Cat Pee in Dryer
March 16, 2016 9:44 AM Subscribe
I left a cat-pee soaked (but washed) rug in the dryer. The smell is mostly gone, except when I shut the door. Is there any hope to banish the last tiny remaining smell?
We have one cat who loves to pee on rugs (I know, I know, but that's a separate question). I usually drench them in Nature's Miracle, wash them on Sanitary and toss them in the dryer. It usually works fine. This time, our washer broke and I hand washed the rug, then stuck it in the dryer and promptly forgot about it. When I took it out, the rug was still damp and the dryer smelled like cat pee.
I did multiple (5-6 at least) sprays of white vinegar. Two sprays of Nature's Miracle. About 2-3 runs of the dryer with a Nature's Miracle-soaked rag. Right now, a bowl of vinegar is sitting in the dryer with the door shut.
The smell is mostly gone. It only seems to reappear when I leave the door shut; once I open the door, it takes about 30 seconds for the smell to dissipate (I timed it this morning). I've run clothes in there and they don't come out smelling like pee at all. So it's really just a matter of getting rid of that tiny amount that seems to stick when the door's been shut. Any suggestions? I can keep the door open for he most part, but it tends to get shut accidentally because of the placement of the dryer.
We have one cat who loves to pee on rugs (I know, I know, but that's a separate question). I usually drench them in Nature's Miracle, wash them on Sanitary and toss them in the dryer. It usually works fine. This time, our washer broke and I hand washed the rug, then stuck it in the dryer and promptly forgot about it. When I took it out, the rug was still damp and the dryer smelled like cat pee.
I did multiple (5-6 at least) sprays of white vinegar. Two sprays of Nature's Miracle. About 2-3 runs of the dryer with a Nature's Miracle-soaked rag. Right now, a bowl of vinegar is sitting in the dryer with the door shut.
The smell is mostly gone. It only seems to reappear when I leave the door shut; once I open the door, it takes about 30 seconds for the smell to dissipate (I timed it this morning). I've run clothes in there and they don't come out smelling like pee at all. So it's really just a matter of getting rid of that tiny amount that seems to stick when the door's been shut. Any suggestions? I can keep the door open for he most part, but it tends to get shut accidentally because of the placement of the dryer.
Make sure you have cleaned the seal(s) on the door. Mine are rubber, which are real stubborn about turning loose a scent.
posted by Lyn Never at 11:13 AM on March 16, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by Lyn Never at 11:13 AM on March 16, 2016 [4 favorites]
Undiluted Simple Green on a rag for the barrel and gasket of the dryer, followed by "rinsing" twice with a clean wet rag. Maybe follow that second rinse with a vinegar soaked rag. The Simple Green should do it though.
And order a replacement part for the lint screen if you can. If you can't replace the lint screen, soak it in a diluted Simple Green Solution.
Instead of cleaning the exhaust hose, just replace it, it's possibly a linty fire hazard horror show anyway.
posted by bilabial at 2:57 PM on March 16, 2016
And order a replacement part for the lint screen if you can. If you can't replace the lint screen, soak it in a diluted Simple Green Solution.
Instead of cleaning the exhaust hose, just replace it, it's possibly a linty fire hazard horror show anyway.
posted by bilabial at 2:57 PM on March 16, 2016
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posted by parmanparman at 10:12 AM on March 16, 2016 [1 favorite]