Question about cat pee and baby toy ...

[DMickey28]

Seriously.

My cat had issues while we were gone a few weeks ago. He ruined our couch and also peed on the corner of one of DS's floor gym mats. Of course it was the $80 one not the $20 one. I covered it in Nature's Miracle and then soaked it in the washing machine with cold water and Nature Miracle then washed. There is a faint odor still so I am going to wash it again.

Now if I can get the smell out, would you still use this for baby? It's on a corner that I can not put DS on, as it's kind of the "back" of the mat. However once he is a little older he will be able to move himself around and get to it ... what do you think??? I hate to have to toss it, he barely used it!!! I am obviously very hesitant to use it ... it's just soo cool!

 

[earthfaries]

I wouldn't toss it. I am sure you will get one of two people who would say toss it, the lady I used to be a nanny for tossed her gap blankets if her baby got pee on them !!! If you have washed it and soaked it a couple of times the bacteria is gone, it is just the odor, and when it comes to cat pee, the odor never seems to totally leave I have noticed. There are certain ways to get the odor out if you do research on the net, but as for tossing a perfectly good useful mat I wouldn't, you've cleaned it.

 

[freckles and boo]

Bleach is the ONLY thing that will remove funky odors permanently. Of course then everything smells like bleach, but that is preferable to urine.

 

[huey duey & luey]

that stinks (literally), but I would throw it out. We actually replaced our carpeting in the family room because of cat pee, I refused to let my kids crawl on it

 

[MommyPoppins]

Wash it with vinager. It neutralizes urine smells and it's natural.

 

[kathie859]

Do try the vinegar soak. It should do the trick! Vinegar is the miracle cure in cleaning

 

[solferino]

Amber listerine will do the job. You'll have to saturate it well, but OMG it so works. It got the smell out of leather here- we're talking about 2 things impossibly hard to work with- leather and catpee. Store brand will do it too.

 

[DMickey28]

Amber listerine will do the job. You'll have to saturate it well, but OMG it so works. It got the smell out of leather here- we're talking about 2 things impossibly hard to work with- leather and catpee. Store brand will do it too.

Interesting. I will try either the vinegar or the listerine. I also have a couch that needs to be saved but I don't know if I can. They went down the middle of the two cushions and in one corner on the couch. I cut out a bunch of the offending material but there is still a smell. I have sprayed a gallon of Nature's Miracle on it but it's still there and there is a faint smell when you walk in the room. I don't want to buy a new couch but I don't know if I can save this one. I will need to buy two new cushions, there is a foam place I can get them at for $60 each and then we will need to slip cover the couch soon anyway because of the amount of fabric I cut off!!! So $400 total for slip cover for couch and exsisting cushions plus the new foam or $599 for a new couch????

 

[JustHolly]

You know that the mat is clean if you've washed it that many times, I'm sure your baby will be fine! Isn't cat urine sterile anyway?


Splurge on a new couch, though. You deserve it!

DisneyPhD just put her kitty on anti-depressants for peeing. Maybe your kitty needs some too!

 

[Lisa_M]

I would throw it away. I wouldn't let my baby play or crawl or whatever on anything that was urinated on by a cat, even if I cleaned as best as I can. I should mention that when my cats get sick, they get sick on the bathmat and I throw it away.

 

[MosMom]

Try vinegar. I take it you have a male cat? Male cat urine is the worst. It won't hurt your baby, it just doesn't smell all that great but I bet the vinegar will get the odor out and then wash it once more in hot and you will be fine. No need to throw out such an expensive toy.

We have a female cat but she has a "thing" for our hampers and if she manages to find one open or can weasel her way in, she will pee in it. If I threw everything away, it would get very expensive. I wash them in hot with vinegar and then wash them again and there is no odor left and they are clean.

 

[bumbershoot]

I would throw it away, because even if you can't smell it, the CAT can, and the cat will be very likely to want to pee there again.

Then again, I'm VERY sensitive to that smell, and when our cat started peeing on everything, I went kind of nuts from the smell...

 

[SplshMtn99]

Vinegar. I've actually started adding to to our laundry each time after learning about it on the budget board. Towels that always had funky smell are now clean smelling again. AND it makes your fabric softener smell last longer.

 

[DMickey28]

So I wash it in the washer again with vinegar in the water? how much vinegar? This is a big mat, but has a laundry bag that I was it in.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Forget throwing out the mat, throw out the cat!! Seriously, you've got some good suggestions here. Remember though, cats have a keener sense of smell and will likely pee on it again. That's why when my little one gets here, all his/her stuff will be in the nursery where the cats can't get too it. Hopefully DH and I will have a new place by time little one really starts to crawl. House is okay, but I'm looking for something with carpet now that I will have a crawler in the house. Time to move closer to my synagogue and to my friend who will be babysitting anyway. Send some pixie dust my way on that will ya??!!

Let us know what works.

 

[MosMom]

If you are afraid of the cat re-peeing, just keep the play mat put away while baby isn't playing on it instead of leaving it on the carpet. (did any pee soak through the mat onto your carpet?)

 

[earthfaries]

ODOR REMOVER


16 oz. (2 cups) hydrogen peroxide
2 tsp. baking soda
2 small drops liquid dishwashing soap (Dawn, Palmolive, etc.)

Place all ingredients in a glass jar or bowl. Gently stir--do not beat or shake--until baking soda is dissolved.

If urine is fresh, be sure to blot up any excess urine with dry paper towels or a dry washcloth before the next step.

Pour mixture over urine spot, making sure to cover the entire spot. Allow mixture to completely soak the area being treated. Do not rub or scrub! Let sit for 24 hours without disturbing.

After 24 hours, take clean paper towels or a clean, white washcloth and blot up any remaining liquid (Again, do not rub or scrub.).

Allow area to air dry completely. If you are treating carpet, you can vacuum over the area when dry.

Makes 16 oz. (2 cups) of solution.

GENERAL TIPS
The strength of hydrogen peroxide required for the recipe is the 3% solution. This strength is what is commonly found at pharmacies, discount stores and grocery stores.
The solution is most effective within one hour of mixing, but you can keep a batch of solution in a spray bottle to have on hand for fresh accidents--it will work just fine.
Do not enclose the mixture in an airtight container (a spray bottle is fine, though), or you could have a big mess on your hands! The reason for this is because when the ingredients are combined they release oxygen. Remember making "volcanoes" out of baking soda and vinegar when you were a little kid? Similar principle here.
Carpet, furniture and mattresses typically require 1-2 treatments. Concrete, wood, tile and other hard surfaces usually need 3-5 treatments (1 treatment per day).

 

[DMickey28]

Forget throwing out the mat, throw out the cat!! Seriously, you've got some good suggestions here. Remember though, cats have a keener sense of smell and will likely pee on it again. That's why when my little one gets here, all his/her stuff will be in the nursery where the cats can't get too it. Hopefully DH and I will have a new place by time little one really starts to crawl. House is okay, but I'm looking for something with carpet now that I will have a crawler in the house. Time to move closer to my synagogue and to my friend who will be babysitting anyway. Send some pixie dust my way on that will ya??!!

Let us know what works.

Good Luck on finding a place.

I would love to keep the babies stuff in the nursery but it is just impractical for us. I can't sit in the nursery all day!! It was my mistake for leaving it on the ground. I will try the vinegar and the mixture above ...

The cat's keener sense of smell is exactly the reason we have to buy a new couch now. Arghh ... I have pretty much cut out all the areas that were effected but at this point the cost of new custom made foam cushions and a slip cover for the couch and all the pillows on the back, plus a slip cover for the oversized chair and ottaman will cost just as much as a new couch!!! Oh well! Once we got this furniture it didn't take me long to NOT like it so I will get something I like better now ... (and no it won't match the oversized chair so I'll have to slipcover that anyway but leave my logic and convincing to DH that we just need a new couch alone!!!)

 

[ZPT1022]

Wash it with vinager. It neutralizes urine smells and it's natural.

I was going to say vinegar as well. When my cat pees on something I will soak it in baking soda- a cup or so, in cold water. Then run through the wash with about 1/2 to 3/4 the laundry detergent you think you would need, but add a cup or two of vinegar to the wash with the detergent. I usually do this twice and then run a regular cycle. I know it's time consuming but it's better than tossing everything. I would have tried something similar on the sofa but since you've cut the fabric at this point I'd get a new one rather than investing all that money in rebuilding the old one. You can always freecycle the old one, someone took my old couch that the cats had scratched the heck out of. I was surprised but whatever.