The OP says it all. My little darlings thought a pile of laundry would be a great place to piss a river and that river soaked my hardwood floor, staining it and causing some warping. Of course it reeks and looks horrible. Is there anything I can do to draw out the smell and repair the stain? I’m afraid I may have to strip the whole floor and refinish it but I’m waiting for a miracle first.
Is there anything I can do in the mean time?
:mad: damn cats
We bought a house and discovered the same problem, a large pee stain soaked into the hardwood. The contractor we used said that strip, sand, and refinish is really the only option. Over time, even if you cleanup the surface and rid the smell, the stain will continue to deepen and darken. Ours was a pretty severe stain, but we were already doing a major refinish so it worked out.
Depending on the board layout, you might be able to rip out and replace a few boards if that is easier.
Your best chance here is an enzyme-based formula - “Outright” is my favorite, but there should be several available at any pet store. A regular “cleaner” or “stain remover” won’t work for this sort of thing. You need a product with enzymes that will break down the organic material and get rid of the real source of the problem.
This is also the solution for other bio-product messes - vomit, feces, etc. Any pet owner should keep some around (and parents, for that matter).
You might want to talk with a company that does restoration after fire/flood damage. I have had clients obtain acceptable end results after consultation with professionals.
Or, you could just cover up the damage with a nice cat fur rug 
(just joking…I have a kitty of my own and would never skin her…although I may have wanted to sometimes!)
My GF is en route to the pet store now to pick up some stain remover. We’re going to try that first. I’m so pissed because we just bought the house in September and that floor, although not immaculate, was in pretty damn good shape for having been tramped upon for 63 years. Unfortunately we can’t afford a professional to do any repairs or refinishing so we’re going to have to give it a go ourselves. (Thanks be to Jeebus that we are both pretty handy) I’ve never refinished a hardwood floor, however, so while I’m here…anyone have any tips on a DIY refinishing job? Ya know, just in case I’m not happy with the results from the stain remover.
Oh and Cherry 2000, I’m ready whenever you are to start making that catskin rug.
Another good enzymatic cleaner is Nature’s Miracle. It’s not cheap, and I’ve never tried to use it on hardwood, but it’s great for fabrics and other porous things. Might want to try anything on an odd corner of the floor first just to make sure the enzymes won’t mess with the finish.
Best wishes
Check out www.doityourself.com for how to repair and refinish wood floors.
Some stains require a lot of sanding to completely remove them and replacing the affected flooring may be a faster way to go. I’d sure try the specialized treatment first of course.
Take the time to apply two or three coats of an oil based polyurethane coating when you’re done. Multiple coating gives better protection and oil-based coatings seem to be more durable than water-based in my experience.