I think I hate Nature's Miracle

November 11, 2020 9:04 AM

Can you please help me get the mark and smell left by Nature's Miracle (for cats) out of a carpet? It did take out the original stain (kitty puked up a hairball) but now I feel like the solution was almost worse than the original problem. Details within...

So the cat barfed up a hairball on the (very light pearl gray) carpet. No biggie, cleaned it up and went about my day. Several hours later I noticed I had left a small stain, so I sprayed Nature's Miracle, blotted it up, and thought all would be good. It is now three days later and the whole downstairs of this house reeks of Nature's Miracle - it is a horrible chemical odor that I swear is weirdly reminiscent of cat pee. The original puke stain is indeed gone, but now there's a dark mark that exactly maps with where I sprayed this crap and it will. not. come. out. Has anyone encountered this before? How did you get the smell and/or mark out? Bonus points if you can recommend a pet-stain/odor product that works for cat puke/pee and does not create its own set of problems! TIA!

posted by deep thought sunstar to Pets & Animals (12 answers total)

This is normal, though disturbing, for enzyme cleaners. They take some days to finish enzyming, and both the pee smell and the perfume to cover it can get quite vivid before it's done. The old original formula I think mentioned something like 5-7 days on the label, I notice is it much more vague now about how long it takes to work, which is why people assume it's instant.

I did move on to options that didn't have such a cloying perfume. Both Odo-Ban and Anti Icky Poo (which is what the kitten fosterers I know use, and the directions specifically lay out a 4-day process) are less gnarly-smelling. AIP sells an unscented one, but just prepare yourself for a mighty cloud of piss-smell for at least part of the process.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:12 AM on November 11, 2020 [7 favorites]

Is it older carpet? I once battled a similar problem (cleaned but cleaning products kept leaving a mark) and apparently older carpet can "wick up" dirt from it's underlay if the moisture lingers. Clean it with regular stain remover and then dry it faster by putting a fan or space heater at it. This might help the odor too.
posted by The otter lady at 9:13 AM on November 11, 2020 [1 favorite]

I've never had a good experience with Nature's Miracle and eliminating repeat offenses. I've had better luck with hydrogen peroxide mixed with very warm water.
posted by JoeZydeco at 9:53 AM on November 11, 2020 [2 favorites]

I've used Nature's Miracle (and other such products), but I never noticed any appreciable advantage over using just plain, non-enzymatic cleaners. I suspect that it's largely a marketing scam designed to make you pay a premium for cleaners that "magically" neutralize pee.
posted by alex1965 at 9:56 AM on November 11, 2020 [1 favorite]

I've wondered about this. For years, I used Nature's Miracle and it was reliable, unscented, did not stain. When I went to get a new bottle about a year ago, the old version seemed to be gone -- the only option I could find is heavily scented and I've also noticed the staining you mention. I suspect it's a formula change. (This doesn't help your immediate problem, and yeah, I will also be looking into other options if the old unscented version really is gone forever.)
posted by LobsterMitten at 10:01 AM on November 11, 2020 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Nature's Miracle definitely changed the formula a while back and now it's awful. Years ago it smelled just vaguely "soapy," I repeatedly doused my entire couch in it when I had a chronic peeing cat and it really worked to control the pee smell, didn't add any bad smells. Now I can't even be in the same room with a bottle of it, it stinks so bad.

I switched to this and it's good, although I haven't tried it on carpet. It has no smell whatsoever.

To get out the mark/smell the Nature's Miracle left I'd try putting a bunch of baking soda on the stain and leaving it for a few hours or overnight, then vacuuming. Not sure if it'll work but it's harmless. Worst case scenario it just does nothing.
posted by 100kb at 10:27 AM on November 11, 2020 [3 favorites]

I have been converted to the cult of Folex for all carpet cleanining needs. You can just do a little spot removal or you can use it with those carpet cleaning machines you rent.
posted by BlahLaLa at 11:01 AM on November 11, 2020 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Every time there’s a pet urine question I try to warn people about Nature’s Miracle. It will NOT go away in a few days or weeks; I have a friend who got it in their grout and can still smell it a year later. I made the mistake of using it on carpet and luckily was able to get rid of it by shampooing it with a rug shampooer at least ten times in a row, ending with a vinegar rinse. It’s completely gone now, but it was a lot of work.
posted by HotToddy at 11:07 AM on November 11, 2020 [1 favorite]

I switched to using Kids 'N' Pets because Nature's Miracle was too stinky. It has worked fine for me & not left any spots, but my rug is dark & patterned, so I suppose I might not have noticed.
posted by belladonna at 11:13 AM on November 11, 2020 [1 favorite]

If it still smells strongly that means its still working, they do not work overnight, nothing that will get rid of the smell long term works instantly. It is water soluble just run a carpet cleaner over it, if you don't have one, wet the area with water & blot with a towel for the stain. I've had it leave a water mark before though never a dark one it cleans up easily. Be prepared for the vomit smell to come back if it hasn't finished working.

Next time cover the area with plastic to keep the Natures Miracle moist & it will work faster as it only works when wet, when it is finished & has nothing left to work on the smell fades away.

Oxyclean, basically Hydrogen Peroxide works pretty well but spot check your carpet first.
posted by wwax at 11:34 AM on November 11, 2020 [2 favorites]

In my experience, it will fade but never entirely go away. Gah.
posted by stray at 11:55 AM on November 11, 2020 [1 favorite]

I have no advice on the Nature's Miracle issues, but I use bac-out on all my gross pet-related things. I use it on carpet with no issues, and it removed all the mouse urine smell from a backpack that had been a mouse nest.

The smell is pretty inoffensive, but unfortunately now I associate it with general unhappiness...
posted by Pickles the Fire Cat at 12:16 PM on November 11, 2020 [2 favorites]