee gave me peace of mind.
- Apply it directly to the stained area, following the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Allow it to sit for the recommended time before wiping or blotting it up.
3. Using Water and Vinegar
Water and vinegar are another great combo for cleaning urine from wood floors. Here’s why: vinegar is like a natural cleaner. It’s good at breaking down the stuff in urine that causes stains and smells. When you mix it with water, it’s not too strong, so it’s safe for your wood floors.
The vinegar works to fight the smell and the stain, while the water helps to rinse everything away. This mix is really easy to use, doesn’t harm the environment, and is safe if you have kids or pets around. Plus, it’s a cheap and handy solution, since most people already have vinegar and water at home.
How To Get Rid Of Cat Pee Smell And Stain With Vinegar And Water?
This is a simpler version of the first method. Mix a solution of one part water and one part Heinz vinegar and apply it to the stain. The vinegar helps neutralize the odor without the need for baking soda. Wipe the area clean after letting it sit for a few minutes.
4. Using Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is a good choice for cleaning urine off wood floors. It’s kind of like a super bubbly water that helps in two ways.
First, it’s great at breaking down the urine, which helps remove the stain and the smell. Second, it acts like a germ-killer, getting rid of any bacteria from the urine (4).
When you use it on your floor, it starts to fizz. This fizzing action helps to lift the urine out of the wood. But remember, hydrogen peroxide is strong, so you should use it carefully. It’s always a good idea to test it on a small part of your floor first to make sure it doesn’t damage the wood.
How To Get Rid Of Cat Pee Smell And Stain With Hydrogen Peroxide?
- Mix a solution of Essential Oxygen 3% hydrogen peroxide with a teaspoon of dish detergent.
- Apply it to the affected area and let it sit for about an hour.
- Wipe it up and rinse the area with water.
5. Using Dish Detergent and Club Soda
Dish detergent and club soda are a great team for cleaning urine from wood floors. Dish detergent is good at breaking down the stuff in the urine that causes stains and smells, just like it cuts through grease on your dishes.
Club soda, which is just water with some bubbles, helps lift the urine out of the wood. The bubbles in the club soda work like tiny scrubbers, getting into the wood’s surface to clean it (5).
When you mix them together, you get a cleaner that’s strong on stains but gentle on your floors. This method is safe for wood floors and doesn’t have any harsh chemicals, making it good for homes with pets or kids. Plus, it’s a handy solution since most people already have these items at home.
How To Get Rid Of Cat Pee Smell And Stain With Dish Detergent and Club Soda?
- Mix a small amount of Dawn Dish soap with Fever Tree club soda.
- Apply this solution to the area and scrub gently with a brush.
- Blot up the mixture with a clean cloth and rinse the area with water.
If you are concerned about using dish detergents, please go through this guide on “Can You Use Dawn Dish Soap on Hardwood Floors“.
Conclusion
Following my effective home remedies for how to get cat pee smell out of hardwood floors will help you restore your floors and eliminate odors efficiently. Don’t forget to check out if it is worth to restore your hardwood floors.
Remember, it’s important to address the accident as soon as possible to prevent the urine from seeping deeper into the wood.
Regular cleaning and prompt attention to accidents can keep your hardwood floors looking and smelling fresh, even in a home with pets.
John Henry is a passionate co-creator of FlooringFlow.com. a website dedicated to answer all of your flooring related questions. After taking the challenges of flooring DIYs while learning skills for years, John is now ready to share his knowledge related to floor remodeling and projects with you.
