How can I get the smell of cat urine out of clothes?
My boyfriend's mom knitted a bunch of baby clothes and blankets as a baby shower gift, but they smell horrible because they hardly ever clean the litter box and they allow one of their male cats to pee all over their house. I've washed the clothes twice and they still smell. I don't know how to get the smell out! I have three cats in a two bedroom apartment and have never had a problem with the smell I just don't understand how the clothes can smell so bad when they have the same amount of cats in a bigger space..
cat lover2011-03-26T19:30:53Z
Favorite Answer
Well shame on the mother. And if one of their male cats pees all over the place, he is probably not neutered. And that can be a particularly foul odor.
But to your problem. Since the clothes are washable, do a cycle with a cup of white vinegar, followed by a regular detergent cycle. The odor will be gone.
Several scoops of OxiClean (sold in tubs in the laundry aisle) put into the hot water as the washer is filling. You can also add detergent. I used a solution of OxiClean and hot water to clean the litter pan when we had a ferret - that stuff is impressive!
And it's true - if the smell is that bad, it's likely a male that needs to be neutered asap. I know if you would want to bring the subject up with your boyfriend's mom, but they may not be able to smell it anymore, and they are no doubt losing home equity. Being honest wouldn't be easy, but better to get a new carpet and sponge the place down with OxiClean or Nature's Miracle than to have their house be destroyed. Feliway plug-in diffusers can also help cats stop spraying once they've been neutered, but that must be done first.
Gain...it can get the smell out!! I used to be a dog groomer-it got pretty stinky sometimes, and I also have cats. I had one diabetic cat who peed on everything. The Gain detergent worked great! You may have to wash it twice, and don't dry it in the dryer till the smell is gone, but it works great!
I wash things in NON-chlorine bleach (and water) with great success. The strength of the solution depends on what I'm washing. I usually let the items soak for 15 minutes to a half hour... Then rinse, then wash in a laundry soap.
Check for color fastness before washing whole garmets/items in it.
(NON-chlorine bleach sells for under $2 at grocery stores & mass merchandisers. DO NOT USE CHLORINE BLEACH.)
while washing them in warm soapy water,rub a STAINLESS STEEL KITCHEN KNIFE over the clothes...rub all areas of the clothes for a few minutes,make sure you rub all over...the steel will de-ionize the scent molecules and they should release from the fabric...works with garlic hands as well...