How to find cat urine on carpet

August 12, 2018/ Alpine Professional carpet care/ Jeff Tobian

Finding dog or cat urine in the carpet is really easy using a really good UV light (or black light) and moisture probe. The UV light will tell you where the urine damage is in the carpet and the moisture probe will detect the urine salts in the carpet and the pad. Not everything is urine that the UV light detects if it is a yellow, greenish glow it is urine in the carpet. If it is a bright white it is a cleaning product in the carpet. It will also detect drink spills and all kinds of other stuff. The urine salts pulls moisture from the air into the carpet keeping it wet for months allowing for bacteria to grow and it is the bacteria that leaves the bad odor in the room. This is where the moisture probe comes in handy it detect the urine in the pad and the sub floor. If you have a dog the urine might be next to furniture leg or in the middle of the room or next to the door. If it is a cat, in most cases, it is next to the wall somewhere.

Table of Contents Show

To help prevent future cat pee incidents, keep a clean litter box
How do you find cat pee on carpet?
How can I find where my cat peed?
What is the fastest way to get cat urine smell out of carpet?
Can smell cat pee but can't find it?

This is the UV light and the moisture probe that we use when we come out to your home. This is a High flux UV crime scene light. I am using a Dri-eaz Hydrosensr 2 to detect the urine in the pad.

Sometimes the baseboards and the drywall need to be treated or replaced, you can see this is a cat because they like to pee next to the walls and baseboards.

If you pull back the carpet, you will have a good idea on how bad the urine damage is and you might have to replace the pad and seal the sub floor. In some cases, you might need to get new carpet. This is a good example of a dog that left urine on the carpet.

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Blacklight To Find Cat Urine

Cat urine can be a difficult and unwieldy opponent especially if you are not properly outfitted for battle. You can smell it everywhere, but it can ultimately be difficult to actually pinpoint just exactly where the cat urine stain is. In other words, you need to find the stain in order to eliminate it, and here at Planet Urine we have a great tool to help you do just that.

One of the best ways to “spot” invasive cat urine stains is to utilize a black light. Black lights actually emit a long wave of UV radiation. While actually appearing more purple than black, black lights are commonly used to detect anything from forgeries, to improper food handling, and now urine smell and odor. The secret is in the urine itself.

When you shine a black light on a cat urine stain it will appear as a green or yellow spot. We have an easy to use handheld black light that is perfect for this use. It is small enough to carry around the house easily, and big enough to actually cover a fairly broad surface area. Black light urine detection works best in dimly lit areas, or areas where there is no other light source. For this reason we advise that you try black light urine “hunting” in the evening.

Once you have successfully found and marked the urine stains in your home, all you have to do is eliminate them. Some might be thinking that this is easier said than done. Fortunately, at Planet Urine we have some powerful cat urine removal products available to consumers. We offer the same high grade cat urine smell and stain removers that professional stain removal teams use. Call our toll free number at 888-286-6367 for more information.

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Make haste! Your carpet is absorbent.

It’s all fun and games until the cat pees in on your carpet. Kitty tinkle is one of the most unique and pungent smells on the planet, perhaps rivaled only by the notorious durian fruit.

Cleaning cat pee isn’t very intuitive either. It’s actually sort of like a science experiment. Whereas you’d instinctively use warm or hot water to clean basically anything else, using hot water on cat urine is only going to set and amplify the stench. So if you’re having a cat pee-mergency, follow our guidelines below to clean your carpet and neutralize that stinky cat pee smell.

Track down the source of the smell. And do it quickly! Carpets absorb fast. The longer the cat urine sits there, the worse it’s going to smell – not to mention, cats love to pee in the same spot.
Use paper towels or an old rag to blot the spot with cold water. You’ll want to absorb as much of the cat pee as possible from the carpet. If you’ve got an extracting wet vac on hand, feel free to use that on the cold setting. Do not scrub the carpet, that will just make the cat pee angrier and more resilient, rubbing it further (and more permanently) into the carpet. And do not use a steam cleaner, since the heat from it could cause cat urine odors to set. Definitely don’t want that.

Douse the spot with an enzymatic cleaner. This type of cleaner uses special enzymes to break down tough stains and can be found in pet stores or most major retailers. If you can’t get your hands on that, make your own cleaner at home by combining (white or apple cider) vinegar and water in a 1:1 ratio. Because the vinegar is acidic, it will neutralize the bacteria in the cat pee, offsetting its odor. Let the solution sit on your carpet for 3-5 minutes or carefully follow the instructions on the cleaning product’s label. This step is essential because cats are creatures of habit and prefer to pee in the same spot. So, make sure you neutralize the cat pee in the carpet to help them forget all about it.

More blotting. Using a wet towel (remember, cold water!), blot up the enzymatic cleaner from the carpet.
Sprinkle baking soda on the stain, letting it sit for about an hour before vacuuming it up from the carpet. This will further aid in neutralizing the cat urine smell.
Freshen up the room. For additional freshness, try using Febreze Fabric Pet Odor Eliminator when it’s completely dry.

To help prevent future cat pee incidents, keep a clean litter box

To avoid future rogue cat pee incidents, be sure to keep a clean litter box. Kitties loathe a dirty litter box and some cats are more particular than others. If your cat continues to pee outside of its box for no apparent reason (new pet, new house, change of scenery, change of kitty litter), consider taking it to the vet for a check-up as there may be underlying behavioral or health issues.

How do you find cat pee on carpet?

Old Cat Urine Use a blacklight to identify exactly where the stains are located. You can try thoroughly soaking the affected area in an enzyme cleaner and extracting it with a shop vac. If this doesn't work, then it is time to call for professional carpet cleaning.

How can I find where my cat peed?

You can buy a blacklight flashlight from internet retailers such as Amazon and Ebay. The there is a compound in dried cat pee that will glow a green color under a blacklight. Shine it everywhere, including on walls where cat pee may be sprayed or splattered so thin that you wouldn't have otherwise noticed it.

What is the fastest way to get cat urine smell out of carpet?

Cleaning the area thoroughly with vinegar first and then applying an enzyme treatment will break down and evaporate the uric acid and your home will be free of cat odors. Vinegar and enzyme cleaners work on all surfaces: hardwood floors, carpets, mattresses.

Can smell cat pee but can't find it?

Multiple things can cause your house to smell like cat urine, even if you don't have a cat. Investigate if there is mold, leaking Freon, sewer gases, smelly plants, spoiled food, or even stains from previous pet owners.