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Will KILZ Cover Cat Urine Smell? Facts & FAQ

woman with smelly cat

KILZ Original is a paint primer that is designed to block heavy stains and odors within the home. It’s designed to adhere to surfaces easily and dry quickly. It can be used on various surfaces, including drywall, wood, plaster, masonry, brick, and even wallpaper. You may have heard that KILZ can also help cover up the cat urine smell that has seemingly seeped into the walls of your home.

Even if you deep clean the hardwood, remove the carpeting, and scrub the subflooring as much as possible, the odor is probably going to linger. So, it makes sense to check out additional treatment options. But can a product like KILZ help you eliminate the cat urine smell? The answer is maybe! Read on to learn more about this interesting topic.

divider 3 paws

KILZ May Be Able to Rid Your Home of Cat Urine Odors

There is no scientific evidence that proves KILZ’s effectiveness in covering up unwanted cat urine smells. However, some people have reported that the product works well and quickly.1 You may have to apply more than one coat of KILZ to get the results you’re looking for, and the results might not last forever because the product does not neutralize or get rid of the odor—it simply covers it up.

Therefore, you might consider using an enzyme cleaner before applying KILZ to your flooring. It can ensure that the urine odor doesn’t seep back into the air. There are a few effective brands, but some might work better than others, depending on your situation.

Kilz Original Interior Oil Based Sealer-Primer-Stainblocker

divider cat paws 2 oct 2024

Cat Urine Odor-Neutralizing Options

If you want to eliminate the urine odor before covering it with KILZ primer paint, you may find one or both of the following options effective throughout your house. They can be used on furniture, too.

Vinegar & Baking Soda

Vinegar neutralizes the dried alkaline salts in urine stains, and baking soda helps scrub the salts out of flooring, furniture, and other surfaces. You can create a neutralizing solution by mixing one part baking soda and one part vinegar to create a loose paste.

Then, scrub the paste into the affected areas and let the solution sit for a few minutes before wiping the areas clean. The vinegar smell might linger for a couple of days but will subside on its own or get covered up by the KILZ paint if you apply it.

Urine Enzyme Cleaner

Enzyme cleaners are designed to neutralize cat urine stains and odors. They can typically be used on multiple surfaces, including furniture.

They can even be used on mattresses and clothing when necessary. The enzymes in the cleaners work by breaking down the acid in urine and eliminating the “skunky” smell.

Our Favorite Enzyme Cleaner 

The Hepper Advanced Bio-Enzyme Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator Spray is our favorite enzyme cleaner out there. It permanently removes even the very worst kitty stains and smells, leaving your home fresh and clean! Click here to learn more about this amazing product and get yourself a bottle.

Hepper Advanced Bio-Enzyme Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator Spray
  • ADVANCED ENZYMATIC CLEANER - Penetrates the most stubborn smells and stains at the deepest molecular...
  • FOR ANY MESS, ON ANY SURFACE - This pet odor eliminator cleans your carpets, floors, furniture,...
  • FRESH, NATURAL ODOR - Our unique formulation doesn't rely on dangerous or unpleasant chemical...

At Catster, we’ve admired Hepper for many years, and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding products of this cool cat company!

divider cat paws 2 oct 2024

Conclusion

It seems that KILZ can help cover up the smell of cat urine in your home. However, it does not neutralize the odor, so it’s a good idea to consider treating the affected areas throughout your house with a neutralizing treatment first.


Featured Image Credit: Jihan Nafiaa Zahri, Shutterstock

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2 Responses

  1. Can you apply the Hepper product on areas that have already been painted with Kilz. The cat urine is still bleeding through the Kilz.

    1. Hi Michael, although we haven't tested that combination specifically, there's no reason why the Hepper product can't work. We recommend only doing it in a small area, to begin with, and testing the effect before expanding.

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