How to get rid of smell..

[AbbyMom]

For a while I kept foster cats in our spare bedroom. When a pair showed up with ringworm, I bought an large ionic air filter from Sears on sale.

This was to capture the ringworm spores, but I was very impressed by how much cleaner the room smelled. It was quiet, too.

I also used Nature's Miracle on those "accidents" and it works.

I'm sorry your friend said those things to you. I had a coworker with a super sensitive nose and she was just like that. She always said she couldn't help herself.

Good luck to you.

[Pawsitive Thinking]

Arrange to meet your friend somewhere other than your house - her nose may be super-sensitive but the rest of her certainly isn't!!

[areias]

If the cats and the rats aren't in the living room-are you sure she's smelling that, and not the cleaners that you use? I find I dislike some of the carpet cleaners and such because they have a smell that is similar to urine (maybe it's just me but...). Also, heat tends to bring out smells, so if it was warmer in the house when she was there she might have picked up on that.

The only time I ever told a friend that her place smelled, was when she had 2 guinea pigs and 2 rabbits in her small bedroom. She asked for my opinion, and I told her it might be a bit much, so she rearranged her animals.

[mina'smomma]

Let me start by saying that I'm sorry your friend was so mean to you.

When the girls expressed their thoughts on Pawpaw and I going on our honeymoon (they peed in our bags) we tried to get everything to get the smell out of my trunk, our clothes and the duffle bags. I finally started using Gain as a last resort, and that did the trick.

I also took about a tablespoon and diluted it in hot water and sprayed my trunk and let it air dry and that took that smell out too.

[mruffruff]

I'm sorry your friend wasn't at least more subtle.

I don't have anyone coming to my house to tell me that it smells---except me!

When I walk in the house, I know if it stinks. Sometimes it smells of urine. That means I get out my black light and my spray bottle of Simple Solution. I spray anything that glows even a little bit, and some stuff "just 'cuz". I add some Arm & Hammer litter deodorant to freshly-scooped litter boxes and sprinkle some on the carpets. By morning, the smells are gone.

But there are times when it smells like an unbathed old person. (And it isn't ME!) My sister thinks my dead dad has come to visit; smells just like him. I can't figure out how to get rid of this smell.

Finding the cause is the hardest part. When my sister smells the cats at my house, I just figure it's because she expects it to smell since she doesn't like cats at all.

[Pembroke_Corgi]

Arrange to meet your friend somewhere other than your house - her nose may be super-sensitive but the rest of her certainly isn't!!

Agreed. Maybe go for coffee with her instead. I have a cousin who is the same way. Whenever she visits my mom's house (who has only 1 cat) she makes a big deal about it. She always manages to hurt my mom's feelings, too. Some people just don't have any tact.

ETA: I don't invite anyone over to my house that doesn't like pets enough to have dinner while 3 dogs and 1 cat beg.

[wolfsoul]

Thanks everyone for the advice.

The problem with meeting her other places is that she says I smell like my house (as everyone smells like their houses). We hang out all the time, but mostly because we work together and go to the same functions -- as far as doing things socially, she avoids it. She really isn't trying to be mean -- she says she wants to help. Today she said she was sorry and that she didn't want to mention my rats because she knows it makes me sad, but she wanted to know if she thought I'd have to put them down before she went out of town next month -- that way she'd know if she had to spare some time to help me clean. My other friend said she will give me her couich. My couch came with the house and the people who lived here smoked ALOT so it does smell kind of smokey.

I went out today and bought two air purifiers and a bunch of cleaning stuff. My mom came with me and I got her to smell my house. She says she doesn't smell a thing. She said my bathroom (which has the rats) smells like a public bathroom...She can't smell anything near the litterbox (in the kitchen)...And she said the livingroom does have something kinda funny that she can't quite put her finger on, but it isn't cat pee or rat. She thinks she mostly just smells "old house" smell.

[CathyBogart]

I'm glad you posted this, as I have noticed a urine smell in my bedroom for the last few days. (thank you Jasper!) I found a company near me from which I could rent a steam cleaner for a day for $75. Maybe something like that would work for you too? Good luck, and please keep us posted if you find something that works well!

ETA: It doesn't seem to me that a mild animal smell could be THAT unpleasant. The rats would perhaps be a little musky, but if your place is that clean, I don't see how it could be SUCH a big deal. I think she's way overreacting.

[wolfsoul]

I did find a steam cleaner the other day for $70, so I think I'm going to get it.

I had another friend come over. She says she definatly smells rats, but she couldn't smell any cat pee. She mostly smelled perfume, which is funny because I don't use air fresheners.

I pulled everything out of my livingroom and scrubbed the entire floor with bleach. I've never pulled out the couch before and it was pretty gross behind it. I bleached the top and bottom of the carpet and let it hang outside. I bleached the walls, the couch, everything. I left the door open and a fan blowing lastnight and I must say I do notice a difference. It's much fresher in here. I put a new layer of paint sealer on the top half of the rat cage to help cover the smell -- I'd like to try to sell it, as I know it's the cage and not the rats that smell. It's leaked into the wood and there's really nothing that can be done. I just don't know what I'll put my rats in afterwards. I suppose I can let them go free in the house, I do it sometimes..but I don't think that will help my problem lol. I have limited laundry days here so my mom is going to come and get me on Monday and take me to her place so I can do all my laundry. That will help alot -- I fully admit my room smells terrible because it's basically my laundry room. The door is always closed though and I sleep on the couch to avoid it lol.

Kelly is going to come back tomorrow to let me know if it's any better.

[binka_nugget]

If you decide to sell the cage.. let me know LOL. I want ratties and I LOVE your cage. I don't have room for something wide but something like yours would fit really nicely in my room.

[areias]

Thanks everyone for the advice.

The problem with meeting her other places is that she says I smell like my house (as everyone smells like their houses). We hang out all the time, but mostly because we work together and go to the same functions -- as far as doing things socially, she avoids it. She really isn't trying to be mean -- she says she wants to help. Today she said she was sorry and that she didn't want to mention my rats because she knows it makes me sad, but she wanted to know if she thought I'd have to put them down before she went out of town next month -- that way she'd know if she had to spare some time to help me clean.

It sounds like there is more issue to this than the smell of your house. It sounds like there is something mentally wrong with her. That kind of astonished me...I wouldn't ever expect someone to ask me when I was going to put my animal down, so they could have a convenience.

[wolfsoul]

If you decide to sell the cage.. let me know LOL. I want ratties and I LOVE your cage. I don't have room for something wide but something like yours would fit really nicely in my room.

You can definatly have it, dude. I'm going to throw on some more coats of paint sealer and put some caulking along the edges where stuff tends to build up, then you can take it the next time you come up here. I'm heading to Van in a few weeks so I may actually be able to bring it with -- it depends on whether or not Marla is bringing the truck or the van. If she brings the pickup we can just throw it in the back. I'm not sure what part of the Lower Mainland we'll be in though.

[BC_MoM]

Kelly is going to come back tomorrow to let me know if it's any better.

I wonder if it will be too clean?

[binka_nugget]

You can definatly have it, dude. I'm going to throw on some more coats of paint sealer and put some caulking along the edges where stuff tends to build up, then you can take it the next time you come up here. I'm heading to Van in a few weeks so I may actually be able to bring it with -- it depends on whether or not Marla is bringing the truck or the van. If she brings the pickup we can just throw it in the back. I'm not sure what part of the Lower Mainland we'll be in though.

Yippee

Are you guys going to a show? Is Solo coming?! Eeee! I wanna meet him!

[shais_mom]

You can definatly have it, dude. I'm going to throw on some more coats of paint sealer and put some caulking along the edges where stuff tends to build up, then you can take it the next time you come up here. I'm heading to Van in a few weeks so I may actually be able to bring it with -- it depends on whether or not Marla is bringing the truck or the van. If she brings the pickup we can just throw it in the back. I'm not sure what part of the Lower Mainland we'll be in though.

I'm not sure what kind of paint sealer you are using but I'd definately see if you can find the kilz I mentioned in my post.