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black light users?

post #1 of 20
7/31/09 at 8:09am
Thread Starter 
I have used a black light to try and find exact spot of pee because cleaning doesn't seem to have removed it all, I didn't see any with the black light, is there a specific type of black light you use?
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post #2 of 20
7/31/09 at 1:07pm
A black light is a black light. If you've already cleaned it, you may not see it. But it will show up as orange in the black light. If you know the general area and it's not too large, maybe just douse it all with the enzyme cleaner again.

Laurie
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post #3 of 20
7/31/09 at 3:45pm
You must also do it in the dark. In any case, the eventual visibility of the spots will be better.
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post #4 of 20
7/31/09 at 4:04pm
The inexpensive ones that you buy at pet stores don't show up anything from any sort of distance at all. You have to have the room complete dark, and have the light on top of a spot for it to show up.

I have my "mega black light" that my sister bought in the 1960's that can light up an entire room. It's one made for black light posters. It's not really portable so I have to use a long extension cord with it and I walk around the room with it. My bet is that you might be able to find one of these at a novelty shop like Spensors Gifts.
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post #5 of 20
8/1/09 at 7:23am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the advice folks, I have a good one that would normally be used in a disco type environment! We turned all the lights out and put it a couple of inches away from each step on the stairs as that is where the smell is but found nothing. I find vinegar and water solution great for neutralising cat pee and apparently it does actually work on the smelly part of the pee to get rid of it entirely so even cat noses cannot smell it. It's weird, every now and again you are walking up or down the stairs and you just get a little whiff (driving me mad!) It would be on the stairs which are the first thing visitors see when they enter the front door! I want rid of it for us but also so that the cats don't think it is a new place to pee!
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post #6 of 20
8/1/09 at 12:26pm
Amy, good point. I guess all black lights are not created equal.

Perhaps the pee soaked down into the padding and/or floor boards. That would be very likely, in fact, and would explain why you can't see it by black light. I don't know how vinegar/water solution works. But we've used Nok Out to get at tough problems like that. I don't know if the vinegar neutralizes the odor to a cat - but it would appear you didn't use enough of the solution to soak into the floor boards. That'd be my guess. Btu we always use an enzyme cleaner (Nok Out is one such) to clean pee stains/smells.
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post #7 of 20
8/2/09 at 5:44am
If you still smell it on your stairs, and those stairs are carpeted, it could very well have soaked thru to the wood. And if it's gotten into the risers (e.g. the vertical part of the steps), then its a lot more difficult to saturate the solution you use thru the carpet, padding and the wood. I had this problem at my old house and didn't get the smell out until I took out the carpet, sanded down the wood and revarnished the stairs. This is before I found Nok Out, so I don't know whether that would have solved the problem.

I've used vinegar and water and it does help to some degree, but not with deep problems. I discovered Nok Out a few years ago and its worth its weight in gold. Whatever solution you use, put it in a squirt bottle and spray it on vertical risers until it is soaking wet and use a few bottles of spray as necessary to really saturate it. You have to get it into the wood or the smell won't go away.

If you are always going to have carpet on your stairs, your other option is to peel back the carpet, put a coat of varnish over the wood and lay the carpet back down. Varnish will seal in the smell.

Oops - just noticed you live in Ireland and you may not be able to get Nok Out shipped over there. Find a good enzymatic cleaner available in your country.
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post #8 of 20
8/12/09 at 8:00am
Thread Starter 
Hi folks
The saga continues...on and off! I have now soaked the entire stairs with vinegar and water solution using a sprayer, left that for a while, then mopped it as best I could then I used warm water and biological washing powder and scrubbed each step and riser by hand, it smelled wonderful after that for about half a day then the whiff was back, it seems to come and go, there does not seem to have been any new pee either. Unfortunately I cannot get Nok Out here in Ireland and to order it on the internet they wanted to charge me around $40 just to post it so that's out. I think I now need to try and lift the carpet (which appears to be stuck on which is not going to be easy), it's been a nightmare. Any last ideas before I start lifting carpets?
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post #9 of 20
8/12/09 at 3:52pm
Sorry! I didn't realize you were in Ireland - I usually try to pay attention to things like that.

Yes - as Amy pointed out, the vinegar doesn't do the trick. But this mixture may, and you shouldn't have any trouble finding it. And I'd go with the recommendation to use a watering can, not a sprayer.

Here's the post: http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...7&postcount=13

Hope this does the trick!
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post #10 of 20
8/13/09 at 3:59am
Thread Starter 
Thanks so much for that information, I will try that, it sounds promising! Here's hoping and I will let you know, I just can't live with this smell any longer!
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post #11 of 20
8/13/09 at 7:04am
Please let us know if it works. I think others on TCS have had success with it - but given that pee has pretty clearly gotten into the floorboards, it'll be nice to confirm it really can combat that too! For your sake, I REALLY hope it does!
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post #12 of 20
8/13/09 at 7:30am
I bought a small black light from ebay to check my apartment after Casper had been spray marking around 'few' times. It was horrible! My poor couch.. The light showed the pee as a bright yellow stains. On a hard surface it was very clear, on a soft surface you had to look closer. I can still smell it on my couch and one carpet, specially when the weather is humid. I've tried several products on them, the stains don't show up with black light anymore though. It's driving me insane!
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post #13 of 20
8/13/09 at 7:49am
NorthernGlow - did you click on this link? You should be able to find Hydrogen Peroxide and baking soda, right? If so, then try this!

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...7&postcount=13
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post #14 of 20
8/13/09 at 8:03am
Quote:
Originally Posted by LDG View Post
NorthernGlow - did you click on this link? You should be able to find Hydrogen Peroxide and baking soda, right? If so, then try this!

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...7&postcount=13
Yes I did. I'll just have to find a place that sells hydrogen peroxide. I wonder if that's safe to use on a black couch..?
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post #15 of 20
8/13/09 at 8:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by NorthernGlow View Post
Yes I did. I'll just have to find a place that sells hydrogen peroxide. I wonder if that's safe to use on a black couch..?
I would definatly test it on a small unseen spot of the couch first, just to be on the safe side. Good luck!! Cat pee smell is the worst!
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post #16 of 20
8/13/09 at 8:15am
I don't know about Finland, but in the U.S. most drug stores carry it. It used to be used for cleaning wounds.

OK - I just googled hydrogen peroxide and found this. Important to note - you have to use it right away because hydrogen peroxide degrades quickly when exposed to sunlight. That is why it is sold in brown bottles.

However - it IS a bleach. But because the stuff that is sold to consumers is usually just 3% hydrogen peroxide, that could be why people have not had problems with discoloration of carpet or furniture. But I'm with trillcat - you should definitely try it in a spot that's not noticeable first! Leave it for a day or two to see what happens.

Here's the link, if you want to read up on myths and truths of uses for hydrogen peroxide: http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors...n-peroxide.htm
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post #17 of 20
8/13/09 at 8:17am
Quote:
Originally Posted by LDG View Post
I don't know about Finland, but in the U.S. most drug stores carry it. It used to be used for cleaning wounds.

OK - I just googled hydrogen peroxide and found this. Important to note - you have to use it right away because hydrogen peroxide degrades quickly when exposed to sunlight. That is why it is sold in brown bottles.

However - it IS a bleach. But because the stuff that is sold to consumers is usually just 3% hydrogen peroxide, that could by why people have not had problems with discoloration of carpet or furniture. But I'm with trillcat - you should definitely try it in a spot that's not noticeable first! Leave it for a day or two to see what happens.

Here's the link, if you want to read up on myths and truths of uses for hydrogen peroxide: http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors...n-peroxide.htm
Good point about leaving it for a couple days on the test spot, the bleaching effect, if it has one, may not show up immediatly.
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post #18 of 20
8/13/09 at 8:52am
I think we do have it available in the drug stores and propably at the hair salons too. How strong should it be? (I'm not sure how strong is available here). I wonder if hydrogen peroxide bleaches by itself, or does it need something to activate the bleaching effect?
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post #19 of 20
8/13/09 at 9:06am
According to the article, it is a type of bleach all by itself.

...But most solutions sold are 3% hydrogen peroxide and 97% water. I am sure this is the strength referred to in the formula, as that is the only thing available in supermarkets or drug stores (here). The strength of something sold in a hair salon might be very different.

Here's the Wikipedia on it:

Quote:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a very pale blue liquid, slightly more viscous than water, that appears colorless in dilute solution. It is a weak acid, has strong oxidizing properties, and is a powerful bleaching agent. It is used as a disinfectant, antiseptic, oxidizer, and in rocketry as a propellant.[2]
I'd try to find something that was the 3% hydrogen peroxide/97% water. Or if stronger, dilute it down to that with water.
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post #20 of 20
8/24/09 at 9:51am
Thread Starter 
Hi folks

I had terrible trouble trying to source hydrogen peroxide here, not even available in a pharmacy. Anyway in the end of it all, my vinegar soaking followed by biological washing powder being scrubbed in left me with stairs that smelled fab but the air all around seemed to be tainted, when the stairs were dry I put lots of bread soda on each step, rubbed it well in and vacuumed it all up and the smell is GONE and has been now for over a week. I guess it must be true that the vinegar neutralises the uric crystal but until it is dry you don't get the true result! Thank you all so much for your help
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