For a variety of reasons, including poor litter box training, behavioral problems, and health problems, cats will urinate themselves outside of the litter box. Sometimes it’s as a result of fresh environmental pressures or a failure to maintain the litter box to their high standards. However, even though the diagnosis will vary from cat to cat, it’s crucial to deal with and get rid of stains and scents as they appear to let your cat know that the most recent spot it picked to dirt shouldn’t be utilised again.
In our Des Moines lab, we examined 27 odor and stain removal products. Each product received scores in a variety of categories, including its capacity to remove set-in stains on carpeting and upholstery as well as the smell of pee (our testers used wolf urine in place of feline).
The Rocco & Roxie Supply Co. Oxy Stain Remover came out on top because it effectively removes stains and odors and has a pleasant scent that our tester described as “sweet mint.” For your particular needs, we discovered a number of additional cleaning products that might be more effective. Here are the top cat poop, odor, and stain-removal products based on information we obtained from hundreds of hours of combined testing.
Table of Contents
- Best Overall: Rocco & Roxie Supply Co. Oxy Stain Remover
- Best for Stains: OxiClean Carpet & Area Rug Stain Remover
- Best For Carpets: Carbona Oxy Powered 2-in-1 Carpet Cleaner
- Best Budget: Shout Carpet Cleaning Spray with Oxy for Pet Stains and Odors
- Best for Urine: Rocco & Roxie Supply Co. Professional Strength Stain & Odor Eliminator
- Best Scented: The Spruce Stain & Odor Remover
- Best for Furniture: Scotchgard OXY Pet Spot & Stain Remover Carpet & Fabric
- Best Non-Toxic: Kids ‘N’ Pets Instant All-Purpose Stain & Odor Remover
- Best Enzymatic: Biokleen Bac-Out Stain + Odor Remover
- Final Verdict
- What to Look for in a Cat Pee, Odor, and Stain Removal Product
- How We Tested Cat Pee, Stain, and Odor-Removal Products
Best Overall: Rocco & Roxie Supply Co. Oxy Stain Remover
What We Like
- Appealing sweet mint scent
- Effective on old stains
- Can handle a wide variety of stains in addition to pet-specific messes
What We Don’t Like
- Darker stains need more than one treatment to remove
It’s possible that you won’t realize that your cat has abandoned the litter box until you smell the distinctive and unpleasant smell of pee. Our #1 recommendation for treating cat tinkle stains on carpets, rugs, and upholstery is Rocco & Roxie Supply Co. Oxy Stain Remover.
Our test subject praised its simplicity in eliminating odors and stains. The product’s pleasant mint smell, though, was the catnip that really won our tester over. They stated, “The worth of this sprayer is equivalent to how nicely it functions and smells.”
However, Rocco & Roxie Supply Co. Oxy Stain Remover can also be used to clean pet kennels and carriers, litter boxes, clothing, and bedding. Our testing concentrated on carpets and upholstery. You don’t have to be concerned about changing the color of the surface you are cleaning because it is chlorine-free and color-safe. Although our tester was able to eliminate deeply embedded urine, red wine, and mud stains, heavier stains might need more than one application.
Our tester reported that it “mostly does the job and smells excellent.” I’ll be sure to keep some in my cleaning supplies in case of stains in the future.
Price: $20
Safe Around Kids & Pets: Yes | Cleaner Type: Spray | Surfaces: Carpets & upholstery
Best for Stains: OxiClean Carpet & Area Rug Stain Remover
What We Like
- Eliminates the scent of urine
- Stains visibly start to lift from fabric while you wait
- Affordable and widely available
What We Don’t Like
- Longer duration for product to fully saturate stains (up to 20 minutes for set-in stains)
- Contains hydrogen peroxide and may discolor white carpet
Wait was worthwhile! The OxiClean Carpet Stain Remover’s stain-removing abilities left our tester quite satisfied. It takes some time to wait and clean, but it’s worth it.
According to the instructions on the package, our tester applied the detergent with a sprayer to both old and new stains, then waited 10 minutes. It appeared contradictory that it worked best on dried stains, but it meant that cat owners wouldn’t have to worry about getting to a stain within a specific window of time. While waiting, they reported watching the spots lift off of the upholstery and carpet.
Our tester remarked, “This is a fantastic deal because it works effectively on a range of stains.” The product’s urinal scent was also vanished, and its faint fragrance reminded our tester of laundry detergents.
Price: $5
Safe Around Kids & Pets: Yes | Cleaner Type: Spray | Surfaces: Carpet & upholstery
Best For Carpets: Carbona Oxy Powered 2-in-1 Carpet Cleaner
What We Like
- Handy built-in brush
- Easily removes fresh stains
What We Don’t Like
- Several applications needed for some stains
Learn how to remove stains with our recommended carpet cleaner. The practical brush that is conveniently linked to the bottle of the Carbona 2-in-1 Oxy Powered No Scent Carpet Cleaner makes it easier to remove stains and was deemed the “best component of this product” by our tester.
They liked how fast and effortlessly the lotion removed recent stains, but more than one application was necessary for stains that had already set in. Additionally, our tester stressed the importance of blotting stains before using spray foam, noting that dry stains could be removed in 12 minutes while wet stains may be removed after six minutes. They observed that while there was no discernible product scent left behind, the pee smell was not entirely eliminated, necessitating the use of an additional enzymatic cleaner to stop your cat from commenting.
Price: $5
Safe Around Kids & Pets: Yes | Cleaner Type: Foam | Surfaces: Carpets & upholstery
Best Budget: Shout Carpet Cleaning Spray with Oxy for Pet Stains and Odors
What We Like
- Shorter duration for product to fully saturate a stain (5 min. vs. 30 min.)
- Removed visible stains from carpet
- Very affordable
What We Don’t Like
- Required a lot of sprays to fully cover heavy stains
- The spray mechanism was more difficult to maneuver than in other products
Shout Carpet Cleaning Spray with Oxy for Pet Stains and Odors is your best bet if you’re searching for a cheap cleaning spray to keep on hand for the rare faux-paw. Our tester, who enjoyed the familiar Shout aroma, said, “This product is a pretty affordable alternative to some of these incredibly pricey ones.”
To use, soak a stain with the spray for three to five minutes, blot, allow to air dry, then vacuum. One of the quickest stain removers in our experiment, Shout Carpet Cleaning Spray with Oxy for Pet Stains and Odors cleaned both new and old stains in under 10 minutes. In contrast to urine, where the stain and odor vanished after the first use, larger stains (in our tests, barbecue sauce) required two applications from our tester.
Price: $4
Safe Around Kids & Pets: Yes | Cleaner Type: Spray | Surfaces: Carpet & Upholstery
Best for Urine: Rocco & Roxie Supply Co. Professional Strength Stain & Odor Eliminator
What We Like
- Removes urine smell
- Clean scent is not overpowering
- Works well on upholstery
What We Don’t Like
- Not as effective with heavier stain removal
Accidents are inevitable while litter box training a kitten, and a cat may, at any time in its life, elect to live outside the box when nature calls for it for a variety of reasons. To ensure that your cat doesn’t continue to go where it shouldn’t after you and it have found yourselves in a risky pee situation, it’s important to get rid of the smell of urine.
The Stain & Odor Eliminator recipe from Rocco & Roxie Supply Co. has the enzymatic urine-busting abilities we recommend if your cat frequently urinates outside of the litter box. This product is our favorite general spray cleaner because it worked well with a range of stains. Our top recommendation for eliminating urine odor remaining in the air is Rocco & Roxie Supply Co. Stain & Odor Eliminator. Natural enzymes in this spray are activated by odors and stains and continue to eat organic debris and ammonia crystals until the odors and stains are entirely gone.
The spray takes a little longer than the other cleaners on our list to completely activate after application—at least 30 minutes. It is safe to use on a range of surfaces, including carpet, hardwood, tile, and litter boxes, and the product itself has a pleasant aroma.
Price: $20
Safe Around Kids & Pets: Yes | Cleaner Type: Spray |Surfaces: Tile, hardwood, carpet, & upholstery
Best Scented: The Spruce Stain & Odor Remover
What We Like
- Quickly removed urine
- Scent is non-toxic and removed odors
- Cruelty-free and certified by Leaping Bunny
What We Don’t Like
- Long wait time to let product set
- Enzymatic formula means it’s best reserved for pet-specific stains
Using The Spruce Pet Stain and Odor Remover spray to clean up an unexpected mess from your cat will result in a nice odour. Most importantly, it is made with enzymes that break down the organic proteins that generate stink, preventing your cat from being drawn back by scent to make a comment. It has an aromatic blend of neroli, apple, and orchid.
Our test subject discovered that this non-toxic cleaner formulated with chemicals obtained from plants was effective at removing stains and odors. It worked quickly and effectively on new and light stains like urine, but it took numerous applications and a longer amount of time to fully penetrate stains like red wine, mud, and barbecue sauce.
Our test subject discovered that this non-toxic cleaner formulated with chemicals obtained from plants was effective at removing stains and odors. It worked quickly and effectively on new and light stains like urine, but it took numerous applications and a longer amount of time to fully penetrate stains like red wine, mud, and barbecue sauce.
Price: $11
Safe Around Kids & Pets: Yes | Cleaner Type: Spray | Surfaces: Tile, Hardwood, Carpets, & Upholstery
Best for Furniture: Scotchgard OXY Pet Spot & Stain Remover Carpet & Fabric
What We Like
- Great for stain removal
- Does not have any overpowering scent
What We Don’t Like
- Not ideal for scent removal
The Scotchgard OXY Pet Carpet & Fabric Spot & Stain Remover is the right cleanser for you if your cat’s pee stains and muddy paw prints are the main sources of conflict between you and your cat. Perhaps Scotchgard’s most well-known products are those that can protect clothes from factors like water and grime. In keeping with its reputation, this stain remover also forms a shield to prevent other stains from forming in the same spot.
Although it didn’t get top scores for aroma removal, our tester discovered that it was effective at removing stains from mud, red wine, pee, and barbecue sauce. They said, “Stain removal in all forms was wonderful, and I would strongly recommend it to friends and family.” Additionally, wool, polyester, polypropylene, nylon, cotton, cotton blends, and acrylic are among the textiles that can be safely used with it.
Price: $12
Safe Around Kids & Pets: Yes | Cleaner Type: Spray | Surfaces: Carpet & upholstery
Best Non-Toxic: Kids ‘N’ Pets Instant All-Purpose Stain & Odor Remover
What We Like
- Pleasant scent
- Enzymatic formula to break down cat urine
- Won’t alter carpet color
What We Don’t Like
- Several applications were required to remove some stains and odors
While children frequently put objects in their mouths, cats use their senses, especially their tongues, to investigate the unknown. The Kids ‘N’ Pets Instant Stain and Odor Remover is a fantastic choice for you if you live with kids and pets. Our tester found its recipe to be efficient and safe to use around kids and pets, making it our top pick for a non-toxic stain and odor remover to deal with cat poop.
Our tester saw the necessity for multiple applications and a very long wait period to let the product saturate—up to two hours for set-in stains on the carpet—for more challenging spots. The time required for recent stains and upholstery was around 25 minutes. Overall, our tester thought the cleaner was a wonderful deal given its pricing and the quality of the results. Additionally, it is biodegradable and cruelty-free.
Price: $11
Safe Around Kids & Pets: Yes | Cleaner Type: Spray | Surfaces: Carpet & Upholstery
Best Enzymatic: Biokleen Bac-Out Stain + Odor Remover
An enzymatic cleaner, which employs biological catalysts to break down lipids, proteins, and other substances present in animal stains, is the best choice for getting rid of the stains and odors left behind by your cat’s pee. While several of the spray cleaners on our list contain enzymatic cleaning agents, we discovered that Biokleen Bac-Out Stain + Odor Remover is one of the best at removing cat stains, including pee, drool, and vomit.
The plant-based foam spray cleaner, which has no artificial flavors or colors, was applied to carpet and upholstery and allowed to soak in for ten minutes. One application was sufficient for our tester to remove the pee, and there was no odor left behind. Additionally, they enjoyed the container’s design and spray, noting, “The spray bottle component is definitely my favorite part. It was enjoyable to spritz this cleanser.”
Our tester said, “Whether the stain was old or fresh, this product seems to be equally effective.” This cleaner can be applied to any water-safe fabric since it contains enzymes that disintegrate the proteins and germs that cause stains and odors.
Price: $11
Safe Around Kids & Pets: Yes | Cleaner Type: Foam Spray | Surfaces: Carpet & upholstery
Final Verdict
Our number one pick for removing cat poop, odor, and stains from carpets and upholstery is the Rocco and Roxie Oxy Stain Remover. During our tests, this product effectively eliminated odors and stains while also leaving behind a pleasant scent that one of our testers described as “sweet mint.” Shout Carpet Cleaning Spray with Oxy for Pet Stains and Odors is an inexpensive alternative that also effectively eliminates stains and the smell of cat poop.
What to Look for in a Cat Pee, Odor, and Stain Removal Product
Surfaces
Find a cleaning solution that is designed for the kind of surface you need to clean. Although the majority of the things on our list can be used on surfaces ranging from garments and mattresses to hardwood floors and plastic, our research was mostly focused on carpeting and upholstery fabric.
Active Ingredients
The items on our list are able to remove stains and eliminate odors thanks to a variety of active components. Others are non-toxic, whereas some rely on relatively secure substances to complete the operation. Before using a product near children or pets, always read the label, but once dry, most are usually harmless. If you’re concerned about commenting, choose an enzymatic cleanser to stop your cat from tinkling in inappropriate places.
Color-Safe Test
Many cleaning supplies have the designation “color safe,” which means they shouldn’t change the appearance of the fabric you are cleaning. But before using it all, we’ve discovered that it’s better to conduct a patch test on a covert area of the object you’re cleaning. In this manner, you can check to see if the product has an effect on the fabric’s fiber or dye.
How We Tested Cat Pee, Stain, and Odor-Removal Products
In order to compare and evaluate the effectiveness of the 27 odor- and stain-removing cleaning products available on the market, we bought them all, tested them all in our Des Moines lab on both new and old stains on carpeted rugs and pillow covers made of upholstery fabric, and recorded the results. Our methodology led testers through various scores while also compiling their subjective evaluations.
On each of their test surfaces, our testers first put one tablespoon each of red wine, barbeque sauce, mud, and wolf urine next to an existing stain from the same substance. They started with the recent stains and worked on the older ones the following day.
Our testers blotted the stains with a clean, dry towel to remove any solids (such as dirt clumps within the mud), and then they wiped away any surplus for the fresh stains on each surface after waiting at least one minute (but not longer than 30 minutes). They then applied the cleaning solution, waited five minutes, and gently stirred the carpet fibers with their gloved fingers, a soft nylon brush, or a clean, dry towel, as directed on the cleaning product, or, if instructions were not provided by the manufacturer. The surface was then let to dry for at least 15 minutes after being blotted with cool, damp water to rinse the fibers and remove any leftover solution.
Our testers evaluated the stain’s response to the cleanser after one application, noting if the stain was made lighter or entirely gone, or whether the product had no impact. Our testers also observed if the smell of wolf urine had been eliminated when using enzymatic cleaners. Our testers used it again to any stains that persisted and recorded the outcomes.
Our testers repeated the identical procedures the next day on set-in stains and recorded their findings about the stain- and odor-removal efficiency once more. The period needed for the product treatment to begin working, the aroma of the product (whether it was undetectable, unpleasant, appealing, or overbearing), any toxicity warnings on the product, and if an applicator was included were all noted for each product by testers.
Finally, after researching each product’s price (which ranges from $3.58 to $29.99 with a median price of $9.97), our testers provided us with their assessment of the product’s overall value as well as their likelihood of recommending it to friends and family.
FAQ
- What is an enzymatic cleaner? Beneficial microorganisms that produce enzymes to break down compounds found in organic waste, such as pet pee, are present in enzyme cleaners. Once the molecules have been broken down into smaller bits by the enzymes, the bacteria start eating the smaller molecules.
- How do I get old or set-in pet stains out of carpet? Choose the carpet cleaner that best suits your requirements, and then carefully adhere to the directions. Pet stains that are old and well-entrenched, such those brought on by urine, feces, and vomit, could need more than one application. The stain can also be removed by manually agitating the carpet fibers (with gloved fingers, a brush, or a towel) once the product has soaked.
- Can dry cleaning remove cat urine odors? No, just dry washing won’t get rid of the smell. It can take off the stain and perhaps cover up the smell for a while. Uric acid, which can linger in carpets, fabrics, and wood for years, is present in cat urine. Some products may temporarily mask the smell, but if the correct circumstances arise, such as a humid day, the uric acid will recrystallize and the smell will reappear. Uric acid can only be eliminated by using an enzyme cleanser.
