Cats are creatures of habit that regularly use their litter box or another designated area to relieve themselves. When a cat, young or old, is ill or stressed out it may stray from the litter box and urinate in other areas. If you've discovered your cat has peed in or on your backpack it's wise to wash the backpack right away. Cat urine's ammonia-based odour sometimes lingers even after the backpack has been washed. If your backpack still has cat urine odour, the right supplies and procedures can help remove the smell.

  • Cats are creatures of habit that regularly use their litter box or another designated area to relieve themselves.
  • If you've discovered your cat has peed in or on your backpack it's wise to wash the backpack right away.
Vinegar spray neutralises odours.

Fill a spray bottle with white vinegar. Spray the backpack inside and out with the vinegar to neutralise the urine odour. Set the backpack outdoors, if possible, as it dries so the fresh air can help remove the smell.

Sprinkle baking soda over the outside and inside of the dry backpack. Leave the baking soda on the backpack material overnight to absorb urine odour left after using the vinegar spray. Vacuum the powder from the backpack the next day.

Essential oils give your backpack a pleasant smell after removing the urine smell.

Place your backpack in a large plastic bag. Pour three drops of essential oil onto a few cotton balls and set the cotton balls in the bag with your backpack. Choose scents such as vanilla, cinnamon, lavender or lemon, which are natural odour absorbers.

  • Sprinkle baking soda over the outside and inside of the dry backpack.
  • Pour three drops of essential oil onto a few cotton balls and set the cotton balls in the bag with your backpack.

Seal up the plastic bag and allow the backpack and cotton balls to remain in it for 24 hours. Remove the backpack from the bag and discard the bag and cotton balls.

TIP

Hang your backpack where your cat cannot urinate on it. Show your cat where to eliminate and praise the cat when it goes in the correct location. Clean your cat's litter box regularly. A box that's too dirty sends cats looking for other places to go to the bathroom. These steps work on washable and non-washable backpacks.