The roommate’s cat peed in a box of my girlfriend’s shoes, most of them leather, some canvas. This happened some time in the past (just discovered it).
Some of them are pretty rank. Are they salvageable/cleanable, or are they a lost cause?
Nuke 'em from orbit, it’s the only way to be sure.
Kidding, but… not.
In my experience, the leather is gone forever unless they only smell from proximity, not from getting peed-upon. In that case, air them out for a week, and see if they still smell. Cloth and nylon might be saved by dousing with Nature’s Miracle. If any of the items can be machine washed, after initial dousing, wash “small load” in cold water with 1/4 cup NM added.
Do you own a gunnysack and are you near a river?
We have had good results using pet enzyme cleaner available at Petsmart. Liberally clean the shoes inside & out, place them in a clean box with one of those deodorizers in a can fro a week or two.
White vinegar.
It really works on pee smell. The enzyme cleaners work well too, but I’d try the vinegar first.
So, do you just spray it on, leave it, and wipe it down?
Yes.
On carpet, soak area with straight vinegar then vacuum it up.
On a mattress (unfortunately I lived this scenario) soak the hell out of the mattress, then blot up what you can and use fans or sunlight to dry it out. It absolutely removed the cat pee smell.
My source (apart from personal experience) is a couple of friends who are deeply into cat rescue and foster, and a friend who is a DNR-licensed animal rehabilitator who has exdperience not only with cat pee, but with raccoon, possum, fox, squirrel and other wild animal pee.
To be clear, the acid will severely damage quality leather. Cheap leather might survive the experience.
Read this and laugh. That should help your mood when you realize the shoes are a lost cause and you must buy new ones.
Getting rid of the roommate was my first thought, too.
As far as the shoes, I’d vote for lost cause. You might think they’re stink-free, but one day your girlfriend will be in an important meeting, her feet will start to perspire, and she will be forever remembered as that chick who smelled like a cat box.