Hoarder house with BAD pet urine odor,HELP!

Rehabbing & House Flipping
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Hoarder house with BAD pet urine odor,HELP!

Lisa Misuraca
Tucson, AZ · Member since 2014 · 134 posts · 43 votes

So we ripped out the carpet,but don't know what to do about the tile. As a good flipper we feel like we should just rip it out also,but it's nice looking tile,can it be deodorized and cleaned.We know we'll need to use kills on all the painted walls and ceilings before we paint.Can this tile be saved,smell is REALLY BAD!

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Joel OwensBusiness Member
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Real Estate Broker · Canton, GA · Member since 2010 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
11y

Have you used a good cleaner on the tile?? If you haven't cleaned it yet of course It will smell awful.

The carpet underneath is it subfloor or concrete. Have you taken a black light to the bottom of the walls around the place?? You will see if the urine is sprayed just on the floor or on the drywall as well. If the bottom layer of drywall you might have to replace those sections or the smell will remain. 

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  • Joel OwensBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Canton, GA · Member since 2010 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    11y

    Have you used a good cleaner on the tile?? If you haven't cleaned it yet of course It will smell awful.

    The carpet underneath is it subfloor or concrete. Have you taken a black light to the bottom of the walls around the place?? You will see if the urine is sprayed just on the floor or on the drywall as well. If the bottom layer of drywall you might have to replace those sections or the smell will remain. 

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  • Mark Freeman
    Real Estate Investor · Clovis, CA · Member since 2014 · 195 posts · 194 votes
    11y

    I don't know about your tile, but if its cat urine it is tough to get rid of! I had to cut out the bottom 2 to 4 feet of drywall on one to finally get rid of the smell and treat the cement floors like crazy with white vinegar. I think I used 50 gallons of vinegar, moping the floors many times. This lady had up to 60 cats at once!! Good luck.

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  • Robert Bowles
    Lender · Portland, OR · Member since 2013 · 88 posts · 38 votes
    11y

    I have used OdoBan with real good results.  You will need to remove everything you can that has been marked, but this worked really well on a hard wood floor, it was a last chance before we ripped it out and it saved me a LOT of work.

    It is an enzyme cleaner so something else like it might work as well.

    I bought it at Home Depot.

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  • Lisa Misuraca
    OP
    Tucson, AZ · Member since 2014 · 134 posts · 43 votes
    11y

    I'm just worried  that it has soaked through the grout to the concrete underneath the ceramic and that the smell will return over time,and how toxic is it? Removed all the carpet

    and not so worried there because we will clean and seal the floor before we carpet the bedrooms.I think the labor to clean and deodorize will outweigh the cost and peace of mind of just ripping out the tile and starting over?

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  • Lisa Misuraca
    OP
    Tucson, AZ · Member since 2014 · 134 posts · 43 votes
    11y

    So far we've just scraped the hard stuff (feces)?****, who can stand to be in there for long ,

    Will try to mop with the Odoban and wet vac and see what results we get?

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  • Kim HandelmanPro Member
    Real Estate Agent · Guilford, CT · Member since 2014 · 193 posts · 88 votes
    11y
    I've had problems with cats peeing on tile. In my experience, it gets through cracks in the grout and settles in the subfloor and then you're screwed. You can buy a gallon jug (or 5) of Nature's Miracle and poor it on the infected area and let it sit over night. Also, a black light will help you see what has cat urine on it (the proteins in the urine glow) then you'll know what areas to focus on. Hope this helps.
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  • Shane Caraway
    Investor · Albert City, IA · Member since 2014 · 14 posts · 1 vote
    11y

    I had a family relative that became a hoarder. When we had to clean up her house it was bad enough that we had to rip The Durarock even absorbed the odor. If it was me, I would plan on replacing the tile and subfloor. Plus most of the time unless you have a concrete pad replacing the sub floor is easier than trying to salvage by cleaning and scraping grout and thin set.

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  • Marian Smith
    Real Estate Investor · Williamson County, TX · Member since 2011 · 1k+ posts · 961 votes
    11y

    Tile is impervious to stain.  You could try painting the grout with grout colorant.  The stuff at HD is epoxy--aquamix by Custom.  You apply it with a toothbrush and it is a coating like paint--but it looks good, like cementous grout with a slight shine from sealer--it is applied thin.  Epoxy is pretty amazing stuff.  I used it for the first time this year but have not seen how it holds up over time.  Supposedly you get 10 years out of an epoxy paint job on a swimming pool.

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