How To Choose The Best Cat Urine Enzyme Cleaner For Your Cat – CatTime
Why is your growing kitten spraying? If you haven't gotten around to neutering your cat, at least a cat urine enzyme cleaner can stop him from coming back to your closet or curtains tomorrow for a nice rub and a pee. If cats are hanging around outside trying to claim his territory, you might need a few gallons of enzyme cleaner for cat urine, specifically, to get rid of that outrageous tomcat smell. When the product is used according to instructions by completely saturating the problem area, cats will not normally return to the same spot. Here are the ones that get the job done.
Best Choice
Quickly removes urine
Pros:
Simple Green Outdoor is a concentrated, one-gallon, refill product that uses natural substances to remove cat urine odors outdoors. Diluting it as directed and using the Simple Green sprayer attachment with a garden hose helps activate the enzymes for great results. Just spray everything down to remove embarrassing odors. There is no scrubbing involved. It can even be used on porch furniture and cushions with a light rinse afterwards. Outdoor areas that cats love to spray will be fresh again.
Cons:
This product should not be used in full sunlight, as it will evaporate more quickly than it needs in order to work. If this happens, it must be rinsed with lots of water for a few days to avoid it compounding the original smell. When used in large areas, the product empties quickly.
With Double Strength
Made in the United States
Pros:
Simple Solution Urine Destroyer claims to contain twice the amount of odor-killing microbes as other brands. It is sold as a seventeen-ounce spray bottle, a thirty-two-ounce jug with a streaming spout and a gallon sized refill container. It is made primarily for rugs and other man-made fabric surfaces like couches and beds. The product is easy to use, and the area should simply be saturated, allowed to dry, then vacuumed.
Cons:
The spray bottle is not refillable and does not work as effectively on dried carpet stains. The product itself does not appear to deter further spraying in the same area, despite its lasting perfume. It cannot be used on velvet, leather, or wool.
Best Natural
Professional strength odor eliminator
Pros:
The product has been specifically developed to assist in removing stains that have been left by pets. The product primarily provides a solution for stains that are caused by both cat and dog urine. The solution can be used on a range of different surfaces, including coaches and carpets. An enzyme-powered solution is used to provide a more powerful effect. Odor accompanying the stain will also be effectively eliminated.
Cons:
The product does come with a high price tag, especially when compared to some of the other odor and stain products that have been designed for pet owners. The stain & odor eliminator also only provide an effective solution for urine. There are times when stains and odors are caused by other problems, such as vomit and feces.
Best Smell
Orange-scented deodorizer
Pros:
The product is provided as a concentrated solution that can be added to water. This helps the customer save money in the process. A single bottle of this pet stench eliminator is able to make up to four bottles of the solution, each bottle containing 32oz of liquid. The product features an orange scent that helps to cover up smells that have been left by cat and dog urine.
Cons:
Some people find that the orange scent in the product is not pleasant. It would have been useful if the brand offered a variety of scent options for the customer to choose from. The product will also not help to remove stains that might have been left by the urine. Instead, it only helps to cover the odor.
Best Easy-to-Use
Extremely effective and chemical free
Pros:
Anti-Icky-Poo claims to be a green product that is made primarily for removing urine. It works best on fresh cat spray, as all such products, but can be used on previously undetected urine spots as well. It cleans cat pee odors from walls, rugs, baseboards, absorbent tiles, and fabrics. It is safe to be used full strength or diluted. It does not need to be blotted after applying, only fully dried. It can be scrubbed, if you like, without ruining surfaces. It repels return visits to the same spot.
Cons:
As it works, it might kick out more odors. It also has a strong citrus fragrance that isn’t great for those who are sensitive to perfume. It is not meant for use after other cleaning products, as non-similar detergents coat fibers and do not allow this formula to penetrate. Anti-Icky-Poo recommends the use of a companion product first, Mister Max P-Bath, in such a scenario.
What Really Matters
Understanding Why Cats Spray
You can hunt all over the house and yard tackling bad odors with an enzyme cleaner for cat urine, but without stopping the process, your little boy is just going to find a better spot he can stink. Sometimes older cats who have already been neutered have excess urine and spray for medical reasons. But mostly, cat spray is due to puberty and hormones.
If you neuter your boys and spay your girls early enough–between two to six months–they will not encounter the same hormone levels as the normal cats out baying in the alley for companionship. Their behavior will alter and in nine out of ten cases, they will never spray. If you wait too long, after the hormones have struck, you are facing unruly teenagers and are in for a ride. If things get too far out of control and your pet has already been neutered, have a talk with the veterinarian about treatment options.
Repellant
It is important that your cat does not go right back to the same spot to spray after you have so thoroughly cleaned it. Enzymes for cat urine are designed to completely remove the spray and also the smells that come from it. But if you are only working with a sweet-scented mask like Febreze, the urine will not be totally gone, only the smell–maybe. Your male fuzzy face will go right back and lift up his tail to spray that same spot again, making your job doubly difficult to tackle.
Odor-Removing
How do enzymes clean cat urine and odors? The best use a three-part formula. Hydrogen peroxide or another chemical will be used to loosen the stain. Enzymes will break down the chemical composition of the pee so that your cat will no longer recognize it as such, even with his super-bionic nose. Once the acid in the cat urine is cleaned with enzymes, bacteria present in the formula eats up the smell. Yes, these are very hard-working, effective formulas.
In case you want an additional clean scent thereafter, some cat urine enzyme cleaners do come with fragrance. However, unless these are natural essential oils (which make the price exorbitant), you might skip undisclosed fragrance ingredients for the sake of your pet’s health and your own.
Prevention
Spraying is a natural process for cats, and unless their hormones are tamed there will probably be plenty of it–just in different areas of your home. Males are marking territory and inviting available females, who then respond. Neutering does not always completely remove the problem of spraying, especially if it is not done early enough to be the most effective.
If your tommy boy wasn’t neutered early, it is very likely he is facing some anxiety and desperation. The sheer number of cat urine enzyme cleaners out there shows it is a problem–one that needs solutions, not just smell-fresh measures. There are some training and anti-stress procedures that can be used in addition to surgery and hormonal therapies to help keep him from roaming around sending stress signals by spraying. Ask your vet.
What’s in Right Now
Enzymatic cleaners for cat urine that contain no fragrance or perfume are the most popular buys. People want to know that the smell is gone forever, and that is not always possible with a lingering sweet smell. Additionally, product manufacturers are not required to disclose the ingredients of fragrances, which in many cases are chemicals that are toxic to animals and humans.
Prices
Expensive,
$40 – $100: In this category are cat urine cleaners with enzymatic or non-enzyme bases. They are normally concentrated. Some are natural products made for industrial use, like the Kennel Odor Eliminator. Others target not just cat smells, but any residual odor from dead rats and skunks. Most bulk odor eliminators are in this price range, including cat litter fresheners.
Mid-Range,
$20 – $40: This category contains cat urine enzyme cleaners in quantities of thirty-two to sixty-four ounces. If you are going to be chasing after your cat every day, quantity is what you will need.
Cheap,
$10 – $20: If spraying is just an occasional thing for your cat that comes and goes every now and again with mating season, you will not need to be toting much product around your house and yard. A simple spray bottle of an inexpensive, effective cat urine enzyme cleaner will get the job done appropriately.
FAQs
How do I use a cat urine enzyme cleaner?
Use an enzyme cleaner for cat urine immediately upon discovering the soiled area, preferably while the stain is still fresh. Regardless of the brand used, the area will clean easier and more perfectly reduce odors when tackled right away. Apart from this general rule, make sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully and do just as indicated for different surfaces, particularly regarding carpet.
Although designed for the best ease of use, allowing enzymes to clean cat urine is a scientific and tricky process. If you have questions about the use of the product, it is better to contact the manufacturer’s customer service with inquiries, instead of wasting time and money trying to wing it by yourself.
How much cat urine enzyme cleaner should I use?
Use the amount indicated on the brand’s label. Even if it seems excessive, it is better to have it work the first time than to have to repeat the process. In general, enzyme cleaners for cat urine finish quicker than other cleaning products because of the high odor and enduring nature of cat spray. If your problem is a consistent one, consider buying in bulk, but also look for some form of preventive measures to keep your cat from spraying. A visit to the vet might be in order.
If the manufacturer suggests the product be diluted, do so according to instructions to avoid damage to plants, pets, fabrics, and cleaning surfaces.
Are there any preventive uses for cat urine enzyme cleaner?
Cat urine enzyme cleaner is not a preventive product. Adding a capful to a mop bucket and doing a general clean will not stop your cat from doing his thing. But when used properly, the best brands will break down urine thoroughly enough to stop your pet from returning to the same spot to urinate or spray.
How can I avoid staining and discoloration with cat urine enzyme cleaners?
Consider the use of the product carefully before purchasing. To get the best use from your buy, look for a product that works on most surfaces, like ZORBYX or Anti-Icky-Poo. In this manner, you will always have a great working product around when needed, regardless of the place you need to use it. Just do a spot test first.
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