(Part 2) Best dog odor & stain removers according to redditors
We found 120 Reddit comments discussing the best dog odor & stain removers. We ranked the 46 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 21-40. You can also go back to the previous section.
Pest Technician here. Every once and a while I get a call about a dead rat in a wall or area I don't have access to. When that occurs I hang Earth Care Deodorizing Bags. They work great and typically one can handle an entire room in about a day. If the smell is really bad I would buy two. It completely gets rid of the smell. Alternatively, just wait it out and the smell should go away in about one to two weeks.
Good. Makes it easy, in a crappy sort of way (hey, I wrote that myself!)
One of these will lift it off the floor, with virtually nothing left behind:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/QEP-14-in-Wide-Floor-Surface-Scraper-and-Stripper-20900Q/100147899
Once you get it clean, you will have to deodorize it. Something like this enzyme product may do it:
https://www.amazon.com/Natures-Miracle-Destroyer-Unscented-P-5451/dp/B001F95VPY
It breaks down the compounds that make the smells.
You can use bleach to sterilize the floor, but don't expect it to cut the odor. It doesn't work like the enzymes do.
Mine is 8 months old. Buy this stuff asap:
http://www.amazon.com/Carpet-Cleaner-Eliminator-Urine-Remover/dp/B00IA8VMAG
Is he neutered? If not, get him neutered as soon as possible. Peeing/spraying is a very strong instinctual things, particularly for male cats.
Sometimes cats can associate the discomfort of urinating when suffering from a urinary tract issue with the litter box. Based on what you've said, it doesn't necessarily sound like a UTI but it's a possibility that I would look into as a process of eliminating your cat's issues.
I'd also recommend getting some Nature's Miracle Urine Destroyer for the stuff that you're not throwing out. Sometimes my boy will pee on one of my dog's beds and we ALWAYS treat the area that was peed on and then add a little extra when we throw it in the wash. It's critical that all materials are cleaned so that he doesn't feel the urge to respray.
It sounds like you've tried a pheromone diffuser. Have you tried Feliway specifically? I had some success with that stuff when I was living in apartments before buying a house. I think moving stressed my cats out and the diffuser seemed to alleviate that to some extent.
Another thing I noticed when I was dealing with my cats peeing on stuff was that if they had access to two litter boxes, one was always used for poop and one for pee. Maybe throw another litter box into the mix to see if that helps?
As for attention time, I'd try adding a play routine to your daily schedule with him. Get a laser pointer. Diversify the toy collection. Cat nip? Get him to move and use his energy. Help him be a full, happy cat!
A lot of the research I've done over the years adds up to stress from the environment. You've clearly already taken some of these steps, but here's what the Humane Society has to say about it:
Pretend as if you're about to adopt a very mobile, active toddler/baby human. But remember that, unlike a baby, cats live vertically - they can jump and climb.
Try to look around your home and see any things the cat might get into/eat/destroy and tidy up those things as much as possible. For example, if you have blinds on the window in your room, you might want to tie up the pull-strings so a curious cat can't grab them, and tuck electrical cords away as best you can. If you have any houseplants, google them online to make sure they aren't toxic (a good place to start is https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/cats-plant-list ). Cats definitely won't stop themselves from eating toxic plants - my 19-year-old idiot decided the green onions in the backyard looked tasty one day and tried a bite, and my 1-year-old idiot had a go at a poinsettia I had inside (it has since been exiled to the backyard - the plant, not the cat!)
I also personally NEVER leave out any toys that my cats can easily rip up and ingest parts of - this means nothing small and nothing with feathers, string, leather, or straw. Cats can get VERY sick and die if they eat string/"linear foreign bodies".
I only leave out sturdy "interactive" toys that the cats can initiate play with on their own, such as these:
https://www.amazon.com/Petmate-Crazy-Circle-Interactive-Large/dp/B0002AT5AO
https://www.amazon.com/Petstages-317-Tower-Tracks-Chase/dp/B00DT2WL26/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1487151213&sr=1-1&keywords=tower+of+tracks
Putting normal toys away when it isn't "playtime" also helps keep the cat from getting bored with the toys. And cats CAN be curious about the strangest things - they'll want to open cupboards and knock things off tables and investigate every box and bag that comes into the house. So if you take medicines or supplements, make sure the bottles are closed very firmly, and put away in a cupboard, things like that. If you have things that you collect (like statues or figurines) or if you have anything breakable, make sure it isn't sitting on a table where a cat can paw it off onto the ground! A cat will paw at/investigate everything. You can't protect them from everything, and no one can put away everything in their lives, but you can take a few precautions.
Another general word of advice I can give, and it's perhaps the most important one, is do not feed them kibble. No kibble at all. Feed canned food only (preferably grain-free). Kibble is terrible and leads to a number of health problems, including urinary tract problems, kidney problems, and chronic dehydration (which leads to constipation). Long story short, for the best health, cats should be fed a grain-free canned formula high in meat protein, which is closer to their normal, natural diet, and no kibble whatsoever. Even the worst canned food is miles better than the "best" high-quality gourmet kibble. Kibble has no benefits at all. It is worth the $$$ to feed a canned food diet, you will save money in vet bills and dental cleanings overall.
The reason for wet food is this - cats have a very low thirst drive, as they evolved from desert-dwelling animals, and have changed very little after our "domestication" of them - genetically and physically, they're still pretty much 99% their ancestors. A wild feline is designed to get almost all of its moisture needs out of its prey (meat, blood) and thus has very little "urge" to drink. Even if you think a cat is drinking enough, it's not. Any cat on kibble is in a state of dehydration - they simply do not drink enough to make up for it.
The other benefit of high-protein, grain-free canned foods is that they have actual MEAT proteins, and will provide good, usable nutrients to your cats, instead of useless bulky grains and carbs. Most kibbles are mostly grains, which means they pass through the cat's digestive tract without being digested. The cat derives no nutritional value from them. On a good meaty canned food, cats will eat their meals and feel more appropriately full, because their bodies are able to actually digest the food they're eating. With kibble, especially free-fed kibble, a cat will always eat more than you realize they are, because they can't digest half of what they're eating, so they constantly feel hungry, because they're literally not getting the proper nutrition from their food.
Also - having cats on a species-appropriate diet will have one other benefit. Their poops will smell a LOT less! (On a raw diet, the poops will be small, dry, whitish, and they will have no smell at all. No joke. I can stick my entire head in the litterbox seconds after my cat drops a deuce and I can't smell a thing.) Cats bury their waste instinctively to protect themselves from being found by predators and competitors (other cats), so their bodies are designed to digest protein very efficiently and thus they will produce less waste and less smell when on an appropriate diet. And every cat owner wants a less stinky litterbox!
Fish is not an appropriate diet for cats - do not feed a food that is primarily fish or high in fish. Cats build up mercury in their bodies far faster than humans do, since they are smaller, plus fish causes other issues: http://www.littlebigcat.com/nutrition/why-fish-is-dangerous-for-cats/
Get vet checkups at least once a year (including dental checks/cleaning), and have her microchipped and have her wear a collar with ID tags at all times, even if you intend for her to be fully indoors. I have two friends, one in Arizona and the other in California, both who refused to put collars/ID tags on their cats because "oh, they'll never get out!" (One friend didn't even spay her cat, she was THAT convinced the cat would never escape.) Of course, both sets of cats got out - in Arizona through the carelessness of another family member, and in California as the result of a burglary that left a window smashed. One friend only found one of her cats. The other found hers, but the cat had gotten pregnant in the meantime. So, all cats should wear collars and ID tags, because no matter how careful YOU are, bad luck still happens!
Make sure you familiarize yourself with foods that are toxic to cats and keep them away from the cat - these include xylitol, chocolate, onions, garlic, and alcohol. As I mentioned before, many houseplants are toxic as well, such as poinsettias and lilies. Citrus fruits are toxic to cats. Many "essential oils" are also toxic to cats, so if you use scented oils or essential oils (such as tea tree oil), be careful.
Don't use a covered/hooded litterbox. It is inhumane for the cat - it's like asking the cat, who has a much more sensitive nose than ours, to use an unflushed public toilet that is located inside of a closed phone booth. Even just ONE other pee/poop in the box turns a covered box into a festering stinkhole for a cat's sensitive nose. Just think about it objectively - would you want to use the toilet if you hadn't flushed it the last time you went? Just scoop often - at LEAST once a day - and you will not have stink problems.
For the same reason, avoid "scented" litters - the scent may be nice to us, but cats aren't into "Fresh Linen" - it's just an overwhelming chemical cacophony to their noses.
I've used two brands of litter exclusively for years - Dr. Elsey's Precious Cat Ultra, and EverFresh Unscented with Activated Charcoal. The EverFresh is what I use with my indoors cat, and my outdoors cat uses the Dr. Elsey's. My younger (indoors) cat also goes to my office three or four days a week with me, and I use the Dr. Elsey's in her litterboxes there (again, no stink buildup there either). I have been supremely happy with both brands. You really get what you pay for to a certain degree with cat litter. Cheap litter is going to be cheaply crappy.
But on the flipside, those super fancy "special" litters - like the ones made from pine, corn, wheat, or newspaper - can be hazardous, as they provide a substrate for bacteria to grow when the cat urinates on them. There's zero chance of that with clay litter.
Here are the activated charcoal bags and "odor absorbers" I use near my litterboxes:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LZLV7BH/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006975FTY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0145KS23W/ref=od_aui_detailpages01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
You may want to get multiple litterboxes. The "general rule of thumb" is one box per cat plus one. Scoop every day! You can invest in rolls of "doggie-doo bags" like these - https://www.amazon.com/Bags-Board-Waste-Pick-up-Refill/dp/B000UCU53U I open one bag and put it next to me when I'm scooping the box. I drop the poops and pee-clumps into the doggie-doo bag, then tie off the bag and toss it! It helps keep stink to a minimum inbetween trash pickup days, and it's more sanitary than just dumping the bits straight into the trash can.
I also have my litterboxes on litter mats. They will save your sanity. This is my favorite one so far:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AUU90K0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
A litter mat REALLY helps "catch" most tracked-out litter. I've also got one of these mats, which is great for its size but isn't AS easy to clean:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016PHLNRA/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
That's all I can think up off the top of my head for now :} I'm definitely no cat expert, but feel free to ask any other questions you might have!
I am so glad that your Step Father is willing to meet with you to help you figure this out!
When it comes to your cat - I would highly suggest not using ammonia or ammonia based products. First of all - cat urine smells heavily of ammonia and if your cat is spraying because of territorial reasons that will cause him (her?) go into overdrive as it will try to mask the smell of the foreign urine smell. Cats are extremely emotional creatures and there is a reason he (she?) is spraying which is usually due to fear. If he doesn't feel safe or that he has his own territory he will spray vigorously until he feels safe or king of his own castle. There are sprays located at nearly all pet stores called "No Mark" that you can use to help curve your cats behavior. Link to the brand I use
When it comes to cleaning up your current room / accommodations I would further suggest Odoban for pets. It can come concentrated or it can come in a spray bottle. I bought mine at a local Lowe's but you can also buy it online Link to an example on Amazon.
I know you have mentioned several times how tight your budget is and I know that these products can be pricey but I believe the end justifies the means in this case. What I mean by that is I have lasting anxiety from my childhood and my parents hoarded house. I was perceived in school as gross, smelly, etc because of the condition within my parents house. I also smelled of urine and am extremely panicky when it comes to my cats spraying in the house.
I think everyone has left really good suggestions in the comments, but I would like to add that using an enzymatic cleaner after the mess is really important. It (should) remove their scent so as to not encourage repeat offenses. If you see your dog having an accident in the same spot recurrently, this might be a good investment.
When I was potty training my doggy I used Nok Out. And to be honest, even after training, there are chances for accidents, so I always keep a jug around.
Good luck! It's gonna be rough, but I'm sure your doggy will get the hang of it. Just remain patient :)
I've never used it, but I have this bookmarked in case I ever need it:
http://www.amazon.com/Gonzo-Odor-Eliminator-Crystals-Bags/dp/B001F0RFFM/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1324220426&sr=1-1-catcorr
http://www.rollitup.org/indoor-growing/11390-gonzo-odor-eliminator.html
Rent a heavy-duty carpet shampooer, you can usually rent them from hardware stores, equipment rental places, some grocery stores, etc. Usually you buy your own carpet cleaning solution, you might want to buy one that includes enzymes for breaking down pet urine odors.
If that doesn't work, the smell might becoming from the padding under the carpet or even from the wood underneath that, in which case your landlord might have to tear it out and replace it.
I wonder how pet stain/odor remover would work. There's a bottle we use in our house, and it smells quite good and it's not too overwhelming. Here it is on amazon
My mom (who also has a miata that had a stinky old man smell when we bought it lol) said that this stuff worked really well. It's got a skunk on the bottle so that tells me that it would work for the weed smell too lol.
They make stuff to combat the odors. We don’t let our dogs go on it but that’s us. https://www.amazon.com/BioFill-Artificial-Deodorizer-applications-ELIMINATION/dp/B00Y1GJ4YM
You need this
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0057WNRA6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_oX1WDbSPWY459
Skunk Off, you can get it at most vets
I swear by Skunk Off Spray & Shampoo. My older dog caught & killed a skunk last spring(then led my puppy a few months later to get sprayed again), and this stuff took the stink off the dead body.
Of course since I know she doesn't like getting a bath, I make certain she "pays" for it with a nice long bath each time.
Natures Miracle Urine Destroyer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0719X8698/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_93rXCb02VHJTR
Get a black light bulb at Walmart and saturate every neon spot that shows up in the dark.
A carpet expert told me last year that if an animal pees, to immediately drench the area with white vinegar. Does nothing after it’s been set in by a steam cleaner though.
After a dive I dunk everything in a tub of water and gear-aid revivex odor eliminator. Then hang and dry.
OP, you're generous beyond belief. Stop me if you already know these things, but we've found these nuggos to be the best bang for the buck. Even with two dags, it'll last us 1.5-2 months with daily treats.
If she's into rawhide, costco has the best prices by far. Same thing for food ($23 for a 55lb bag!).
If she's peeing in your house, nothing beats nature's miracle to clean up the smell.
Make sure to lmk if you post a gofundme or an amazon wishlist or something. ✊🐕
https://www.amazon.com/Espree-Animal-Products-Rainforest-Cologne/dp/B001I7HUXE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485637338&sr=8-1&keywords=espree+rainforest+cologne
https://www.amazon.com/Isle-Dogs-Neutralizing-Spray-Violet/dp/B00ISSCB4E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485637370&sr=8-1&keywords=isle+of+dogs+spray
Need: Stain and Odor removing spray
Want: Eyeshadow
I've been using this stuff- it's made for cleaning dog runs at commercial kennels. I swear by it. One tablespoon makes a gallon of cleaner.
Also works wonders on defunking gym clothes and shoes.
Ryter Odormute Dog and Cat Odor Eliminator, 5 lbs https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004QS100G/
We had real trouble potty training our dog, so I sympathize.
Here is what I think: Dog pee sticks around. To a dog, anywhere that has been peed on is like a giant "Bathroom here!" sign. There's something in dog pee that normal chemicals can't clean up.
You need to clean your home from top to bottom with proper dog urine cleanser like this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Simple-Solution-Stain-Odour-Remover/dp/B004GBX8N0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449155351&sr=8-1&keywords=dog+urine+cleaner
If you can get an ultraviolet light, it will help you spot the problem areas.
Once you've done the clean up, go back to basics. Every 30 minutes she goes outside. Set a timer on your phone, and take her outside. you watch her like a hawk for any sign... basically she becomes a puppy again.