How to Clean Cat Spray (Urine Marking) So It’s Gone for Good

If you’ve got a cat spraying inside your home, you’re probably highly motivated to clean it so that it doesn’t stink and the cat stops the behavior.

This article is focused on how to clean cat spray (also known as urine marking). You may also want to learn more about what cat spraying is and how to stop the behavior.

Sometimes, stranger cats (especially intact males) will mark on the outside of a home when it sees or smells other cats inside. The tips provided here are also relevant for cleaning spray marks on the outside of your home.

Step One – Identify the Cat Doing the Spraying

It can be useful to know which cat is spraying in order to intervene on and monitor the issue effectively.

If you have one cat, this one’s easy! But in multiple cat households, it can be hard to tell who’s doing the spraying unless you witness the act.

In these cases, isolate one cat at a time and watch to see when spray marks appear. Using the process of elimination (pun intended?), you should be able to figure out who’s spraying.

Make sure you know the difference between spraying and peeing [LINK], as they are very different things.

Step Two – Find the Spray Spots

Unless you see the spraying happen every time, there may be spots you don’t know about, and it’s important to clean it all.

Spraying usually happens on vertical surfaces in small amounts. But be sure to check horizontal surfaces as well, especially below marked vertical surfaces.

It helps to shine a blacklight on the surfaces in question. This is most effective when the other lighting in the room is low or dim.

Step Three – Prepare the Area

Before the affected area is treated with a cleaning solution, it is important to get as much of the pee out as possible.

If the spray is still fresh and wet, blot the urine markings with a paper towel or rag. Try not to wipe or rub it around, as this can further set the stain and odor.

Once you’ve done that, or if it’s already dried, soak the area lightly for a few minutes with a 1:1 mixture of warm water and white or apple cider vinegar. A spray bottle works best for this. You can also use a soaked rag or paper towel to apply.

Step Four – Blot the Soaked Area

Again, using a paper towel or rag, blot (don’t wipe) the soaked area several times to pick up as much of the moisture as possible.

Step Five – Use a Specialized Cleaner

Now it’s time for a specially formulated cleaner designed to eliminate urine odors. Many people recommend using an enzymatic cleaner, and there are plenty out there designed for pet urine.

Other options include ion-based and oxidizing solutions. Follow the directions on the bottle.

Additional Considerations

DIY Cleaning and Deodorizing Solutions

We’ve already mentioned the mixture of vinegar and water. There are two other common substances you can find at home or grab at the store that are effective in odor removal. Consider using them in combination with the steps above.

The first one is hydrogen peroxide. But be sure to test it on fabrics or rugs, as it can cause discoloration.

Spray, splash, or dab the peroxide onto the affected area and let it soak for 5-10 minutes before blotting dry. Peroxide can be a good follow-up to the vinegar solution if you want to be thorough. And it’s especially good for hardwood floors.

The other is baking soda, which can be sprinkled on furniture or carpets as a last step after using a cleaning agent. I’ve had a few soiled areas with stubborn odors where I’ve used baking soda multiple times over the course of weeks or months.

Leave the baking soda on the affected area for at least 30 minutes, then vacuum as thoroughly as possible. It may be hard to get 100% of the powder out of shag and loosely woven rugs.

Bonus: Take Measures to Stop Spraying and Prevent Future Incidents

Stopping and preventing spraying behaviors involves many things, so be sure to read the article for the details. Here’s a quick summary of things to address:

• Neuter and spay all cats if not done already
• Follow best practices for number of litter boxes per cat and keeping them clean
• Take stress reduction and resource provision measures
• Introduce new pets by using incremental acclimation
• Address any issues with the presence of stranger cats approaching your home from the outside

Last Meows

With the steps outlined in this article, you can gain the upper hand in the battle against cat spray.

Now go forth and conquer. And don’t forget to read up on how to stop and prevent the spraying behavior so that it’s not a recurring problem.