Help! Tips on illuminating pet odors!

[Shannon M.]

We purchased a property that previous owners had recarpeted and painted but has an awful urine smell. I suspect they allowed pets and didn’t seal the floor boards. I have just rented it a week ago and new tenants are complaining about the awful smell. Anyone have any tips on illuminating/reducing odors?

[Nathan Gesner]

Pull up the carpet, seal the subfloor, put the carpet back down.

You can also try running an ozone generator like THIS ONE. They can work really well sometimes but other times they won't, particularly on cat urine in the subfloor.

I also recommend you wash all the walls with an odor neutralizer, particularly down low where a cat or dog may have sprayed on the walls or baseboards. Sometimes the cat urine will drip behind the baseboards and cleaning won't help unless you pull the baseboards.

You should have caught this during the inspection phase.