UV lights to detect urine?

dearlouise

I am at my wit's end... can you help?

I watched a Youtube video showing a guy finding cat urine using a UV light. So I purchased one to find any rogue urine spots in my house (one of my cats suffers from stress related cystitis & so once or twice a year she sometimes 'spots' in places other than her tray).

The UV light arrived, nothing. I thought maybe I got it all up - excellent. The cat had an episode of cystitis after I moved house a couple of months ago, so thought brilliant, can find every spot with the UV light. Nothing. Even places I saw her spot...!!!

So I purchase a more expensive UV torch online... it arrived... still nothing.

This really ticked me off, so did more research online & found you need a specific wavelength to spot urine - apparently. So purchased one where the seller assured me was a lower wavelength. It arrived... nothing.

I have 3 UV lights (well 2, because the first went in the bin) & none of them work. Is this whole phenomenon a hoax? That you can't actually find urine using UV? Amazon reviews on products for this purpose sway from, oh my gosh amazing, it allowed me to clean & remove smells... through to it doesn't work.

Do you have any honest experience in this area???

Trina90

We bought a torch one from PAH and it works. It doesn't show up really obviously but it does show. Do you make the room as dark as possible first?

Carer

We have a striplight one, bought years ago for photo etching. Works brilliantly but you need complete darkness.

Oh - and if you have men in the house, don't check the bathroom with it :eek:

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

I used a child's secret handwriting pen toy, closed the curtains and switched the main light off.

Behind the sofa and by the front door looked like an episode of CSI.