Dog Urine/ Poop Smell in house

Randy Rooster · #1 07/18/11, 07:57 PM

Hey gang-

I have decided I want to invest in a house which I will rent out to tenants. I have found a posssble place to buy - its at a very good price, the biggest problem I find with it, is that the previous owner or tenant had either a dog or cat and they let them use the bathroom in the house. This house is built on a concrete slab. It is pretty evenly divided as far as what portion is carpeted and what is vinyl fooring. Has anyone here ever dealt with this issue? I dont want to plunk down my money unless I know there is a way to get the ungodly smelly funk out of this house. I know I need to get the carpeting and vinyl flooring up and out of there at the minimum, but am concerned that urine may have seeped into the concrete and may permanently stink it up. Can stink get into walls as well? Any advice is appreciated

thanks

Randy

Dutchie · #2 07/18/11, 08:03 PM

Use Ardie's recipe for stink remover.

Equal parts of vinegar and peroxide and a few drops of dish detergent. Soak the floor with it.

I came back from a trip once and the house sitter had locked the outdoor cats in the house. They peed and pooped all over my new mattress, which I thought would be a goner.

I drenched the mattress in that solution and it smells great now.

Ravenlost · #3 07/18/11, 08:08 PM

Yep, what Dutchie said works great.

Alice In TX/MO · #4 07/18/11, 09:34 PM

They have this at Home Depot. I hear good things about it.

http://www.odoban.com/

plowjockey · #5 07/18/11, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randy Rooster

Hey gang-

I have decided I want to invest in a house which I will rent out to tenants. I have found a posssble place to buy - its at a very good price, the biggest problem I find with it, is that the previous owner or tenant had either a dog or cat and they let them use the bathroom in the house. This house is built on a concrete slab. It is pretty evenly divided as far as what portion is carpeted and what is vinyl fooring. Has anyone here ever dealt with this issue? I dont want to plunk down my money unless I know there is a way to get the ungodly smelly funk out of this house. I know I need to get the carpeting and vinyl flooring up and out of there at the minimum, but am concerned that urine may have seeped into the concrete and may permanently stink it up. Can stink get into walls as well? Any advice is appreciated

thanks

Randy

Depends.

Did they pee in the corner a few times, or did they pee in the corner, for a few years?

If it's the latter, cleaners and deoderizers won't work. That stuff has soaked into the wood and concrete - big time. You will have to rip out the carpet and flooring (get rid of it), down to concrete and wood. Clean it with some of the poster's recommended cleaners.

Then coat with Killz or some other type of pre-paint sealer at least two coats (more is good).

We purchased a home where we were surprised to find out (aftwe we moved in ) than an earlier owner moved out and forgot to take 4 or 5 cats with him.

Yuck

The smell pretty much went away after major surgery.

Since the house stinks, make them knock way more off of the price.

Good luck.

Txrider · #6 07/18/11, 11:21 PM

I'd rip out the carpet and padding anyway, carpet is about the nastiest stuff on earth after a short time, especially if pets lived on it.

Rip out the carpet, deodorize the floor, and repaint the walls. That ought to do it.

JJFarmer · #7 07/19/11, 02:23 AM

I'd replace the carpet and padding also. Leaving pet smell (even if you can't smell it) will be inviting new pets to mark their territory.

COSunflower · #8 07/19/11, 02:40 AM

Some friends of mine bought a house the same way...took out the carpet etc. and it STILL smelled like cat pee...come to find out, the cats had peed into the furnace vents and there was also cat pee under the floor moulding. All of that had to be ripped out and replaced. They had to replace all the ductwork under the house as it had dripped down a LONG ways...It was a major undertaking!!!!

Candace · #9 07/19/11, 06:36 AM

We have used something I got online that is "industrial strength" called Anti-Icky Poo. Yes, funny name for a not-so-funny situation. Get rid of the carpeting, treat the concrete and treat but be sure you also spray down the trim unless you're replacing it. Moisture can wick up into those too. Also, when replacing the carpeting, consider a vapor barrier of heavy plastic or, you can also get a plastic coated carpet pad made for pet issues. It is the padding that is impossible to clean, not the carpeting.

Sededl · #10 07/19/11, 07:52 AM

It depends, if it was like that for years and years, youll probably be better off ripping out the carpet and padding, and to check if there was any exposed wood etc etc the smell could have set into. Then theres the issue if youre going to have inside pets. You may not smell it, but they might, and then they start peeing in the house.

Id probably rip the carpet out anyway, considering the fact if they didnt care to have there animals use the bathroom in doors, they probably didnt stay up on worming a d vaccines etc etc. Id be afraid of Ringworm in the carpet or another nasty diease. I know it sounds crazy, but ringworm can lie dormaint in carpets, then develop on humans when they play in the floor ( kids), or walk or anything
Hope it works out!!

Sededl · #11 07/19/11, 07:54 AM

Oh and yes, sheetrock can retain odors from its enviroment, think mold smell and cigarette smoke. Ceilings will do it too

Prickle · #12 07/19/11, 09:49 AM

There's an odor blocking paint, I think it's made by Arm and Hammer. I also second the scoe10x, great stuff. There's also Room Shocker http://www.biocidesystems.com/

Like has already been mentioned, pull up carpet and vinyl. You might want to consider replacing it with laminate or ceramic tile. Check the molding around the floors, that may have to be pulled out and then treated behind it.

I'd take everything out, treat the concrete, shock the room, then repaint and tile the floors.

Beowulf · #13 07/19/11, 10:01 AM

The DW and I will be dealing with this problem soon - smoke and pet smells in a home she inherited. We plan on ripping up the carpet and flooring, replacing the flooring, walls, etc, and painting everything that we don't replace with Killz...

Sanza · #14 07/19/11, 12:55 PM

Don't buy it! The odors have penetrated into all the walls and floors, and you'll have a lingering odor even if you gut the house right down to the studs.

legacy · #15 07/19/11, 04:54 PM

My first house was built on a slab. A divorce case. Both dogs and cats had pooped all over the place. Only an idiot (me) would have bought it (repossessed by VA, huge discount.)

Took out all carpet and padding. Washed all of the walls down with 1/3 water/bleach mixture. Then mopped the concrete with one-third bleach/water mixture. I didn't rinse the floors. (I had exhaust fans in three windows and all windows and doors open.)

After a couple weeks of airing out while I worked on the walls (lots of holes) I repainted the walls, and had new padding a carpet installed. After the new paint/carpet smell wore off, everthing smelled fresh as a daisy.

Sold the house three years later for nearly $5k (net) profit. Was listed as "like new" condition.

Ardie/WI · #16 07/19/11, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutchie

Use Ardie's recipe for stink remover.

Equal parts of vinegar and peroxide and a few drops of dish detergent. Soak the floor with it.

I came back from a trip once and the house sitter had locked the outdoor cats in the house. They peed and pooped all over my new mattress, which I thought would be a goner.

I drenched the mattress in that solution and it smells great now.

And, after you've done that, let it dry good and use the Kilz paint on the concrete!

Randy Rooster · #17 07/19/11, 07:06 PM

thank you everyone for all the great suggestions!

Ken Scharabok · #18 07/19/11, 08:27 PM

I have been in some houses where a difty, filthy bar smalled much nicer. I don't know how to live there.

Ken

Ozarks Tom · #19 07/19/11, 08:59 PM

I've been in flooring over 35 years and have seen this problem many times. Concrete is like a sponge, and will absorb moisture. The moisture dries out, but the odor remains. Pull the carpet (and tackless strip) clean the area and coat it with oil based polyurethane (2 coats). If it was a cat check the walls for staining also. Cat urine is one of the most toxic chemicals I've ever seen. If it's in the sheetrock you will have to replace it, after you paint the lower parts of the studs/floor plate with poly. With wood floors you can sand old dog stains out, but cat stains go all the way through to the bottom of the board!