Gina asked:


We bought a used treadmill from someone who apparently owns a cat. As soon as I got it set up in my house I noticed that it smelled like it’s been hanging out in the same room as a litter box. (Not like the cat peed directly on it, just NEAR it.)

I’ve used vinegar, Arm & Hammer deodorizing spray, Febreze, and lysol kitchen cleaner. The smell is still there. Help!

3 Responses to “How do get the smell of cat out of a treadmill?”

1. bedfordczarina on October 14th, 2011 6:28 am

   If the smell is still there after scrubbing, I’m guessing the smell is in the tread. That’s gonna be tough. Although you can’t always remove 100% of the odor, I’ve had good luck with spray cleaners made especially for pet stains, like the one rug doctor makes. You might also try a solution of oxyclean, that’s helped me in the past when my cat missed the litter pan and hit the carpet. The Febreze and A&H won’t help a whole lot because they just cover up the smell, they don’t remove the cause.

   Also, do you know whether the smell might be coming from some of the cracks and crevices in the treadmill? If so, taking it apart and scrubbing the interior might help.

   Good luck.

2. Marly on October 17th, 2011 2:58 pm

   It sounds like you have a big problem there! Pet smells are the worst, especially in unwanted places…like treadmills. There are tons of great product reviews for odor eliminators on Viewpoints.com, like the Punati Chemical Spray Deodorizer. Check it out:

   Another idea is the highly rated Woolite Pet Stain and Odor Removal with Oxygen. One reviewer said it’s “The Best Pet Stain & Odor Remover I’ve ever tried!” See more reviews here:

   My guess would be that a pet specialized product would do the best job with your problem. Best of luck!

3. Shan on October 18th, 2011 10:17 am

   The best cat urine odor remover I’ve ever found is Lemon Scented Pine Sol.

   I had a problem with cat urine smells when I babysat my father’s cat for 3 months. I tried Vinegar, Baking Soda, Enzymes, and Febreze. None of these worked for me.

   What finally eliminated stench of pee was Lemon Scented Pine Sol. Nothing else even dented that smell.

   Pour undiluted Lemon Scented Pine Sol into a spritzer bottle and spray the treadmill with this. Or just pour the Lemon Pine Sol on a rag and wipe the treadmill down.

   Allow to dry.

   Small warning: the scent of the Lemon Pine Sol will be absolutely overwhelming for a while…it was so strong for me that it actually made me feel woozy. But the smell dissipates. And once it does the urine smell will be gone — not covered up, but gone.

   If possible, do this outside and the Pine Sol smell will be much more bearable.

   You might have to repeat a couple of times, but this works. This is the ONLY thing I have ever found that gets rid of the smell of cat urine.

   Make sure you use the Lemon Scented Pine Sol, not the regular scent.

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