I recently moved into a rental home and noticed a pretty strong urine smell in a few rooms, especially in the living room and master bedroom. The previous tenant had at least two cats, and it seems the smell got worse with the heat after a recent power outage. The landlord has bought a purifier and a deodorizer, and they say they steam cleaned the place and repainted the walls, but I'm worried the smell could be coming from the carpet or even the HVAC system. Is there any way to deal with this situation effectively? Are we totally out of luck?
3 Answers
Just FYI, a purifier and deodorizer won't solve the underlying issue. I suggest getting a black light and inspecting the entire house for any hidden spots. It can help you identify where the smell might be coming from, and you can share those with your landlord. Making them aware increases the chance they'll take action.
From my experience, the smell probably has soaked into the carpet padding, and even steam cleaning won't fix it. You might need to check your state's laws to see if you can push your landlord to replace the carpets if it's a health hazard. Don't hold your breath though; it's often a tough battle. Let your landlord know about it in a gentle way and maybe suggest taking a look at the worst areas.
Yeah, if it’s really bad, it might even be in the subfloor. Definitely keep reminding your landlord to check it out.
If the cats really did a number on the place, it’s possible the carpets will need to be replaced altogether along with the padding. A good enzyme cleaner can help, but sometimes it’s just not enough. You could also check on using ozone treatments, but remember, that stuff can be harsh, so you need to leave the house while it’s running.
Yeah, I heard ozone treatments can really help! Just make sure not to stay in the house when they're on. Definitely sounds like a carpet problem though.
That's a great idea! I didn't think of using a black light to find the source. I’ll definitely try that!