My cat urinated on stack of legal documents, how do I get the smell out?

Question

Actually I did not find out about the problem until the papers had dried, so here's what I have tried:

putting the peed on papers in a plastic box with charcoal, then I

added a couple of dryer sheets, and left it for a long time... smell is definitely still there.

If they were not legal documents I would have just tossed them. The cat is fine, he was just marking territory when a visiting cat stayed with us for a while. (I know cats do inappropriate urinations when they are sick but this is not the case).

Answer 1

i don't think there is a way to get that smell out of the papers short of tossing them in trash or washing them which isn't possible without ruining them.

http://www.uexpress.com/mrhandyperson/?u...

although i did find this link that gives advice on how to remove musty smells from books using baking soda. i guess it is worth reading and trying. it wont hurt. But cat urine smells really bad and way more offensive then a musty smell. Is there a way to replace the papers or get copies of them ,then trash the originals?

Answer 2

There isn't a way.  I have 9 cats and one of them is a sprayer.  There are liquid enzymes which help neutralize cat urine odors, but you don't want to add more liquid to your documents.

As another poster suggested, you may want to see if you can get duplicate copies of your legal documents.

I keep my legal documents in a fireproof safe.  It's just about the only place in the house that my cats can't reach.  If they can't urinate on it or break it, they'll sharpen their claws on it.

Answer 3

It nay be worth it to get duplicate papers from the attorney and or court house. There is no way to remove the smell without damaging the paper. The only way to rid the smell is to spray everything with straight white vinegar and allow to air dry in the sunshine. Vinegar will neutralize the smell and once dried, the vinegar smell would go away. This may work if you have a clothesline and are able to hang them outside without fear of someone taking them.