If you’ve already tried cleaning cat urine using the common suggestions floating around the internet, you’ve probably realized many of those suggestions just don’t work.

There are two types of cat urine cleaning tips:

The Useless — Cleaning methods that don’t work at all or even do more harm than good. Ammonia is a good example. This chemical is great for cleaning and disinfecting glass and porcelain under normal circumstances, but it’s a very bad choice for cleaning any surface your cat has wet on.

Because ammonia is a component of urine, it makes the cleaned surface smell just a little bit like cat pee. You may not notice, but your cat’s more sensitive nose will pick it up. Bleach is another. As strong as this chemical is, it doesn’t have what it takes to break down cat urine crystal so they can be cleaned up.

The Specific — Cleaning methods that work only in certain circumstances. Wiping down a peed-upon surface with pure white vinegar can work, but only if it’s a non-porous surface such as glass or linoleum and only if the wet spot is very fresh. If you notice the “little accident” within 30 minutes or so and clean it up immediately, vinegar may be enough. For just amount any other situation, you’ll need something stronger.

Strange as it may sound, certain types of mouthwash, combined with white vinegar and liquid soap work well for cleaning cat urine and removing the smell. This recipe works best on lighter stains and odors, particularly those that haven’t had weeks to set.

Other homemade cat urine cleaners can work on deeper and more, shall we say, “richly scented” stains, but the ingredients will be different.

The Most Effective Solution for Cleaning Cat Urine

If the homemade recipes for cleaning cat urine don’t take care of your problem, it’s time to bring in the big guns: enzyme cleaners. These cleaners can be highly effective if you use them correctly. Use them incorrectly and you may as well be pouring plain water on the mess.

Instructions for use vary with each product, but one thing holds true for nearly all of them: never mix them with other cleaners. This includes nearly everything from dish soap to bleach, and for some even vinegar is no-no. Keep in mind that combining doesn’t just mean pouring both in a container and stirring. It means don’t apply the enzyme cleaner to a spot you’ve previously attempted to clean with another product unless you’ve thoroughly removed all traces of that other product.

Enzyme cleaners contain living microorganisms that can be kill or severely impaired by these harsh chemicals. Dead and sickly enzymes can’t work against stains and odors.

Some of the best commercially available products for cleaning cat urine are:

• Anti Icky Poo by MisterMax
• Nature’s Miracle Just for Cats by Nature’s Miracle
• Out! Stain and Odor Remover by Out! International

If you have a cat who has frequent “accidents” on your carpets, hardwood floors, furniture, elsewhere around your home, do yourself a favor and pick up one of these products soon. That way you’ll have it on hand to clean up any messes as soon as you find them. The faster you get rid of all the cat pee on the stained site, the less chance there is the spot will get smelly again after you think you’ve cleaned it.

Knowing the tricks for cleaning cat urine effectively helps, but ultimately, it’s a lot less work to stop your kitty from piddling around in the first place. This is possible. Even if you have an older, incontinent cat, there are things you can do to save your floors and furniture.

To learn more about correcting your cat’s inappropriate urination problems, check out Cat Urine Problems Eliminated.