My wife and I are thrilled to have just purchased our first house together! It really meets all our expectations, except for one big issue: there's a lingering cat pee smell. We take possession in a couple of weeks and have a plan in place, but we could really use some advice. We had a home inspection, and aside from everything generally being in good shape, the flooring is a concern because of where the cat pee has soaked in. Our plan is to rip up the laminate and underlayment and then use a shellac or odor-blocking primer on the wooden subfloor to tackle the smell. If some subfloor sections are damaged, we'll replace those as well. We're also going to put in new underlayment and flooring, replace the baseboards, and deep clean the walls before repainting the entire house. I'll be doing most of the work myself with the help of some friends who are experienced in various trades. Do you think this approach will be sufficient to get rid of the smell, or are there other steps we should consider? I've read about ozone generators but haven't made a decision on that yet. Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated!
2 Answers
Replacing the flooring should definitely help, but with cat urine, the situation can get trickier. You might need to replace baseboards or even parts of the drywall near the floor if the smell has penetrated that far. While primers like Zinsser BIN can help block odors, it's important to make sure the urine hasn't soaked deeper than just the subfloor. Ozone generators can give you some temporary relief, but typically, the odor returns if the source isn’t fully addressed. Since you've already closed on the house, consider negotiating with the previous owner for some credits to help cover the remediation costs. Also, getting a black light could be really useful for spotting any trouble areas. Good luck!
It's good to hear you're planning a thorough cleanup! The type of foundation can also play a role in how well the smell can be addressed. If it’s concrete, that’s a solid starting point. Just a heads up, you've got some work ahead of you, and sometimes the extent of the damage isn't clear until you start ripping everything up. It sounds like you’re taking the right steps, so keep it up!