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Why
do I suddenly feel EXHAUSTED? ;-)
The trouble is, once people know you have cats, any little
accidental infraction will brand you the smelly cat lady. This goes to
what Beth said about the power of suggestion. There was a woman who rode
my bus (45 minute each way commute) who told me in an email that my backpack
reeked of cat pee. I didn't smell it at ALL, and I really got my face down
in there, but I threw it in the washer anyway. Thing is, this woman hated
me as a matter of course, and knew that I had more cats than *she* thought
appropriate. So I can't be sure if there was something she
really smelled that I didn't, if she was making it up, or if maybe *once* I
wore something that had a smell and she made one of her usual sweeping
generalizations.
A
digression: This woman, Lisa, irrationally disliked me because she
was a big loud know-it-all, and felt threatened because I know as much or more
than she did about some things! Not even about all things, just some
things. She kept accusing me of getting our "perfect" regular driver
in trouble -- which I didn't even do. Once, he left early
and missed 2 of us on the route, and the other missed lady apparently called to
complain and he had to come all the way back. Lisa accused me of the
complaint call and when I told her it wasn't me and must have been the
other lady, she replied "Well, you may not have, but if she hadn't, you would
have!" Huh? End of digression. ;-)
Diane
-----Original Message-----
From:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]On Behalf Of Jennifer
Phaewryn O'Gwynn
Sent: Thursday, November 09, 2006 5:44
PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: OT Help, I
am so embarrassed
Yep, I've been there. The key is to
add a FULL CUP of white vinegar to every wash load in addition to anything
else you use to clean it (the detergent, bleach, oxyclean, etc). And clean the
house with vinegar too, it neutralizes the cat urine smell (and ammonia). On
the upholstery (like the sofa) use the Resolve Carpet Foam or the Armor-All
Car Foam Upholstery cleaner, spay it on thick, then brush it in with a brush,
then scrub with a dry towel, flip towel, scrub more, keep using more towels
until it comes up wet but not colored on a white towel. You may have to spray
more foam, and use up to 3 towels on one sofa arm. On carpets, if you can find
the exact spot, if it's still wet, take a folded towel, and put it over the
spot, and step on the towel, flip to a dry side, and step down on it hard,
once it comes up dry, then pour white vinegar on the spot (use the same amount
as the cat would pee generally speaking), and then repeat your blotting
process with clean towels until THAT comes up dry. Let it dry, then use the
resolve carpet SPRAY on the spot, scrubbing with a towel to get it into the
carpet pad (it takes a LOT of spray). Then blot THAT til the towel comes up
dry. As for the bedroom, always tuck you bedspread, sheets, blankets, etc up
ON TOP of the mattress, never let them hang down over the sides of the bed,
that's PRIME spraying territory, and you'll definitely smell like cat pee if
you sleep under sprayed covers. Or shower in the morning AFTER you get all the
house chores done, and right before you head out the door. Keep one of those
odor absorber tubs in your closet, and always keep the door shut. If you ever
see a cat in it, be sure you get down on the floor and smell for new pee
puddles on the closet floor and spray on your longer clothing. If you have
forced central heat or AC, put the bounce dryer sheets with a touch of
febreeze in all your vents, that stuff is strong (don't do it in the
bedroom, you wont be able to sleep because of the perfume). Go through the
house and spray all curtains, shower curtains, beds, sofas, chairs, etc with
febreeze daily. Use the arm and hammer carpet powder if you have carpeted
floors with you vacuum. Once every month, wash ALL walls that are washable
(painted, paneling, or glossy paper can all be washed usually). Clean hard
floors in a 3 step process, first, use 1/2 a gallon of white vinegar mixed
with 1/2 a gallon of HOT water, mop all floors getting them soaking wet. Then,
make bleach water, 2 cups of bleach to 1 gallon of hot water, mop floors
again, changing water as soon as you cannot see the bottom of the bucket.
Then, mop with a commercial floor cleaner, like Mr. Clean, the typical way. It
takes me ALL WEEKEND to clean, yes, but it does NOT smell like cat pee until
around Wednesday! (I also spend about $30 a week on laundry)
Oh, and always smell your clothes
before putting them on, especially your coat if you use a coat rack or hooks
on a wall in a room where cats can go. Last week, I smelled like cat pee all
day Wednesday because one of them got my coat!
And don't be so embarrassed, we've all
been there... I think... I know I have, anyways! :)
Phaewryn
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