Author Topic: Hi all - I need some advice on cat smells... (Read 2960 times)

tammie · « **on:** November 08, 2009, 09:35:21 PM »

I have a apartment that I rent out. It's really small, I think it's 15' x 25'. Really small. The couple that were living in it had 5 cats... They kept all the windows shut in the apartment, and ran the air conditioner all day and all night. The apartment reeks! I just painted the whole thing in May... They're divorcing, she took 3 cats he's going to take the other 2. When he takes the cats out (suppose to be tomorrow morning) what can I do to get rid of the smell? I'm hoping that opening up all the windows will work, but after going into the apartment this afternoon I think it's going to take more then fresh air... Am I going to have to repaint everything? I'm really, really hoping that once the litter boxs and all the rugs, drapes etc. are out of there that the smell will leave too! Anybody have any ideas?
Please?
Tammie

Jerry · « **Reply #1 on:** November 08, 2009, 11:14:39 PM »

Ye gads! There must be products available just for that. Are there rugs?
Looks like a major wash down. Spare mo expense and take it from the security deposit!
Maybe even ask a local exterminator?

Good luck Tammie

Kittyzee · « **Reply #2 on:** November 09, 2009, 04:21:12 AM »

Cat smells are the WORST smells to get rid of, due to the intense ammonia in their urine. Either from marking (probably on the walls) and in the carpeting due to peeing. Unfortunately, you are probably going to have to remove carpeting if there is any, and check to see if it has gone thru it to the floor. That's a little easier, a good scrubbing will do, BUT you can call your local vet because they usually have something to put on the area that neutralizes the odor BEFORE you touch it with soap and water. If you live in a humid environment, that smell seems to linger forever. The summers here is when I smell things I don't normally smell, the dampness and humidity seem to bring cat smells alive.

I had to rip out an entire room of carpeting when I had a cat with a UTI and she was peeing in a corner. I didn't catch it until it was too late--my nose took me to the spot and it ruined the carpet, the padding, and stained the wood underneath.

Good air circulation, urine neutralizer, soap and water and maybe painting if you have to, should take care of your problem. Hope this helps Tammie. 5 cats in that small area probably had those cats marking for territory....it may take a while, but it can be done.

tammie · « **Reply #3 on:** November 09, 2009, 07:51:39 AM »

No carpets- thank goodness! Commerical grade tile only. When I built the apartment I used as many windows as I could there are 2 6' sliding doors, 6 4' x 8' windows and 2 other windows about 3' x 4'. All so the apartment would be full of light and since it's on the second floor, lots of air. They put heavy curtains on every window, and kept them shut 24 hours a day. It's like living in a cave... The cats have destroyed all of the screens on the windows and the (idiots!) people thru away the screen doors for the sliders! I haven't seen any evidence of spraying, but the husband hasn't moved his stuff out yet. He gets all the furniture. I'll probably wash everything down with Odorban. But I don't want to bother with that work if I'll just have to paint it. Might as well use the energy, and time, and just paint it all. I hate painting! Absolutely hate painting! Anybody want to come over and paint for me?
Tammie

Jerry · « **Reply #4 on:** November 09, 2009, 08:14:28 AM »

You didn't mention the security deposit. If you have none, be sure to neaxt time, :'(
As Judge Judy says..."Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining!"

Sean · « **Reply #5 on:** November 09, 2009, 08:54:58 AM »

Hi Tammie,

Cheap and effective, bleach everything that is not colour fast!
Once the bleach smell has dissipated it will all be fresh and clean smelling.

Cheers,
Sean

Jonna · « **Reply #6 on:** November 09, 2009, 09:31:07 AM »

I had tenants like that only there was a carpet in their. I gagged when I started ripping it up. Then the floor was concrete and I painted it several times and couldn't get the smell out. Finally, I used something like Z Prime and sealed the floor and got rid of the smell. Ugh!

I'd start with Odoban, it does work if it isn't really soaked in. Pour it on and let it soak in and leave it with the windows open for a day or so. Then, close it all up and let it get warm and see if you still smell it. Also, vinegar can help but I think Sean is right that bleach works well as long as you can bleach the surface. I'd pour a gallon of Odoban on it and let it set a day, then a couple gallons of vinegar and do the close up for a day and sniff test.

People are so weird and it seems that the ones who want to rent from me are the weirdest but you got them as well.

Brian · « **Reply #7 on:** November 09, 2009, 10:12:15 AM »

Tammie,
I would love to come over and paint the aprartment for you...are you going to pick up the airfare tab?

Julles · « **Reply #8 on:** November 09, 2009, 10:23:27 AM »

Just opening the windows won't do it. The smell is following the urine, which has soaked into the flooring (yes, inside the pourous grout), the walls, etc. Use a product to deactivate the odors, as mentioned above. Another brand is NilOdor - something like that. Supposed to use bacteria to "eat" the substance causing the odor.

Nor will mere paint cover up the odor. Companies that rehab homes after fires, flood, etc., use special products to block the odor. I recommend KILZ, a fabulous primer, made to seal odors, stains, etc. It has killer fumes, though, so invest in a resperator mask. Either that or be very high after you finish working with it.

Yeah, I have known several people who like that "cave" dwelling. I could never understand why they'd have such heavy drapes, and have them pulled shut, during the middle of the day. They never turned on any lights, either - just the light coming from the T.V.... which was on 24/7.

I also know people who live in foul-smelling homes. Had a client just recently, the house REEKED of SICK dog. Plus last night's dinner leftovers stuck to the pots still sitting on the stove and sink. It's so queer to me, to see people dressed professionally, in suits and ties, going to respectable jobs, looking like everyone else, and then know they come home to a place like that. I think it must be underlying depression, that allows people to live like that.

Oh yes, KEEP their ENTIRE security deposit.

Indiana Karen · « **Reply #9 on:** November 09, 2009, 01:51:05 PM »

Hey Brian, I'll come along and help................I love to paint, I have cats and can deal with the odor, and ...................I've never been to Hawaii.

tammie · « **Reply #10 on:** November 09, 2009, 02:12:45 PM »

I do have a deposit but most of that is going to be used to fix all the torn up and bent screens... There's no grout on the tile. It's the kind that you put down with super strong adhesive. Not the peel and stick stuff, the kind you find in commerical buildings. I'm going to try the odorban stuff - it worked really well on the dead rat smell... another story. My goal for today is to get the 2 cats the husband is going to keep out of the apartment so I can at least open it up! Oh! Did I tell you that the husband changed his phone #, so now I have no way of contacting him. Of course I have his divorce lawyers phone #, since my husband is the wife's divorce lawyer!

Beleive me I would have loved to see the look on his face when he found out his wife had a attorney and he wouldn't get away with running over her! (and he tried - shut off her phone, emptied the bank accounts, refused to pay the rent, took her car off his insurance)
Tammie

Julles · « **Reply #11 on:** November 09, 2009, 04:39:26 PM »

Your husband is your (former) tenant's divorce lawyer?!

And you're gonna keep all the deposit, etc., for her being a destructive tenant?

And he's then gonna send her a bill for hours and hours of lawyer work and court time?

Strange relationships, this world has, no doubt.

karen J · « **Reply #12 on:** November 09, 2009, 06:11:30 PM »

There is a product called "Nature's Miracle", based on enzymes, that promises to attack pet odors and stains. I just bought a bottle for 12.99 (pretty expensive) at Petco. However, my super suave friend promises that it will get out grass, blood, and mud stains from laundry, yet it was developed for pet odors and anything organic (like urine).

Don't know if that stuff works yet, tonight is my first try. All I can say is clean, ventilate, and clean some more. Hope you don't have to paint! I agree with you on the horrors of painting.

I also would love to come and help you clean, heck I'd even pay for the airfare and hotel and food and clean for you... I just don't have any time for it. Sandy beaches, a Mai Tai, beautiful sunsets, fantastic foods, aloha feelings, some HD cleaning... I'd be there in a few short hours if it weren't for elementary school.

:'(

tammie · « **Reply #13 on:** November 10, 2009, 07:11:28 AM »

Julles - hubby isn't charging her anything for his help. Neither one of us could stand by and watch her get screwed (can I say that?) over by her jerk of a husband. He's 21, she's 20. He's in the Navy, all of her family is in Kansas. He got a lawyer, that the military took care of, the military wouldn't provide one for her. His attitude sure did change when he found out that she had a attorney. Wasn't to many hours of legal work, more just holding her hand and explaining documents to her. And at her age she needed it. She also worked for me feeding the horses in the morning. I would sure hope somebody would step up and help my daughter if she needed it.

Hey Karen! Isn't tomorrow a school holiday? If you leave right now we'd have a whole day to clean before you had to get back on a plane!

I use Nature's Miracle when my old Rottie has a "accident" in my house. "Accident" means it's raining outside and my princess can not possibly go outside in the rain!

I'm still hoping - fingers crossed - that the smell in the apartment is mostly from the litter boxes. The husband was here last night and says he'll have all of his stuff out today - I doubt it, but I can hope...

Hey! Anybody that wants to come help is more then welcome! I still have one spare bedroom in my house and a car available...
Tammie

Jerry · « **Reply #14 on:** November 10, 2009, 08:07:16 AM »

This one would be a classic on "The People's Court"

LeeAnne151 · « **Reply #15 on:** November 10, 2009, 10:31:21 AM »

You might find that the smell is because they didn't keep their litter boxes clean, not because the cats sprayed the walls or went on the floor. All cats don't do this and a dirty litter box can stink up an entire apartment easily. I would air it out after he moves before going on to more drastic cleaning.

Julles · « **Reply #16 on:** November 10, 2009, 11:10:09 AM »

Nature's Miracle - that's the product I was talking about. I have friends who swear by it. It "eats" the stains and odors, by enzyme action.

Nil-Odor, we used to use that in the funeral home.

Tammie, I'm glad your DH is helping the gal.

I just snapped to the fact that you are in Hawaii! I say, forget about the cat stink and grab your camera and go get us some photos. We've seen Turkey; now we need to see the South Pacific!

miguynmkoi · « **Reply #17 on:** November 10, 2009, 12:18:04 PM »

Don't know nuttin' 'bout cats and their smell but love this post. IF Brian and Karen don't get there first I sure would love a chance to come over!

Very kind of your hubbie to take care of the former renter. You are definitely good people.

Desertponder · « **Reply #18 on:** November 10, 2009, 05:37:38 PM »

Cat pee is the worst thing in the world to eliminate. You virtually cannot in some cases.
OdoBan works pretty well. It helps but it doesn't completely eliminate odors. I would say it reduces them.
I have yet to find anything that really does work and trust me, I've tried them all.
Nature's Miracle doesn't work either.
Some years back Lowes sold a orange scented carpet cleaning solution that was probably the best thing I had ever found for pet odors but then they quit carrying it.

The house I'm living in was bad when we moved into it. The people had apparently had a small dog or two and they had hooks in the wall at a couple of different corners in the living room and leashes were still hooked to those hooks. The carpet below was completely hardened from being saturated with urine. It was awful. I worked and worked to do the best I could with it and OdoBan was the only thing that really helped. We've tiled a couple of those areas but still working on eliminating the rest of the bad carpet.
Another product that works pretty well is OUT! You can get it at Walmart in the pet section.

I understand that people who have rentals get pretty fed up with renters but I've had some pretty bad landlords over the years as well. I've ended up paying for damages that were done before we moved in. I even rented a place years ago that I learned later after I moved out that the landlord had taken about 3 different tenants (including myself) to court over the same damages that they never repaired. They were just using it to pocket the money. I now have my own checklist of items and if I note anything on it the landlord has to sign it and I also take pictures inside and out.

Jerry · « **Reply #19 on:** November 10, 2009, 06:41:17 PM »

I am a Landlord, but NEVER deal with residential tenants. Business folks usually know the score and act accordingly.
Are Landlords ever wrong? YOU BETCHA , but it is overwhelmingly the tenant.
There was a local news show about a slumlord, he was too. The tenants however had auto transmissions in their 4th floor apt!
I have seen landlords pay as much as 5,000.00 to get a tenant to move! It was worth it too.
and oh yeah the ones I speak of took the sink and bathroom fixtures with them!

tammie · « **Reply #20 on:** November 11, 2009, 08:33:58 AM »

Since he's in the military I'm not worried at all about getting the damages paid for - one call to his Master Chief and all will be taken care of. I'm just tired of having to deal with the cleaning, repairing stuff. She worked for me, that's the only reason they were in the apartment. He was suppose to be here yesterday with "a bunch of friends" to finish moving out - none of his "friends" showed up!

Lee Anne I am so hoping you're right! I had only been inside the apartment one other time, and I knew there were cats in there, but it wasn't over powering. Now it's horrible! But both cat boxes were really dirty.. she was only given 48 hours notice from the military on her departure flight time. She didn't have alot of time to pack, let alone clean. He's suppose to have all of his stuff out, and the apartment cleaned by the 15th. And it's suppose to rain for the next few days - flood watch all ready posted

Better rent a uhaul!
Shanna - I have pictures of what the apartment looked like when they moved in. Believe me I've paid so much out in repairs on the place... I've learned!
Tammie

Esther · « **Reply #21 on:** November 11, 2009, 12:54:18 PM »

Oh Tammie. I know just what you are dealing with when it comes to tenants. As yet cat pee hasn't been one of the problems we have faced. But I think we've had most of them. Ants, mice, leaking toilets in the city and they never told us so the floor had to be replaced, leaking sink drain and they never told us so it ran down and stained the ceiling in the finished basement, rednecks with motorcycyles, dogs, and shotguns at midnight, people leaving gobs and gobs of stuff when they left, dog damage and filth, and noise disturbing the people in the other side and across the street. Plus thousands of dollars in lost rent.

It sounds like we have similar problems. We aren't stern enough is our problem. We try to inspect every so often but hate doing it so of course don't.

tammie · « **Reply #22 on:** November 12, 2009, 08:25:18 AM »

Yeah, I've had the leaky bathroom faucet the ruined the bathroom cabinet. I replaced it with a pedistal sink. These people in there now broke it, he's trying to tell me it was broken when they moved in... no, it was brand new when they moved in. Also the leaky kitchen faucet that ruined the cabinet... Why can't they call to let you know about it so it can get fixxed before it causes more damage? And yes it seems like they all ways leave their trash!
The latest is he called me yesterday and accused me of unplugging his refrigerator! Yeah right, I unplugged the refrigerator so I could smell rotten food as well as the wonderful cat odors!
Tammie