Prepping Flat for Sale ,How to Get Rid Of Cat Urine Smell

Beancounter

I am about to prep my late Father's flat for sale. He had a cat, it tended to ocassionally miss the litter tray which was kept in the spare bedroom leading to a slight aroma in the room.

I have lifted the carpet thinking it would help but it went right through to the floorboards. I saw on here that putting a paste made up of bio washing powder helps. I have done this twice now but the smell is still there although much improved. There is a small gap between the floor and the skirting and it may have seeped in there over time.

I have thought about sealing the gap on the skirting and painting the affected part of the floor with gloss or varnish, will this help?

Can anyone recommend any other solution to this other than ripp the skirting off and see what is behind there and replacing the affected floorboards. I think this will put off any buyers unless I eradicate it completely.

AdrianC

Get shot of the carpet and any underlay, asap. You'll never get the smell out of them, and with them about, you'll not know what the problem's actually like.

There's various "pet odour neutraliser" deodourants, or just good ol' febreze. Other than that, it's really only time that'll sort it, short of gutting the room...

Beancounter

I dumped the carpet and underlay weeks ago hoping the smell would go of it's own accord but no luck. As I said I have tried the bio powder paste and but it is still lingering.

It''s only in one small corner so not needing to gut the room but want it sorted. Maybe the fact the flat has been empty for 2 months now doesn't help the smell as the windows have all been closed.

Red-Squirrel_2

There's a product called 'Simple Solution' that you can get on Amazon or at pets at home. I don't have cats so I don't know how well it works on their urine, but it was a godsend when I had a difficult to house train rescue dog!

tea-bag

pet enzyme cleaner spray you can get it from homebase or anywhere they do rug doctor carpet cleaners.

You only need the spray.

GwylimT

Pet enzyme sprays are fantastic, you may struggle getting the smell out of wood however as you will only be able to treat the surface of the floorboard.

Beancounter

GwylimT wrote: »

Pet enzyme sprays are fantastic, you may struggle getting the smell out of wood however as you will only be able to treat the surface of the floorboard.

That's why I am thinking an external varnish may seal in the smell in the floorboards.

GwylimT

Beancounter wrote: »

That's why I am thinking an external varnish may seal in the smell in the floorboards.

How will you varnish the underside of the floorboards?

Beancounter

GwylimT wrote: »

How will you varnish the underside of the floorboards?

That's a very good question:eek:

I was hoping that sealing the surface would be enough.

[Deleted User]

You may have two options.., replacing the floor boards (its only a small area presumably, not a hard job) or using half a cup of white vinegar (cheap stuff from asda will do), bicarb of soda, squirt of biological washing powder, and twice the volume of water to white vinegar. This has gotten rid of any smell in my house.., even when its got into the floor boards. Apply often, so floor boards are damp but not so much the liquid is penetrating the ceiling below. After a week of constantly applying, let it dry out for a few days and see if smell has gone. Any vinegar smell will dissipate quickly, or I have found is drowned out by the biological washing liquid fragrance. Check the wall hasn't been sprayed and apply there too.

How there is no guarantee that this will penetrate far enough into the wood to remove the odour completely. It did in my place.., but no guarantee. Only guaranteed remedy is removing the floor boards.

Hoploz

If you are just doing up to sell, how about putting down the chemical suggestions people have said above already, then getting a new carpet, which will keep its 'new carpet smell' for a good few weeks?