Cat in Heat? How to Keep Your Carpet From Stinking
Posted on: 31 January 2020
If you have a male cat, the ideal situation is to have it neutered. Neutering the cat will ensure that it doesn't go in heat and run wild all over your home. However, those who prefer not to neuter may end up with a cat that's peeing in random places around the home.
Cats in heat tend to mark their territory by spraying urine on the floor and walls. And if you have wall-to-wall carpeting, you may end up with a stained or smelly carpet. Indeed, cat urine has a strong, distinctive smell that could prove tough to remove. Young children may also come in contact with urine stains, resulting in an unsanitary environment.
The good news is that you can prevent (or quickly clean up) such stains before they damage your carpet. Here's how.
Be attentive
The key to keeping your carpet clean is detecting stains early. Take time to understand your cat's behaviour and where it tends to spray urine when in heat. After identifying these hot spots, you can inspect them regularly to identify any staining before it dries on your carpet.
Have the right tools handy
Once you've identified the stains, the next step is to remove them as soon as possible. This task requires you to have the necessary tools. In most cases, you should have the following in your possession:
- A clean towel
- A vacuum
- Dishwashing detergent or a special carpet cleaner
- Vinegar and water (for heavy urine stains)
- Paper towels
The clean towel and paper towels are essential for soaking up liquid after the urine stain is removed. The vacuum will also come in handy to dry the area, with the detergent dissolving urine stains before your carpet can be cleaned up.
Clean strategically
Your cleaning process will vary, depending on whether the urine stain is wet or dry. A wet stain is easier to handle because you can soak it in detergent/carpet cleaner before it dries. Start by blotting the urine stain with a wet towel so the urine doesn't dissolve into your carpet fabric. Next, use the vacuum cleaner to extract the remaining urine so you can remove as much of it as possible. Soak the remaining stain in dish detergent or carpet cleaner. These solutions will dissolve the urine and remove it from your carpet fabric. Give the solution some time to mix, and use your towel to dry up the area.
You should also soak the stained section with warm water and a solution of vinegar (premixed in a 50/50 ratio). Vinegar is powerful at removing urine stains from deep inside your carpet fibres.
Seek professional cleaning on a regular basis
After removing urine stains, you should have your carpet professionally cleaned several times a year. Professional carpet cleaning removes deep stains, persistent odours and debris that may cause your carpet to remain unsanitary.
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