Hello,

I am in the process of selling a rental house. The previous tenant had two
cats. There is a distinct pet odor. What is the best way to get rid of it
quickly. I open the windows when I am in the place but March in upstate NY
isn't exactly conducive to that. Any thoughts??

Thanks...

"David DeBoer" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I am in the process of selling a rental house. The previous tenant had
two
cats. There is a distinct pet odor. What is the best way to get rid of
it
quickly. I open the windows when I am in the place but March in upstate
NY
isn't exactly conducive to that. Any thoughts??

Thanks...



Been there, done that.

Rip out all carpets. Wet mop all floors and wash all baseboards with a
product called Odor Ban. That might be one word or hyphenated I just used
all mine and threw away the empty so I can't go look.. I bought it at Sam's
Club. I am sure it is sold elsewhere.

This will get rid of most of the smell. If it is soaked into the wood you
will never really get rid of it unless you paint the floors with a product
called BINS.

A fresh coat of paint on the walls also helps reduce the odor that has been
absorbed into the walls.

Don't you love careless pet owners.


Colbyt

In article ,
"David DeBoer" wrote:

- Hello,
-
- I am in the process of selling a rental house. The previous tenant had two
- cats. There is a distinct pet odor. What is the best way to get rid of it
- quickly. I open the windows when I am in the place but March in upstate NY
- isn't exactly conducive to that. Any thoughts??

I agree with Colbyt that you will probably have to rip out all the
carpet to completely get rid of the smell. Problem is, if you don't
know the exact location of the urine, you can't do much about it.

Before you rip out the carpet you could get one of those professional
carpet cleaner companies to come out and steam clean your carpet. Ask
them about the pet odors. I wouldn't get a do-it-yourself carpet cleaner
because they don't really use steam -- they just dribble some cleaner
on the surface and then suck it up. You need a deep down cleaner.

Also, if the cats were spraying there will be urine on the walls -- it
could go as high as 14 inches. Get a bottle of Clorox CleanUp and a rag
and wash all the walls from 14 inches to the floor.

You can, theoretically, see urine using a black light, but I have found
that the light has to practically be on the urine to see it. So if you
try that, hold the black light very close to the wall (or whatever). I
honestly don't believe this will work with the carpet.

Another suggestion that won't help you unless someone is living in the
house is to bake something (chocolate chip cookies) as your perspective
buyer is visiting the house. This will mask the odor and give the buyer
a warm-fuzzy feeling! (or so I've heard)
--
8^)~~~ Sue (remove the x to e-mail)
~~~~~~
"I reserve the absolute right to be smarter
today than I was yesterday." -Adlai Stevenson

http://www.suzanne-eckhardt.com/
http://www.intergnat.com/malebashing/
http://www.intergnat.com/pussygames/

Some people swear by using a blacklight to locate the spot where cats pee.
WHen I tried it with my cat ....
Nada (not even in the liter box). My experience says you will never get it
out of the carpet regardless of how much you spray and clean. THere are
enzyme products (sold in pet stores) that supposedly get the odor out by
breaking down the pee but you have to know where to spray first. If you can
pull the carpet up (and dispose of it), the stains on the floor can be
treated with the enzyme stuff. Be aware that any furniture will also soak up
the smell but can be aired out in the garage for a few weeks.

IF no one is in the house you might also try a ozone generator (hotels use
them to get rid of room odors) but the source of the odor has to be removed
first.


"Suzie-Q" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"David DeBoer" wrote:

- Hello,
-
- I am in the process of selling a rental house. The previous tenant had
two
- cats. There is a distinct pet odor. What is the best way to get rid
of it
- quickly. I open the windows when I am in the place but March in
upstate NY
- isn't exactly conducive to that. Any thoughts??

I agree with Colbyt that you will probably have to rip out all the
carpet to completely get rid of the smell. Problem is, if you don't
know the exact location of the urine, you can't do much about it.

Before you rip out the carpet you could get one of those professional
carpet cleaner companies to come out and steam clean your carpet. Ask
them about the pet odors. I wouldn't get a do-it-yourself carpet cleaner
because they don't really use steam -- they just dribble some cleaner
on the surface and then suck it up. You need a deep down cleaner.

Also, if the cats were spraying there will be urine on the walls -- it
could go as high as 14 inches. Get a bottle of Clorox CleanUp and a rag
and wash all the walls from 14 inches to the floor.

You can, theoretically, see urine using a black light, but I have found
that the light has to practically be on the urine to see it. So if you
try that, hold the black light very close to the wall (or whatever). I
honestly don't believe this will work with the carpet.

Another suggestion that won't help you unless someone is living in the
house is to bake something (chocolate chip cookies) as your perspective
buyer is visiting the house. This will mask the odor and give the buyer
a warm-fuzzy feeling! (or so I've heard)
--
8^)~~~ Sue (remove the x to e-mail)
~~~~~~
"I reserve the absolute right to be smarter
today than I was yesterday." -Adlai Stevenson

http://www.suzanne-eckhardt.com/
http://www.intergnat.com/malebashing/
http://www.intergnat.com/pussygames/

Bring a dog into the house. The first five places he sniffs probably have
cat unine.


"Suzie-Q" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"David DeBoer" wrote:

- Hello,
-
- I am in the process of selling a rental house. The previous tenant had
two
- cats. There is a distinct pet odor. What is the best way to get rid
of it
- quickly. I open the windows when I am in the place but March in
upstate NY
- isn't exactly conducive to that. Any thoughts??

I agree with Colbyt that you will probably have to rip out all the
carpet to completely get rid of the smell. Problem is, if you don't
know the exact location of the urine, you can't do much about it.

Before you rip out the carpet you could get one of those professional
carpet cleaner companies to come out and steam clean your carpet. Ask
them about the pet odors. I wouldn't get a do-it-yourself carpet cleaner
because they don't really use steam -- they just dribble some cleaner
on the surface and then suck it up. You need a deep down cleaner.

Also, if the cats were spraying there will be urine on the walls -- it
could go as high as 14 inches. Get a bottle of Clorox CleanUp and a rag
and wash all the walls from 14 inches to the floor.

You can, theoretically, see urine using a black light, but I have found
that the light has to practically be on the urine to see it. So if you
try that, hold the black light very close to the wall (or whatever). I
honestly don't believe this will work with the carpet.

Another suggestion that won't help you unless someone is living in the
house is to bake something (chocolate chip cookies) as your perspective
buyer is visiting the house. This will mask the odor and give the buyer
a warm-fuzzy feeling! (or so I've heard)
--
8^)~~~ Sue (remove the x to e-mail)
~~~~~~
"I reserve the absolute right to be smarter
today than I was yesterday." -Adlai Stevenson

http://www.suzanne-eckhardt.com/
http://www.intergnat.com/malebashing/
http://www.intergnat.com/pussygames/

At least the cats didn't smoke too / Smoke oder is just as hard to get
rid of maybe more so.



"Suzie-Q" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"David DeBoer" wrote:

- Hello,
-
- I am in the process of selling a rental house. The previous tenant had
two
- cats. There is a distinct pet odor. What is the best way to get rid
of it
- quickly. I open the windows when I am in the place but March in
upstate NY
- isn't exactly conducive to that. Any thoughts??

I agree with Colbyt that you will probably have to rip out all the
carpet to completely get rid of the smell. Problem is, if you don't
know the exact location of the urine, you can't do much about it.

Before you rip out the carpet you could get one of those professional
carpet cleaner companies to come out and steam clean your carpet. Ask
them about the pet odors. I wouldn't get a do-it-yourself carpet cleaner
because they don't really use steam -- they just dribble some cleaner
on the surface and then suck it up. You need a deep down cleaner.

Also, if the cats were spraying there will be urine on the walls -- it
could go as high as 14 inches. Get a bottle of Clorox CleanUp and a rag
and wash all the walls from 14 inches to the floor.

You can, theoretically, see urine using a black light, but I have found
that the light has to practically be on the urine to see it. So if you
try that, hold the black light very close to the wall (or whatever). I
honestly don't believe this will work with the carpet.

Another suggestion that won't help you unless someone is living in the
house is to bake something (chocolate chip cookies) as your perspective
buyer is visiting the house. This will mask the odor and give the buyer
a warm-fuzzy feeling! (or so I've heard)
--
8^)~~~ Sue (remove the x to e-mail)
~~~~~~
"I reserve the absolute right to be smarter
today than I was yesterday." -Adlai Stevenson

http://www.suzanne-eckhardt.com/
http://www.intergnat.com/malebashing/
http://www.intergnat.com/pussygames/

"David DeBoer" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I am in the process of selling a rental house. The previous tenant had
two cats. There is a distinct pet odor. What is the best way to get rid
of it quickly. I open the windows when I am in the place but March in
upstate NY isn't exactly conducive to that. Any thoughts??

Thanks...

I too had a rental unit that two male cats had a party in. Rip out all the
carpets. The cleaning company will tell you they treat from both sides. But
by the time they are done and the cost, you might as well get new carpeting.
And it won't work.

Next get some bleach and with a mop cover the floor and the walls. Make sure
you have plenty of ventilation or your nostrils will fry. Once the floors
dry get some polyurethane. Pour it on the floor and mop it in, up the walls
too. The bleach will kill the smell and the poly will seal whatever is left.
You may have to replace some woodwork if it is a particularly nasty area.

I then rented to a couple where one was allergic to cats. No complaints and
they stayed there for a few years, so I guess it worked.

Get rid of the carpets, paint or shellac everything, then new carpeting? Tom

On Wed, 16 Mar 2005 11:26:56 -0500, "David DeBoer"
wrote:

Hello,

I am in the process of selling a rental house. The previous tenant had two
cats. There is a distinct pet odor. What is the best way to get rid of it
quickly. I open the windows when I am in the place but March in upstate NY
isn't exactly conducive to that. Any thoughts??

Thanks...

Go to a pet store and get a product specifically designed to attack
the urine. These products contain an enzymes that will actively attack
and remove the urine. Most other products just mask it the smell..
Masking the smell is not permanent. Hot humid conditions may
bring the problem back.

Several bottles of Febreze? My sunroom has tile floor, cat got in and
sprayed it for me. My son got to it before I did, and sprayed a bottle of
the stuff all over the room. Surprisingly, the odor went away very quickly.
Carpets? that might be another story, but if you're gonna rip them out
anyway, why not give it a try?

RJ

"David DeBoer" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I am in the process of selling a rental house. The previous tenant had
two cats. There is a distinct pet odor. What is the best way to get rid
of it quickly. I open the windows when I am in the place but March in
upstate NY isn't exactly conducive to that. Any thoughts??

Thanks...

: I am in the process of selling a rental house. The previous
tenant had
: two cats. There is a distinct pet odor. What is the best way
to get rid
: of it quickly. I open the windows when I am in the place but
March in
: upstate NY isn't exactly conducive to that. Any thoughts??
:
: Thanks...
:
:
:

rent a black light from your local pet store and in the dark, check
out all the floors in the house so you know
EXACTLY what you have to tackle!

--
reply to:
"rosie read n' post" wrote in message
...

: I am in the process of selling a rental house. The previous
tenant had
: two cats. There is a distinct pet odor. What is the best way
to get rid
: of it quickly. I open the windows when I am in the place but
March in
: upstate NY isn't exactly conducive to that. Any thoughts??
:
: Thanks...
:
:
:

rent a black light from your local pet store and in the dark, check
out all the floors in the house so you know
EXACTLY what you have to tackle!

Correct. Oreck sells a Stain and Odor remover that truly works. Most of
the enzyme products are pretty good, but this one is really amazing. You
can permanently rid yourself of the odor, but you have to lift the carpet,
replace the padding, and if it's really bad, treat the floor below, then
seal with shellac once you've located the spots with the blacklight.

Enzymes can kick up a worse smell for the first few hours, but that's a good
sign in my experience. It just means it's working.

On Wed, 16 Mar 2005 11:26:56 -0500, "David DeBoer"
wrote:

I am in the process of selling a rental house. The previous tenant had two
cats. There is a distinct pet odor. What is the best way to get rid of it
quickly. I open the windows when I am in the place but March in upstate NY
isn't exactly conducive to that. Any thoughts??

http://www.zeroodorpet.com/

Steve Manes
Brooklyn, NY
http://www.magpie.com/house/bbs

The problem is mostly in the unfinished basement. Fortunately no carpets to
deal with.

"Steve Manes" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 16 Mar 2005 11:26:56 -0500, "David DeBoer"
wrote:

I am in the process of selling a rental house. The previous tenant had
two
cats. There is a distinct pet odor. What is the best way to get rid of
it
quickly. I open the windows when I am in the place but March in upstate
NY
isn't exactly conducive to that. Any thoughts??

http://www.zeroodorpet.com/

Steve Manes
Brooklyn, NY
http://www.magpie.com/house/bbs