How to Remove Cat Odor from Baseboard Heaters

Cat licking its paw
  • 1 hours
  • Beginner
  • 10-500
What You'll Need
Vacuum
Bleach
Incense
Scented Oils
Rag
Rubber gloves
Carpet cleaner
Vinegar
Bucket
What You'll Need
Vacuum
Bleach
Incense
Scented Oils
Rag
Rubber gloves
Carpet cleaner
Vinegar
Bucket

The smell of cat urine is very unpleasant, especially when it's coming out of a baseboard heater. The smell can stay around for a very long time because the cat hair and the ammonia have not been properly cleaned out. Fortunately, there are ways in which you can remove this odor from your baseboards by employing a few techniques that are simple to use.

Step 1 - Understand Cat Behaviors

Different reactions of the cat can set off different types of odors. If your cat is male, he could have marked its territory by the baseboard heater to claim his spot. Also, if the cat has an unclean litter box, it will find a substitute location to use as a litter box.

Clean the kitty litter box with a scooper and a plastic bag as this should help in letting the cat be in its box instead of the baseboard heaters.

Step 2 - Clean the Area

baseboard heater

Find the area in which the cat odor is the strongest by the baseboard heaters and use a slightly damp rag to pick up any cat hair that is lying on the floor. Cover the area with scented powder, and use a vacuum to pick up any finer hair.

You can use an attachment that blows out any extra hair that is still inside of the heater grill. A carpet cleaner can be used over the top of the carpet which can help remove some of the cat odor and also make your carpet cleaner and remove any additional odors you might have missed.

Step 3 - Use Vinegar

To help remove cat odor you will want to find out if there is any cat urine that might be located around the same area of the odor. Use a small amount of water and a lot of vinegar with a rag and wash the heaters with the solution. Let this stay on the heaters for a day and then come back and wash it off with a rag. This process can be repeated from days to weeks until the urine smell has vanished. The vinegar should reduce the smell and dissolve the pH balance after a short amount of time.

Step 4 - Burn Incense

smoke from incense

Another option for eliminating cat odor is by using incense and burning oils to reduce the smell from the baseboard area. The incense can be used by burning them and letting the smoke of the incense cover the area which will help mask the smell of the odor. Another option is to use scented oils, which will remove the smell of odor that is still in the air.

Step 5 - Use Bleach

The last option can have a more permanent imprint on the area you are working on because you will be using bleach and other chemicals. Turn off any electricity going to the heater to make sure no water or bleach will drip through.

Use rubber gloves to protect yourself from the chemicals and begin to dilute the bleach by combining water and a small amount of bleach into a bucket. Use an old rag or cloth with the bleach solution and scrub all around the heater, which should remove a lot of the cat odor.