Cat Urine Wood Floors?

Question

Matt Gragg · Answer

I would remove it all if cat piss is saturated into the floor and subfloor. If you leave it and try to seal it, you stand a really good chance of the smell coming back. That smell is one of the worse ones to get rid of. I would also take a moisture meter around the rooms in possible spots of spraying or missing the litter box etc. If there are areas in the walls that are wet, I would remove and replace that too.

Good luck!

Ritch Bonisa · Answer

Check into sealing them.  When water/fire restoration companies see this - they seal them - Bin Original Primer Shellac.  Might prime the walls also - everything you can.  Flooring may need 2nd coat.  Has to be thorough - cracks.  Then you can put other flooring on top if it makes sense - if floors are too scratched to save.  You shouldn't have to replace the sub floor - it's possible, but not as likely. Just don't put down a new floor covering too quick, give it a few days and see if the odor is sealed.

Roy N. · Answer

@Dan Barman

If you have Dog urine - or worse, cat spray/urine - soaked down into the hardwood floor, sanding is not going to get rid of it.  In the worst cases, like one we had a few years ago, you may need to replace the subfloor as well as the finish flooring.

Dan Barman · Answer

Will do Ritch. Thanks!

Sam Shueh · Answer

Don't waste any time. Animal urine produce pungent odor even seeping through subfloor for years. Do not hesitate just replace the hardwood with treatment on subfloor. It will still smell for years when windows are closed to a sensitive nose.

Sam Shueh

Thomas S. · Answer

If it is into the subfloor sealing and/or treating the hard wood is not going to likely be successful. Before you remove the flooring entirely you may want to try ozone generator treatment.

I have not used it personally so you may want to do some research.

Brenda B. · Answer

Sadly this isn't an uncommon problem- GROSS! I have always heard that the remedy is to seal the wood with some sort of varnish. I would try to save the wood floor so having a remediation company come out and evaluate before you do anything drastic is a great idea.

Ritch Bonisa · Answer

@Dan BarmanIf you do get a pair of eyes on it - please let us know how it turns out.  A lot of these things we can talk about all day long, but it is always hard when we haven't stood there on the property and viewed it from your perspective.

Dan Barman · Answer

Thanks all for your thoughtful advice. Wondering if it's better to save time a possibly money to just tear it all up (which is sad cause you can see they used to be nice once). Concern is if we spend the money and time trying to clean (hydrogen peroxide) or seal, if it then doesn't work we'll have to spend more on top of it to just tear them out.

Thanks @Ritch Bonisa for the advice on restoration companies, maybe I should have one come out and take a look / give a quote and opinion as to if it can be restored?

Wayne Smith · Answer

@Dan Barman  I would use hydrogen peroxide full strength retail grade in a spray bottle and wet the floor with it.  I have used this successfully many times on multiple surfaces. It will depend on the porosity of the flooring, condition, whether the floor has petrified,etc...

Cat Urine Wood Floors?

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