Pet Urine Stain Solutions
Question: I recently moved into a house where the family had several cats. How can I get rid of the cat urine odor in the wood floors?

Answer: This question is more common than you may realize. There are several "home brew" treatments you can try. If these don't work, at least one commercial product seems to work. First, the homebrews:

1) Wash surface several times with white vinegar, and rinse thoroughly; or 2) Wash surface with bleach and water solution, rinse; or 3) Sand the wood surface, then seal with polyurethane and install vinyl or ceramic tile.

If none of the above do the job (and they often don't), a product called EXOD II is worth a try. We have talked with several people who used it and were pleased with the results. Exod is a bacteria/enzyme product, described as an "odor digester." It interacts with urine or other organic material like spoiled food, to eliminate the smell.

To use it, dilute with warm water to the proper strength (see label instructions). Then spray, mop, or wipe it onto the surface, keeping it moist with water until the odor is gone. The manufacturer claims it is safe and effective on any water-safe surface: carpet, wood, tile, bedding, etc.

Exod II is manufactured by Aquaterra Biochemical Corporation of America (1803 Howard Rd., Waxahachie, TX 75165. Phone: 800-527-9919, ext. 0941). It probably won't be in your local hardware store, so check with a company that sells floor maintenance supplies.

Reprinted with permission from the Housing Resource Center
Copyright HouseNet, Inc.

Back to Home Improvement Preview Lawn And Garden Preview Home Decorating Shopping Center