How To Get Rid Of Cat Pee Smell On Furniture

If your cats have decided to use your furniture as an alternative to the litter box, presuming you’d rather not throw out all your tables and chairs, you’ll need to know how to get rid of cat pee smell on furniture. The problem, of course, is that most furniture is highly absorbent.

Sure, metal tables and other more industrial-type furniture is easy to clean, but sofas, chairs, beds and other soft items can be a nightmare to get cat urine odors out of. Even wood tables and chair legs can eventually absorb urine and smell. With the right cleaners and cleaning process, though, you can most likely get your furniture stain and odor free.

Cat sniffing sofa

Cleaning Outer Coverings

This method will work for fabric upholstery. For leather, you’ll need a different, gentler method. Start by blotting up any remaining urine with white cloths or paper towels, then vacuum the soiled area with your vacuum’s hose attachment to remove any dust that could interfere with cleaning.

Apply a homemade cleaner specifically formulated to break down stubborn cat urine, such as Recipe #1 in Cat Urine Problems Eliminated, according to the directions.

If you’re planning to use an enzyme cleaner, check that the brand your using wont be affected by your homemade cleaner. If it will be, you can skip the homemade cleaner. Use a soft brush to gently scrub the soiled area with circular motions. If applied homemade cleaner, blot it up with a white cloth. If you’ve use an enzyme cleaner, you’ll probably need to cover it and let it sit for 24 hours. Just follow the manufacturer’s directions exactly. After the waiting period, you can then apply a stronger homemade cleaner, like Recipe #2 Cat Urine Problems Eliminated.

Cleaning Cushions and Stuffing

I’ll tell you up front, trying to get rid of cat pee smell on furniture stuffing might not be worth your time. You can do it, but it could take multiple attempts. Enough attempts and the stuffing might just disintegrate. Pillow inserts and stuffing are cheap. If you’ve already got your upholstery clean, you may want to dispose of any urine-stained stuffing material and buy new inserts or stuffing.

If you decide you want to have a go at cleaning it through, the process is much the same as for upholstery. You can either use an enzyme- or bacteria-based cleaner, a strong homemade cleaner or a combination. You can’t really scrub stuffing, but you can wash it in the sink or bathtub as you would hand-washable clothing.

Cleaning Wood Furniture

Kitty piddled on the coffee table or your great grandfather’s writing desk? If the item has a solid finish, with no cracks, seams, or gaps, you’re in luck. The urine probably hasn’t seeped into the wood, but is only stuck to the surface finish. Cleaning the item with Formula 409 or Orange Oil should do the trick. Applying a small amount of homemade cleaner Recipe #2 and letting it sit for 10 minutes should also remove the urine smell and minor stains.

Blot up the cleaner, then wipe down the item with Pine Sol or Orange Glo, both of which tend to repel cats. If the wood has soaked up large amounts of urine, an ample amount of enzyme-based cleaner might remove the smell, but it might not. If the urine has soaked in too deeply, unfortunately, that piece of furniture is probably a goner.

While these methods can effectively get rid of cat pee smell on furniture, you’re facing an endless, Sisyphean task of constant cleaning unless you stop your cat from peeing on the furniture in the first place.