Cat pee on delicate hardwood floors
November 4, 2014 5:22 PM Subscribe
What is the best way to remove a dark (and hopefully pretty recent) cat urine stain from my hardwood floor?
My formerly feral kitten Eisenhower has, alas, a habit of occasionally peeing on items on the floor. Today, I picked up the doormat to find that he had peed on it, which would be no big deal, but it had soaked down and stained the floor dark. My floors are > 100 years old and have an inlay and I've been told that I should avoid sanding and refinishing if possible because the veneer is thin. What have you used that has worked? Baking soda? Oxyclean? Peroxide? I have seen these ideas and more on the internets, but would appreciate stories from the front lines.
(I don't think Eisie-monster is ill, but we're going to ask at the vet when we go next week just in case.)
My formerly feral kitten Eisenhower has, alas, a habit of occasionally peeing on items on the floor. Today, I picked up the doormat to find that he had peed on it, which would be no big deal, but it had soaked down and stained the floor dark. My floors are > 100 years old and have an inlay and I've been told that I should avoid sanding and refinishing if possible because the veneer is thin. What have you used that has worked? Baking soda? Oxyclean? Peroxide? I have seen these ideas and more on the internets, but would appreciate stories from the front lines.
(I don't think Eisie-monster is ill, but we're going to ask at the vet when we go next week just in case.)
Natures Miracle make a hard floor cleaner. It's an enzyme cleaner so it doesn't always work straight away, have to give the enzymes time to do their thing & you have to soak the area.
posted by wwax at 7:03 PM on November 4, 2014
posted by wwax at 7:03 PM on November 4, 2014
Blonde hardwoods now (possibly walnut), antique oak previously. Vinegar, left on with a rag for some time, and then cleaned and oiled was my best bet.
Nature's Miracle works pretty well, but does leave a darkish patch sometimes. Vinegar blends the wood back to its original color.
This may depend on the finish. I am pretty sure my current floors are finished with whatever synthetic you buy at a big box store.
"Some time" is basically all day.
(Had a cat who objected to being left with a cat sitter. She would find a secret pee place and soak it when I was gone. She was not ill. She always found a new place for each trip so I have some experience.)
posted by Lesser Shrew at 7:07 PM on November 4, 2014
Nature's Miracle works pretty well, but does leave a darkish patch sometimes. Vinegar blends the wood back to its original color.
This may depend on the finish. I am pretty sure my current floors are finished with whatever synthetic you buy at a big box store.
"Some time" is basically all day.
(Had a cat who objected to being left with a cat sitter. She would find a secret pee place and soak it when I was gone. She was not ill. She always found a new place for each trip so I have some experience.)
posted by Lesser Shrew at 7:07 PM on November 4, 2014
Based on jbenben's suggestion of vodka, you might even try Everclear, for a higher alcohol content. (Spec's carries it, Costco doesn't.)
I've always used a combination of Oxyclean and Simple Green with great success, but that was on things I could throw in a washing machine. Not sure if it would be safe for hardwood.
posted by MexicanYenta at 8:30 PM on November 4, 2014
I've always used a combination of Oxyclean and Simple Green with great success, but that was on things I could throw in a washing machine. Not sure if it would be safe for hardwood.
posted by MexicanYenta at 8:30 PM on November 4, 2014
Careful with hydrogen peroxide it can bleach older hardwoods a lighter color then the other parts very quickly.
posted by dog food sugar at 4:02 AM on November 5, 2014
posted by dog food sugar at 4:02 AM on November 5, 2014
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Nature's Miracle (urine destroyer formula and regular type) never worked well for me. I tried vodka out of desperation this summer after futzing with everything else.
Vodka.
posted by jbenben at 5:45 PM on November 4, 2014