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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Original poster

My vacuum cleaner stinks of cat wee

5 replies

Roundaboot · 16/04/2023 19:09

I have two kittens and a newish Shark vacuum. The kittens use a litter tray, which causes quite a lot of mess and I stupidly used the vacuum to clean up the spilled litter. As a result, it now stinks of cat wee and emits great clouds of smelly air when you use it, making the house smell.🤢
I have obviously stopped using it to clean up litter. I've also tried taking it apart as much as I can to give the filters a good clean. I've (carefully) sprayed it with scented disinfectant. I've sprinkled carpets with bicarb and vacuumed it up. Ditto with Shake n Vac. The Shake n Vac actually worked best as masking the smell but it's still there.
Have I completely fucked it, or is there anything else I can try?! Or will it eventually go away in time? 🙏

OP posts:
KievLoverTwo · 17/04/2023 15:35

Roundaboot · 16/04/2023 19:09

I have two kittens and a newish Shark vacuum. The kittens use a litter tray, which causes quite a lot of mess and I stupidly used the vacuum to clean up the spilled litter. As a result, it now stinks of cat wee and emits great clouds of smelly air when you use it, making the house smell.🤢
I have obviously stopped using it to clean up litter. I've also tried taking it apart as much as I can to give the filters a good clean. I've (carefully) sprayed it with scented disinfectant. I've sprinkled carpets with bicarb and vacuumed it up. Ditto with Shake n Vac. The Shake n Vac actually worked best as masking the smell but it's still there.
Have I completely fucked it, or is there anything else I can try?! Or will it eventually go away in time? 🙏

I had exactly the same problem with the same hoover and damp cat litter smells. I did everything you did.

Have you managed to get the entire roller out to clean it?

I couldn't find where to press to get it out, the OH had to find it for me. I then hand washed the roller twice and left it to air dry for three days and it smells absolutely normal when I hoover now.

You won't be able to get to the muck behind the roller. It needs their own special screwdriver so that muck is there for life.

Who designs these things? Clearly not cleaners!!

Ylvamoon · 17/04/2023 15:40

Clean filters, roller ect with either Zaflora or a kennel cleaner (better for pets & probably great to use on litter tray and surroundings in the future)

Make sure all is dry before putting back. (I usually leave mine for 48 hours, I also use my old Dyson as pet mess hover.)

DRS1970 · 17/04/2023 15:40

Rinse the filters in a solution of warm water and biological washing powder. The enzymes neutralise the odour.

Original poster
Roundaboot · 17/04/2023 16:24

Thanks all! I've stripped it right down now and washed everything I possibly can, including the hoses and roller. I used the litter tray cleaner spray which is supposed to get rid of odours.
I've also got some of these on order.

Just need everything to dry and then I'll reassemble and hope for the best! If not, I'll be buying new filters.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B07GT2YP24?ref=ppx_pt2_mob_b_prod_image&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-housekeeping-4786489-my-vacuum-cleaner-stinks-of-cat-wee

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