Cat urine smell- permanent?

[Guest]

We're looking at buying a little rental property. It will be our first one. It needs a little work but doesn't seem like anything we can't handle or cheaply hire out.

Except that the basement smells like cat urine. I think it's concentrated in the stairwell, which is concrete. Half the basement is unfinished concrete, the other half is drywall and wood laminate. The smell didn't seem as strong when I was actually in the basement, but I also don't have a great sense of smell.

At any rate, I wonder if any of you have experience with that awful cat smell, specifically in concrete and/or laminate, and if it's something we can deal with or if we should run the other way. . .

[olytitan]

I'd call some people. Concrete people, flooring people, even disaster cleanup people to ask what they think and suggest before buying. Could be cheap easy...or maybe not.

[pam]

How to Get Cat Urine Smell Out of Concrete | eHow.com

Get pet urine off concrete - remove dog or cat urine

[Guest]

pam, did you just google smack me?

[Dravin]

pam, did you just google smack me?

No, this would be a Google smack: Let me google that for you

On a more serious note, it doesn't hurt to ask folks here, if nothing else you can count on some jokes if you keep the thread alive long enough. :)

[NadiaStar]

Flood it with Mr. Clean with ammonia. I've done this before.

[pam]

pam, did you just google smack me?

Now would I ever do that to you my friend?

[bytor2112]

Vinegar

[Guest]

As a sidenote, I advise against eating salad with a vinaigrette while reading about urine removal.

Edited May 2, 2012 by Eowyn

[Guest]

Cat pee is definitely harder than other smells to get rid of, but not impossible. There's this carpet cleaning company that takes out pet urine completely - he has some kind of UV light (maybe it's just the regular black light at the club) that he shines over every single piece of floor and it reflects back the urine. He then treats that area until the spot doesn't show up on the light anymore. Quite cool, actually. Because, sometimes, even if you don't smell it anymore, it's still there just waiting for the opportune moment to reek!

[Guest]

Oh, now I want to go back with a black light to see just how pervasive it is!

[pam]

Oh, now I want to go back with a black light to see just how pervasive it is!

Now if I had mentioned black lights, I would have been accused of trying to relive my teenage years when they were so popular back in the early 70's.

[Guest]

Now if I had mentioned black lights, I would have been accused of trying to relive my teenage years when they were so popular back in the early 70's.

Why don't you grab your 8-track player and come with me?

[pam]

Why don't you grab your 8-track player and come with me?

And afterwards, we could play a good game of pong on my Atari while listening to music.

[Hala401]

We're looking at buying a little rental property. It will be our first one. It needs a little work but doesn't seem like anything we can't handle or cheaply hire out.

Except that the basement smells like cat urine. I think it's concentrated in the stairwell, which is concrete. Half the basement is unfinished concrete, the other half is drywall and wood laminate. The smell didn't seem as strong when I was actually in the basement, but I also don't have a great sense of smell.

At any rate, I wonder if any of you have experience with that awful cat smell, specifically in concrete and/or laminate, and if it's something we can deal with or if we should run the other way. . .

I am told that varnish on the floor will stop the odor. I would do two coats. Best :)

[pam]

I am told that varnish on the floor will stop the odor. I would do two coats. Best :)

I'm not sure it's varnish that you would use but perhaps a good concrete sealer.

[applepansy]

Clorox on the concrete

Addtion: Wear a mask

[Hala401]

Clorox on the concrete

Addtion: Wear a mask

Ventilate with fan, aggressively. Chlorine, mixed with certain substances is quite dangerous.

[applepansy]

Ventilate with fan, aggressively. Chlorine, mixed with certain substances is quite dangerous.

Usually old concrete doesn't have anything on it and Chlorine won't do anything but get rid of the cat urine which is still in the concrete. Concrete is porous.

[annewandering]

Cat pee is definitely harder than other smells to get rid of, but not impossible. There's this carpet cleaning company that takes out pet urine completely - he has some kind of UV light (maybe it's just the regular black light at the club) that he shines over every single piece of floor and it reflects back the urine. He then treats that area until the spot doesn't show up on the light anymore. Quite cool, actually. Because, sometimes, even if you don't smell it anymore, it's still there just waiting for the opportune moment to reek!

Maybe its like blood stains. Chlorine will kill the blood from showing up in the light. Not sure about the smell though. :)

This is something we learn from CSI by the way. lol.

[annewandering]

Chlorine with ammonia is deadly. Since urine turns to ammonia at least a bit be sure to ventilate and wear a mask if you use it.

[Dravin]

Usually old concrete doesn't have anything on it and Chlorine won't do anything but get rid of the cat urine which is still in the concrete. Concrete is porous.

Sodium hypochlorite (bleach) + ammonia = chlorine gas, ammonia is a product of the bacterial breakdown of urine. Now if it's minor amounts of urine, really fresh, or really old urine it may not be an issue, but it is something to keep in mind. I made the mistake of trying to sanitize a litter box with bleach once upon a time, bit of a face palm moment when I realize what I'd just done.

Edit: Or you know, what Anne said.

[Guest]

I am chagrined to say that someone beat us to buying it. But thanks for the great information that I hope I'll never need.

[Soulsearcher]

Now if I had mentioned black lights, I would have been accused of trying to relive my teenage years when they were so popular back in the early 70's.

i didn't realize they had black lights in the 1870's. the things you learn, plus we know back then pam was a little past her teen years........

[Iggy]

From experience I have used Pine Sol mixed in water to remove cat urine and male cat spray from my wood paneled walls. Also works at removing male cat spray and skunk spray from concrete steps. Douse the floor, scrub with a linoleum brush (short bristled brush on a long handle), mop up and rinse with clean, clear water.

My best friend and her 2nd husband used to catch and de-skunk skunks and then sell them as pets. She used Pine Sol to clean up afterwards, and to pre-wash their clothes.

It works - my ex hubby got sprayed by a skunk- pine sol in a bucket of hot water sponged on him while he was still outside, and then another dousing in the shower before the soap, shampoo shower.

Dumped his clothes in the washing machine, poured in about 1/2C pine sol and set it to the last rinse. When that was done, re-set the machine to wash and added laundry soap and 1/4 cup of pine sol.

If you want to disinfect - spray with peroxide, let air dry.