# How to remove cat urine? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 20, 2006, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-cat-urine/353483 "2006-04-20T15:46:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mouse\_Maven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@Mouse\_Maven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mouse_Maven)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-cat-urine/353483/1 "2006-04-20T15:46:13Z")
The short story: I have cat pee on some of my books. Is there a good way to clean them? More info: I live in a house with three people, 16 cats, 4 dogs, 3 (rather nervous) hamsters, 3 tortoises and two tanks of fish. I am moving in with my fiance šŸ™‚ and I found dried urine on some of my books that were stored in my closet. Thank you, fellow Dopers! Mouse Maven ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-cat-urine/353483/2 "2006-04-20T16:41:51Z")
> [@Mouse\_Maven](#): > > How to remove cat urine? Cystocentesis. (sorry, had to do it.)šŸ˜‰ Hope you get a better answer, I have nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-cat-urine/353483/3 "2006-04-20T16:46:18Z")
Burn the book, preferably in the back yard of someone that you hate šŸ˜ƒ Seriously, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but cat piss is one of the most indelible substances known to humanity. My parantsā€™ cat ruined a one of my old Calvin & Hobbs books by peeing on it. (I still love the old coot, however šŸ™‚ ) ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-cat-urine/353483/4 "2006-04-20T17:01:25Z")
From living in a house where multiple cats have come and gone, the _only_ thing weā€™ve found so far that takes out cat urine oder is [UrineGone](http://www.urinegone.com/) (even though their web site is cheesy as hell). Iā€™ve never tried it on paper, though. Iā€™d be afraid of what putting liquids on a book might do. ---
**Author:** ![XaMcQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/f9ae1b/32.png) [@XaMcQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XaMcQ)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-cat-urine/353483/5 "2006-04-20T17:07:09Z")
From books? Probably hopeless. Your best bet I guess would be to pack the books in some kind of substance that would draw all the moisture out. Maybe baking soda? Activated charcoal? You could go to the pet store and get some of that crystals litter and or some of those emzyne treatments, if you really, really want to try to save them. Let me know if it works, Iā€™ve always tossed my ā€˜treatedā€™ papers, magazines and books. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-cat-urine/353483/6 "2006-04-20T17:11:24Z")
Are these books worth going to some length to save them? If so, what I would personally try (I will not be held liable if this doesnā€™t work) is to first, take a damp, lightly soaped cloth and lightly rub the areas that kitty peed on. Then take a dry cloth and pat dry. Put the books in a box, something plastic with a lid. Toss in some silicone pellets and some charcoal (NOT THE KIND WITH LIGHTER FLUID ALREADY ON IT!) Put the lid on the box and let sit for a few days or a week. Iā€™m not promising any miracles but it may help. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Mouse\_Maven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@Mouse\_Maven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mouse_Maven)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-cat-urine/353483/7 "2006-04-20T17:14:06Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > Burn the book, preferably in the back yard of someone that you hate šŸ˜ƒ > > Seriously, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but cat piss is one of the most indelible substances known to humanity. My parantsā€™ cat ruined a one of my old Calvin & Hobbs books by peeing on it. (I still love the old coot, however šŸ™‚ ) Not a bad idea. _sigh_ I have thrown out many ā€œmarkedā€ papers. These were my D&D d20 books I was hoping to sell. Unless there is an RGP guy willing to put up with the cat crystals, I guess theyā€™re unsalvagable. Iā€™m really glad Iā€™m moving. There a a couple of suspects for this crime, but they are not moving with me. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2006, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-cat-urine/353483/8 "2006-04-20T17:22:56Z")
> [@The Chao Goes Mu](#): > > Are these books worth going to some length to save them? > > If so, what I would personally try (I will not be held liable if this doesnā€™t work) is to first, take a damp, lightly soaped cloth and lightly rub the areas that kitty peed on. Then take a dry cloth and pat dry. Put the books in a box, something plastic with a lid. Toss in some silicone pellets and some charcoal (NOT THE KIND WITH LIGHTER FLUID ALREADY ON IT!) Put the lid on the box and let sit for a few days or a week. > > Iā€™m not promising any miracles but it may help. Good luck. Animal pee & books donā€™t mix. Follow the advice, re charcoal, but add a lit match. Your books are hopeless, buy more online, cheap. Amazon sells **used** , too.