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Cleaning Tips (Very Important)!
13th August 2016 | Red Stage
Use of an enzymatic cleaner in the cleaning up of accidents and the Litter Kwitter is important in order to prevent cats using the floor or anywhere else out of the force of instinct and habit. An example of such a product is CSI URINE®, although there are other brands available. These products are usually only available in pet stores and other specialty pet retailers.
To understand how and why CSI URINE® works, it is important to know a little about urine. Urine, whether human or animal, has three main components: Urea, a slightly sticky substance; Urochrome, which gives urine its yellow colour & Uric Acid, which is a mild acid, rich in nitrogen.
Uric acid contains non-soluble salt crystals, which present the biggest challenge to removing urine from surfaces and fabrics.
The first two components can be washed away with ordinary cleaning and commercially-available urine odour products, but the uric acid crystals are extremely insoluble and remain tightly bonded to the surface. After initial cleaning and drying with ordinary products, it may appear that the problem is solved. However, any type of moisture will reactivate those remaining crystals and the smell returns, as strong as ever. This is particularly the case when the urine is on carpets and other fabrics.
There are a number of urine odour products available to the retail customer. Most are composed of surfactants (detergents) and a masking agent. Some also use alcohol as a solvent and antibacterial ingredients. The shortcomings of these approaches are that the odour is usually addressed only temporarily, and the stain most times not at all. None appear to have success with old, dried urine deposits. Urine is not a bacterial stain so antibacterial cleaners will not work to eliminate it.
In the case of pets, the problem is compounded because of their territory-marking behaviour and their very acute sense of smell. Even when the urine odour has been rendered imperceptible to humans, animals detect it and are compelled to re-apply their own scent. So once an animal has “gone” in one spot, they frequently return to it again and again, no matter what we do. CSI URINE® contains friendly enzyme-producing bacteria and free enzymes that were specifically selected for their appetite for “eating” the urine salt crystals in addition to removing the other components of urine.
How well does CSI URINE® work? So well that even long-neglected problem areas with the highest concentrations of urine residue are quickly taken care of… So well that even dogs and cats can’t detect where the urine stain used to be, which greatly aids in breaking unwanted behaviour patterns.
– First clean the area with warm soapy water. DON’T use products containing ammonia or bleach to do this, as they carry similar chemical markers to cats urine, and will similarly draw cats back.
– Wait for the area to dry and then apply the enzymatic cleaner as directed. Allow to air dry.
– Use a black light (an ultraviolet torch that makes the urine stains glow in the dark. These are available online or in pet stores) to check that you have not missed any areas.