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How to Get Cat Urine Smells and Stains Out of Concrete: 3 Practical Options
Pete Ortiz
Last updated:
Pets are amazing since they make our homes feel happier. While these lovely creatures fill our hearts, there are some issues we have to deal with when taking care of them.
For instance, if you do not give your cat a designated area to pee, it will find a spot in the house to do so. This may include some corner in the house, on the couch, or even on concrete.
So, if you come across a concrete floor with cat urine smells and stains, which are the best ways to clean it? This article explores and expounds more on practical ways to get rid of cat urine smells and stains from concrete.
Stick around, and let’s learn!
How to Get Cat Urine Smells & Stains Out of Concrete
Normal cleaning with household detergents is good for getting rid of dirt and leaving your floor looking clean and fresh. But spots with cat urine smells and stains require a different strategy to eliminate the smell and stains.
The normal washing detergent may not cut it. However, this is not to say that the task is impossible. There are some known products that you can use to leave your concrete wall or floor smelling fresh and stain-free.
Image Credit: Billion Photos, Shutterstock
The 3 Practical Options of Removing Cat Urine & Stains from Concrete
1. Clean Cat Urine and Stains Using TSP
The first practical option is using TSP (Trisodium Phosphate). Concrete spots where cats love to urinate not only smell bad but also have bacteria because of the urine. Normal detergents are no match for the bacteria, and that is where TSP comes in.
The process of getting rid of the urine, smell, and stains is a lengthy one but will bear wonderful fruits. Below is a step-by-step process on how to accomplish this.
What You Need
First, clear the area off any items such as furniture so that you have ample working spaces. Then soak any excess urine that may not have been absorbed into the concrete already. Below are the items you need so that you can proceed.
What you need
Gloves
TSP (Trisodium Phosphate)
A brush
Hot water in 2 buckets
Protective eyewear
Empty metallic bucket
Enzymatic pet cleaner
Mop and bucket
Concrete sealant
Step by Step Removal Process
First, put on your gloves and safety glasses, then proceed to mix half a cup of the TSP solution into a gallon of hot water. You can use a metallic bucket to mix the two liquids and form the cleaning solution.
Wet the area and scrub thoroughly. As the solution gets absorbed by the concrete, it removes the bacteria and only leaves the urine crystals. Work this part of the concrete for 10 minutes with the hot solution. TSP is quite an effective solution when it comes to removing the smell and getting rid of the bacteria in that area.
At this point, you can smell the cat urine even more as the TSP releases it from the concrete. Pour clean hot water on the area to rinse off the TSP solution.
Mop up the water and TSP solution making sure you don’t leave any residue. Or you can use a wet vac if you have one at hand. Repeat the three steps above in case the area has a heavy smell and stain.
Now mix some enzymatic pet cleaning solution with clean hot water and pour it on the concrete and scrub again. This will get rid of all the urine crystals left behind after using the TSP.
After scrubbing, rinse off the cleaning solution with clean water. Then, use the mop and bucket or a wet vac to remove all the soapy water solution.
Once the concrete is completely dry, use a sealant to prevent any remaining urine smell from deep inside from working its way to the surface. The sealant keeps all remaining odor molecules at bay, leaving your space smelling fresh.
2. Vinegar Solution
Image credit: Vinegar by evita-ochel, Pixabay
Apart from industrial products like TSP, you can use home remedies. A good example is a vinegar solution.
First, you have to prep the area by getting rid of all excess urine using a towel or sponge.
What you need
Gloves
Protective eyewear
Water
Vinegar
Spray bottle
Brush
Blot towels
Enzymatic pet cleaning solution
Concrete sealant
Step by Step Removal Process
Mix one cup of water and one cup of vinegar in a spray bottle. If there’s a large area to cover, you can add the two variables in equal proportions. Remember to put on protective gear for the eyes and hands.
Proceed to drench the whole space with the solution. Cover all of it as much as you can.
Using a brush, work this part of the concrete making sure the solution doesn’t dry up. Keep spraying more as you scrub. Ten minutes is good enough to allow the concrete to absorb the mixture.
Leave the solution on the floor for half an hour or so for maximum effect. Then, proceed to blot the excess solution.
Using an enzymatic pet stain cleaning solution, wash this area to leave it smelling fresh. Use the towels to wipe it dry.
Apply a generous amount of the concrete sealant. Concrete sealant works as a protective barrier. In case any uric acid crystals remain on the concrete, they won’t release any smells to the surface.
3. Hydrogen Peroxide and Baking Soda
Image Credit: focal point, Shutterstock
Hydrogen peroxide and baking soda combination is another proven remedy for cat urine smell and stain.
What you need
3% hydrogen peroxide
Baking soda
Metallic container
Gloves
Protective eyewear
Mask
Cleaning product
Brush
Concrete sealant
Bucket of water
Step by Step Removal Process
Put on your gloves, mask, and glasses, and then proceed to mix 2 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide to two tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide to form a paste.
Cover the area with the cat urine and stain with the paste and leave it for the rest of the day. The mixture will not only get rid of the stain, but also release uric acid crystals responsible for the smell.
The next day, brush off the paste and pour some water on the floor. Add some pet cleaning enzymatic detergent to this spot and scrub. This gets rid of all excess urine left on the concrete surface. Use clean water to mop off the residue.
Lastly, you have to seal the concrete to ensure no more cat smells come to the surface. Be sure to follow the instructions on the sealant container.
Why Won’t Normal Cleaning Products Get Rid of Cat Urine Odors and Stains?
Above are some practical solutions you can use to get rid of cat urine stains and smells in your home. But you might be wondering why normal cleaning products and water don’t work the trick.
Well, the best way to understand this is to delve a little further into the effect of urine on concrete. When a cat pees on a certain spot, the concrete tends to absorb it, especially if it’s bare and has no sealant or paint.
The urine then dries up and forms uric acid crystals. These crystals are insoluble, so using ordinary cleaning products won’t cause any reaction to get rid of all the absorbed urine. A stronger solution is necessary, which is where the ways listed above come into play.
TSP, vinegar, baking soda, and hydrogen peroxide bind to the uric crystals, releasing them from the concrete. The more you soak the area, the deeper the cleaning solution penetrates to remove the uric crystals.
In some cases, you have to soak the area twice or three times. But, after some time, all the cat urine odor and stains are gone from your lovely concrete floor.
Cat urine is quite pungent and easy to detect on concrete. It can take time to pinpoint all the spots, but you can do it. Otherwise, leaving it on your concrete will make the entire space uninhabitable as the smell gets worse with time.
Summing Up
Cat urine is easy to clean if you spot it right away. But, after it sits on concrete for a while, it tends to absorb deeper, making it stubborn to remove. This is because concrete is porous and tends to soak up the urine. The more the cat pees on the same spot, the worse the smell and stain.
TSP, vinegar, baking soda, and hydrogen peroxide are some of the home remedies quite effective at solving this menace.
Featured Image Credit: Creative Cat Studio, Shutterstock
Contents
Writer
Pete Ortiz
Pete has been working in the trades since high school, where he first developed a passion for woodworking. Over the years, he has developed a keen interest in a wide variety of DIY projects around the home. Fascinated by all sort of tools, Pete loves reading and writing about all the latest gadgets and accessories that hit the market. His other interests include astronomy, hiking, and fishing.
As the founder of House Grail, Pete's primary goal is to help consumers make educated decisions about DIY projects at home, in the garage, and in the garden.
