Cat Pee On My Piggies Fleece!

[Dilly's Piggies]

I am so upset, as I've only recently a couple of weeks ago spent around £500 on custom fleece liners and bedding for my spoiled rotten 9 guinea pigs, and now I fear it's all ruined as I believe cats have been peeing/marking on it.

We have relatives staying over and my Mum was embarrassed to leave the bags of dirty piggy washing in the kitchen where we usually leave it before it's washed, so she decided to put it outside on the floor near the back door. We first noticed a very odd, potent, sour smelling stench in the piggy room 5 days ago, we initially thought it was the washing liquid, but we've used this for a while and it has never caused this smell. We went through the entire room looking for things it could possibly be, the smell was all over the room so it was difficult to pin point, until we took out the pigs fleece and smelled it, it smelled absolutely vile. I haven't smelled cat pee before but my Mum said this is exactly what it smells like, it's very distinctive, so I doubt it's anything else. I also noticed the pigs have been more timid and nervous since this smell appeared, most likely as they smell a cat!

I'm just at a loss, is there any way I can save the fleece and get rid of the smell? Obviously we are not putting the fleece outside anymore, the relatives will just have to deal with it!

 

[ChloeCee98]

White vinegar ? But if it's male cat spray it's really had to bring out and it does stink!

How to Get Rid of Cat Spray Odor: 12 Steps (with Pictures)

 

[Julie M]

I would try washing it in the machine with detergent and putting white vinegar in where softener goes in the machine too as that tends to lift smells out of fabric. Hope you can save the fleece.

 

[piggieminder]

It should wash out, line dry in the fresh air. If the smell lingers do it again. Although it may just be your imagination playing tricks, once that smell gets up your nose it can be hard to forget for a while.

 

[flowerfairy]

Oh no how frustrating. I would wash using vinegar and line drying. Excellent suggestions. Hope you get it out of those custom made liners. I would love to see pics of them i love cage liners!

 

[Redribbon]

A bicarbonate of soda soak will help before washing

 

[Dilly's Piggies]

I don't understand because when they come out of the wash they smell normal, but after being in the cage for a few hours they stink, it's like when the piggies pee on it something is interacting and causing this smell, I really have no idea what's going on here?! The liners and beds are made from wadding, surely that wouldn't cause this?

This is what I bought plus some other things and it's all affected, such beautiful fleece and I was so happy to get this for my girls

 

[flowerfairy]

Ooo that does look so lovely. Hopefully with a few good washes and lashings of vinegar it will all be fine. Oh and soda bicarb. great stuff that. Good luck.

 

[artcasper]

Oh no ! What a gorgeous stash of fleece items ! Try the white vinegar for defo.. you could try the launderette - mine washes better there cos they are bigger and more powerful.. good luck !

 

[Dilly's Piggies]

Thank you so much everyone for your suggestions, it gives me hope that I can save it, it would kill me to throw everything I've built up over the years out! I just wanted to ask why the fleece smells fine when it comes out the wash, but after being in the cage for a while the smell of cat pee comes out in full force? I thought the cat pee smell would be there the whole time. The smell is definitely coming from areas where the piggies have pee'd, unsoiled areas still smell fresh and clean. I know it's not my piggies urine that smells as I've tested them. Another thought is that maybe it is the detergent interacting with the urine and releasing this stench? We're currently using biological powder as it's stronger and more effective to remove the smell, we're also using white vinegar and some vanish action product that contains bicarbonate soda in the machine, the liners have been washed twice now and air dried but the smell is still coming back, I think it'll take a few more washes at least to get rid of this. Great tip about the launderette, I didn't even think of that, I only have 1 machine and can only wash one liner at a time which takes 2 hours per wash, it's taking forever to get through everything, so I think I will go to the launderette!

 

[Mumsbie]

Thank you so much everyone for your suggestions, it gives me hope that I can save it, it would kill me to throw everything I've built up over the years out! I just wanted to ask why the fleece smells fine when it comes out the wash, but after being in the cage for a while the smell of cat pee comes out in full force? I thought the cat pee smell would be there the whole time. The smell is definitely coming from areas where the piggies have pee'd, unsoiled areas still smell fresh and clean. I know it's not my piggies urine that smells as I've tested them. Another thought is that maybe it is the detergent interacting with the urine and releasing this stench? We're currently using biological powder as it's stronger and more effective to remove the smell, we're also using white vinegar and some vanish action product that contains bicarbonate soda in the machine, the liners have been washed twice now and air dried but the smell is still coming back, I think it'll take a few more washes at least to get rid of this. Great tip about the launderette, I didn't even think of that, I only have 1 machine and can only wash one liner at a time which takes 2 hours per wash, it's taking forever to get through everything, so I think I will go to the launderette!

Good luck with the task - it's a gorgeous fleece set - lucky piggies

 

[Swissgreys]

So much beautiful fleece - I really, really hope you can save it!

I would go right back to basics on this one.

Start by cleaning your washing machine.
Run the machine completely empty, on the hottest wash it will do.
If you see any form of foam or bubbles at any point during the cycle then you have a detergent build up (which most people do).
Once the machine no longer produces any suds when completely empty, you can add your fleece.
Biological detergent (a very small amount) and white vinegar to rinse should do the job.
Make sure you remove the fleece from the machine immediately, and line dry everything outside.
A hot sunny day will help the most, but failing that a windy day is also good.
You want everything to dry as quickly as possible, so outside is best and will get the freshest results.

Good luck.

 

[Tigermoth]

I think I might be tempted to try washing them in plain water. Thinking back to my nappy days, sometimes you could get a build up of detergent that did indeed react with moisture when they got weed on. If they've had a couple of washes with generous amounts of powder due to the cat pee then you might need to try and get rid of that.