Things You'll Need
Club soda
Oxygen bleach
Scrub brush
Laundry detergent
Enzymatic pet cleaner
Vinegar
Hydrogen peroxide
Wet/dry vacuum
Bucket
Cats may eliminate outside of their litter boxes for a number of reasons, including territorial marking, stress, or a medical condition. Your cat may urinate on clothing or carpeting made of nylon. Unlike natural fabrics, nylon absorbs little liquid, making it resistant to cat urine stains and odors. Nylon luggage, purses, clothing and carpeting still need attention to clean any urine absorbed. Clean these items with natural cleaners to remove the odors and urine salts left behind by cat urine.
Step 1
Place washable items in the washing machine. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar and 2 to 3 tbsp. oxygen bleach to the laundry along with a cap full of laundry detergent. Run the cycle as usual, using cold water. For older stains, first treat the stain by dousing it in a solution of 1 cup water with 1 tbsp. oxygen bleach or by spraying an enzymatic pet cleaner on the spot, allowing it to dry, then adding to the laundry to wash normally. Air-dry the items to avoid setting in stains or odors.
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Step 2
Place luggage or purses made of nylon in a bathtub to contain any water spills. Soak the stain as much as possible in club soda for small stains. For larger areas, soak the entire item or most of the item in tap water. Blot the water with paper towels. Pour hydrogen peroxide on the stain and allow it to dry. For tough urine stains, scrub the stain with a mixture of 1/2 tsp. dish soap and 1 cup water with a scrub brush in a circular motion. Rinse with water. Spray on an enzymatic pet cleaner and allow it to dry overnight.
Step 3
Soak up urine from nylon carpeting with paper towels. Pour water on the spot and vacuum up the water with a wet/dry vacuum. Spray the spot down with enzymatic pet cleaner and allow it to dry overnight. For lingering odors or stains, respray the spot with the enzyme-based cleaner and allow it to dry for up to two weeks to fully digest the organic materials contained in the urine.
Step 4
Rinse large items like tents or parachutes made of nylon with a garden hose. Mix 2 tsp. of dish soap with a gallon of water in a bucket. Pour on the urine, scrub with a scrub brush, then rinse thoroughly with the hose and allow the item to air-dry.
Step 5
Wash small umbrellas made of nylon in a bathtub with a solution of 2 tsp. dish soap and 4 cups water. Open the umbrella fully and gently scrub the solution and into the fabric of the umbrella, careful not to tear it. Rinse with water and allow it to air-dry overnight in the tub. Wash and rinse larger umbrellas outdoors with a garden hose.
Tip
Soak heavily soiled items in equal parts cold water and vinegar for 30 minutes to neutralize the urine, then remove the item and wash as usual.
Place a container of baking soda inside nylon purses, tote bags or luggage to remove urine odors while the item dries.
For waterproof nylon items like raincoats, umbrellas or tents, you can use a non-detergent cleaner in the laundry or mixed with water to clean the item and maintain the waterproof nature of the fabric.
Hydrogen peroxide works well on nylon because it does not leave a residue on the fabric and you do not need to rinse it away after use.
Warning
Test a small area of fabric before applying any cleaner to it to ensure it does not bleach the color.
Clean away all of the stain and odor from the urine or your cat will re-mark the area.
Steam cleaning and hot water will set the stain and odors into the fabric or carpeting.
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