How to Get Rid of Urine Smells Under Linoleum
The smell of urine is one of the least pleasant odors that you can have inside your home. If urine somehow leaks through your linoleum flooring, you will need to get it cleaned up immediately or risk having to deal with the odor long term.
Things You Will Need
- Diluted bleach (see Tips section) or pet odor removal product
- Scrub brush
- Razor knife
Warning
Urine that is trapped between your linoleum and floor of your home can cause the floor to rot, depending on what it is made of. If your floor feels soft or you suspect it may have started to rot, have the floor inspected by a professional contractor or home inspector.
Bleach is a harsh chemical that can harm your pet. Keep pets and children away from the area where you have sprayed the bleach while it's drying.
Tip
A 1:10 concentration of bleach to water is best for deep cleaning and killing fungus. This means you need to add 1 1/2 cups of bleach to every gallon of water. If you are using a spray bottle, then you should have 3 ounces of bleach for every 32 ounces of water. If you cannot access the cause of the smell, then you will only be able to mask it rather than effectively eliminating it.
The more quickly you can clean up the initial mess from the urine, the less risk you have of the smell soaking into your flooring and becoming difficult to get rid of.
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Lift up the linoleum so that you can access the area that contains the urine odor. In some situations you may have to physically remove sections of your linoleum flooring to reach the area underneath that smells like urine. Use a razor to cut away any sections of the flooring that cannot be lifted or picked up.
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Apply diluted bleach or a pet odor removal product of your choice liberally to the area that smells like urine and scrub the area down thoroughly with the bleach. Allow bleach to sit on the floor for at least 30 minutes and wait for it to air dry.
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Scrub down the linoleum with the bleach. Make sure to scrub both the top of the linoleum and the underside before replacing it on the floor in its original position. If your old linoleum can no longer be used, have a professional install new linoleum flooring over the area where the floor smelled like urine.
Writer Bio
Jen Davis has been writing since 2004. She has served as a newspaper reporter and her freelance articles have appeared in magazines such as "Horses Incorporated," "The Paisley Pony" and "Alabama Living." Davis earned her Bachelor of Arts in communication with a concentration in journalism from Berry College in Rome, Ga.
Photo Credits
- Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
- Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
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