Click to Skip Ahead
Cats typically come pre-programmed with the natural ability to litter train themselves. However, that doesn’t mean there won’t be accidents. If your pet cat tends to hang around the living room area, they might have an accident on your couch.
If your cat has ever peed outside of their litter box, it will soon be evident to everyone around. Feline urine is particularly smelly and will quickly stink up the whole area. Also, cats usually urinate in the same spot because they can smell their previous pee. So, if you don’t completely get rid of the urine odor from the forbidden spot, such as on the couch, your cat will pee there again. This can perpetuate a cycle that may ultimately result in you needing a new sofa.
Fortunately, there are tactics that you can use to remove the stench and prevent the behavior from happening again.
The 3 Easy Ways to Clean Cat Urine Out of Your Sofa
When it comes to getting cat stains and odor out of your couch, you’re going to need to employ more than soap and water. Fortunately, there are natural, safe cleaning solutions that you can utilize to get the job done.
1. Enzyme-Based Cleaners
These are commonly used to eliminate odors and pet stains from mattresses, carpets, linens, and couches. Enzyme-based cleaners are effective in breaking down the acid in the urine, which helps get rid of the foul smell.
If you're trying to find an enzyme cleaner that does it all, we highly recommend our favorite cleaner, the Hepper Advanced Bio-Enzyme Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator Spray. It permanently removes the very worst stains and smells you can imagine and makes clean up a breeze. There's even a 100% satisfaction guarantee! Click here to order a bottle today. At PangoVet, we’ve admired Hepper for many years, and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding products of this cool cat company!
Rating
Image
Product
Details
Hepper Advanced Bio-Enzyme Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator Spray
CHECK PRICE
- These products usually come in spray bottles.
- Follow the instructions that come with the product for the best results.
2. Vinegar
Even though vinegar can be just as smelly, it works wonders when getting rid of different kinds of foul odors because it kills the bacteria that cause the bad smell in the first place. It also contains acid that can neutralize the alkaline salts in the cat’s urine.
- Create a mixture of one part vinegar and one part water.
- Pour your solution into a spray bottle.
- Spray the spot where your cat urinated.
- Leave it to dry.
- Repeat the process until you cannot smell the cat pee any longer.
3. Baking Soda
You can also use baking soda to get rid of cat urine smell. This is easy to find, and you might already have it inside your pantry. It’s best to do this while your couch is outside, under the sun.
- Pour a generous amount of baking soda on the area where your cat peed.
- Leave it for at least 30 minutes.
- Use a vacuum to remove the baking soda from the couch.
- Repeat the process until you get rid of all the urine smell.
Important note: Baking soda can be dangerous to your cat if inhaled. Make sure that your cat is nowhere near the couch during the cleaning process and that there are no remnants of baking soda left on the couch after you are finished.
Cleaning Products to Avoid
Not every household cleaner is ideal for cleaning up cat pee. There are a couple of products you should avoid at all costs.
Ammonia
Ammonia causes a stinky smell in your cat’s urine, so you should avoid cleaning products containing it. Your cat might mistake the cleaning solution for their pee and think that it’s their designated spot to urinate.
Bleach
Although bleach is a common cleaning product, it might not be the best one to use in this situation. Bleach is a strong solution that can ruin the color of your couch. Inhaling the smell of bleach can also be dangerous for you and your cat.
Why Your Cat Might Pee on Your Couch
Instead of just cleaning up the urine, it’s important to tackle the root of the problem and understand why your cat is not using their litter box. If a cat is urinating in places they’re not supposed to, they are not just being mean or sassy; there’s typically a genuine underlying cause.
- Medical Problems: The biggest concern is if your cat’s behavior is being caused by medical problems. UTIs and other issues can be chief reasons that your cat is eliminated outside of the litter box. Their behavior is just them trying to tell you that something is wrong. If your cat starts having frequent accidents, it’s probably time to reach out to a vet for guidance.
- Dirty Litter Box: It could just be that your cat’s litter box needs cleaning. Cats like to keep themselves clean. If they notice that their litter box is already full of clumps and looks dirty, they will try to pee somewhere else. Also, while it may not look dirty, the litter itself may need changing. Make sure to clean out your cat’s litter box regularly to keep this from happening.
- Too-Small Litter Box: When your cat was still a kitten, you may have gotten them a small litter box perfect for their size. However, as time goes on, your cat will outgrow a kitten-sized litter box. If you notice your cat refuses to go inside their box to pee or poop, it could just be because they don’t fit inside anymore.
- ADVANCED ENZYMATIC CLEANER - Penetrates the most stubborn smells and stains at the deepest molecular...
- FOR ANY MESS, ON ANY SURFACE - This pet odor eliminator cleans your carpets, floors, furniture,...
- FRESH, NATURAL ODOR - Our unique formulation doesn't rely on dangerous or unpleasant chemical...
Final Note: What Happens If You Leave Cat Pee on Your Couch?
While leaving cat pee on your couch does not sound like a great idea, sometimes the situation may be out of your control. For instance, if you had to leave your cat at home for an extended period, you may arrive home to a sofa full of pee. But are there any real issues with it staying on your couch other than smell?
Cat urine is filled with nasty bacteria. As the bacteria decompose, they release a stench similar to ammonia. When your cat pees on your couch, the bacteria attach themselves to the fabric. This not only makes it more stinky but also harder to clean. Plus, it can lead to future illnesses from festering bacteria.
Once the cat urine dries, it might not leave any stains, making it difficult to know which spot to clean. When your cat smells its pee on your couch, they may perceive that location as their pee spot, so they will keep urinating there until you get rid of the smell completely.
This is why it’s so important to clean the cat pee out of the couch as quickly as possible. This, coupled with ensuring that your cat’s intended bathroom area is clean and usable, will hopefully make an accident on the couch a rare occurrence.
Featured Image Credit: cunaplus, Shutterstock
