How do I get cat urine out of leather shoes?
I bought my daughter some really nice and EXPENSIVE leather dress shoes. For some strange reason my cat didn’t like them and he urinated inside of them.
He is neutered, I have no clue why he decided to do it. That is not really the point though. I need to get the smell out of these shoes!
I’ve tried sprinkling salt and baking powder inside as I heard that they soak up odors. It didn’t work, they still reek to high heaven.
Is there something else I can try or do I need to buy a pet odor remover? Obviously I can’t soak the shoes in anything as that will ruin them. But, I need something that will completely remove the odor as I don’t want her wearing them and all of a sudden the smell of cat urine comes out…ughhh.
Anyone have any ideas? Thanks!
Getting rid of the cat is not going to help the shoes.
And I doubt I can return urine soaked shoes to the store!
What a problem cat urine is so hard to get out of anything……
Here are a few home remedies that some people have found useful:
Vinegar and Baking Soda – First soak up as much of the urine as you can, then soak the area with a mixture of 1/3 cup of white vinegar with 2/3 cup of water and a little soap. With a clean rag, soak up any excess liquid pressing firmly and repeatedly until dry. Repeat this process using fresh water, and then use another rag to soak up the remaining liquid. After this, sprinkle some baking soda on the area and vaccuum up in 24 hours.
Peroxide – Some people claim peroxide works well in cleaning up cat urine and stains, though this can be tricky on surfaces which might discolor easily. Supposedly, peroxide breaks down the components in the cat urine which cause stains and odor. Pour a small amount directly on the area and allow to dry. Then rinse with warm water and soak up with a rag or paper towel.
Listerine Mouthwash – A number of people claim this helps eliminate cat urine odors when a few drops are added to your water & vinegar solution, or when mixed with a peroxide solution. It can also be mixed with just hot water and dabbed on the area. Most likely this is because of the amount of alcohol in Listerine.
The last time I was at Pet Smart they had some things there to remove urine odors and I have heard of a product called OdorZyme…..
I would not return the shoes that is dishonest and I just dont feel like that is the right was to go about things
Good Luck
get rid of the cat
return those shoes and exchange for new ones.
Well, it sounds like you have nothing to lose in this case. The shoes are unwearable, so try washing them and when they dry, brush them with a stiff brush. Darn cats, eh?
I have a couple of suggestions. First, get some Nature’s Miracle from the pet store. This is an enzyme that will break down the bacteria that comes from urine and causes the smell. Soak a rag with the Nature’s Miracle and insert it into the shoe. Don’t make it dripping wet, just damp. Leave it inside the shoes for an hour or so. This should remove enough of the surface bacteria so that when she puts her foot into the shoes the heat of her feet don’t reactivate the bacteria, thus making the smell reoccur.
Next, buy some activated charcoal and Borax. Put the shoes in a cardboard box that has a lid (a shoe box would work). Sprinkle Borax in the bottom of the box, maybe 1/2 inch thick. Put the activated charcoal in a plastic container inside the box with the shoes. Put a rubber band around the box and leave it sit for 3-5 days, maybe even a week, undisturbed. Activated charcoal absorbs smells and because leather breathes it should pull out the odor from the leather. Borax works well also to remove the smell of urine, so you are doing double duty smell control. I don’t think that it would even hurt the shoes to fill them with some borax. Good luck, this worked on a very expensive Coach purse that my neighbor’s cat sprayed and I filled the purse up with Borax without damaging the fine leather.