So I was super excited today when DH bought me a plastic storage set to put all my fabric in. Up until this point, my growing stash has been in plastic bags on the couch and floor in our dining room.

So I was very frustrated and a little annoyed when I found that the cat (who needs to be spayed) has apparently 'sprayed' on some of my lovely fabric! :( :cry: It smells absolutely horrible - so I thought I'd ask what's the best way to wash them? I've NEVER washed my fabric before and attempted to wash two pieces in the sink, but they don't dry very well and I think that will be a very painstaking method if it even works.

Any suggestions?

I would just put them in the wash on gentle cycle and cold waterwith a regular detergent. Make sure you throw in a couple of color catchers per load.

I would definitely put them into the washing machine with soap and oxiclean.

It'll take more than detergent if I remember that smell correctly. Baking soda, Oxyclean, vinegar, Boraxo??? Any might work. Pinesol would work, but I wouldn't be able to use the fabric afterwards because I'm allergic to it.

there is a product called urine out, that i have had good luck with when it comes to animals

I had heard that you need to serge the edges before washing - is this true?

You don't HAVE to stitch the edge, it just keeps it from fraying, however.....maybe try this... http://www.sewaquilt.com/prevent-fraying-fabric.html (clipping the corners)

as far as what to use to get the smell out, there is a product that you can buy at walmart or any sporting goods store. It is called Hunters Specialties SCENT-A-WAY it is a laundry detergant that really works! If you don't get 100% of the smell out they will just go right back to it and pee on it again!

Soak in Oxy-clean and drain, then wash with a good detergent. Add vinegar to your rinse. You can also add baking soda to a hot wash water. Just don't put all the additives in one water.

Line dry if possible.

Thanks so much for all the advice. I really appreciate it. Luckily there's only about one bag of fabric that she got to (and a box of several hundred 2.5" squares...but I might not even mess with them...).

My little boy chihuahua (Tinker) should be Stinker - he occasionally tries to "mark" in the house, especially one corner of my white bedspread. :?

I bought a product called Urine Trouble (by the same company that makes Mary Ellen's Best Press) and it does a good job of breaking down all the chemicals in the urine so that they don't attract the dog back to that same spot. It gets out the stains and spots, too.

There are other brands that use the same kinds of enzymes to remove the chemicals that attract animals, just look in the carpet cleaning section of your grocery store. Febreze makes one, Resolve makes one - check the label to see if it has these cleaning enzymes.

I wish I could find some way of training a dog not to mark - I love my pets but this is the one thing I can't handle - eliminating in the house.

I use my prespot, works for me, have heard hydrogen peroxide works too

The oder should wash out completely when washed with regular detergent. If it doesn't come out the first time then I'd add resolve washiing additive and wash again. Do not dry the fabrics if the oder doesn't come out in the first wash. Drying in the dryer will only set stains and oders.

Ive had good luck with detergent and vineger.

I divorced it.

Put the sprayed on fabrics in a large plast heavy duty garbage bag. Add one bag of charcoal (not the pretreated kind to lite quickly. Close the bag. Set out in a sunny location for a couple of days. After the first day, go and move the charcoal around in the bag and close it back up. Let it set for the second day. After day two, remove charcoal, shake out the fabric and wash using one of the methods listed above. You can fold each piece of fabric wrong side out before loosly tossing in the bag. That way the charcoal stays on the wrong side of the fabric, but it is suppose to wash out.

Sounds like Tinker would be a good canidate for wearing a bad boy belly band when he is in the house.

When this happened to me, regular washing in the washing machine wasn't enough. What did work was spraying the fabric with F.O.N. (Feline Odor Neutralizer), placing in a plastic bag for half a day, and then washing in the machine.

The only product I've ever had luck with getting out that particular smell is the liquid lysol added to the wash. I always prewash my fabric except for small pieces that I get for BOM's from my LQS. Even FQ's get washed here. I want to know if there are issues with the fabric before I use it. Even then I've still had issues with bleeding. Good luck getting out that scent and with the spaying. I had one cat that continued to 'spray' even after spaying.

Put it in a tote then layer it with a good smelling CAT LITTER. keep layering it untill fabric is all gone. and change litter about every 3 days or so.

There are very few things in life that one HAS to do - serging/overcasting the edges of your fabric before washing is one of them.

HOWEVER, I think doing so is worth the effort because one only "loses" 1/8 to 3/16 on each end (that's under the thread - and one can remove the thread if one chooses to) versus up to 3/4 inch (on some fabrics - not many, but some) on each end due to fraying. Plus then one doesn't have to fight with all those threads.

I'm attaching a scan of two washed fabrics - one where the ends were serged - the other where they were not.

...what easter marie said....I've also put sprayed fabric in a bag with a bowl of baking soda but it takes longer than charcoal. I always add a cup of baking soda to detergent when I have smelly fabric or smelly husband clothes to wash. I inherited some fabric from a friend who passed away from lung cancer....her fabric reeked of stale tobacco smoke...really strong....the charcoal worked with it! Good luck.

The smell can be gotten out. One of my cats was also an anointer.

I would kill the cat - well not really but it wouldn't be spraying any more fabric!

I had a smell issue with mildew once and I put the fabric in the washer with lots of plain white vinegar...no more smell!

Good morning. I have a similar problem with my Chihuahua and MinPin. They are both alpha females and mark over each other every chance they get. I have gates all over the place to keep them off the carpet - but sometimes they get out!

Scolding hasn't done a thing! Wonder if there is a product such as "Off" that would discourage them?

Oh, that's too bad. Maybe put the squares into a mesh bag like for delicates and wash them in the gentle cycle and dry just a little, then iron completely dry? If you really like the colors-if not, hey I'm all for trashing things in cases like this...now if they were 5" or bigger squares I'd probably try to save them.

Our cat sprayed the corners and carpets before we got him fixed. We used the urine out stuff from the pet store because I had heard that they'll return to the spot even after they are fixed unless you really get it all out.

Good luck getting that smell out.

Put the squares in a laundry bag and wash them.

I'd swish the bag in a sink - not the washing machine. (Could spin dry it in the machine)

We used to live on a camp grounds and our little dog was forever getting sprayed by skunks. We were told to give her a bath in tomato juice. She should have turned red for all the tomato juice baths she had. Later when my cat sprayed the back ofn my robe one morning a neighbor said to use white vinegar. To this day all cat boxes are washed and deoderized with white vinegar. Works likea charm. Either spay your fabric and then rinse or wash with water and lots of vinegar. It is also great for windows and general cleaning so I buy it by the gallon. One day the check our clerk at the grocery story asked me how many quarts of pickles I was going to make!!

I can tell you how to do it, but it takes some work. Most people are not willing to do what it takes. If you are willing...

Put the dog on a leash and attach the leash to your waist. Do not let the dog out of your sight. When you need to do something and cannot have the dog tied to you, then put him in a kennel/crate. Take him outside after every meal and whenever you think he's acting like he needs to go. Absolutely do not give him the run of the house. Let him sleep in his crate at night. Get up and take him out during the night if you have to. Then put him back in the crate. Take him out first thing in the morning. Give him all his meals and treats in the crate and only in the crate. He can only be either tied to your waist, in his crate, or in a fenced exercise area that will not allow him access to the house. Do this for a month, and when you do allow him off leash for the first time in the house, make sure he is only in a room you can monitor. Do not give him full run of the house until he is totally trustworthy. This may be later rather than sooner. If he starts to hike his leg again in the house, take him outside; then tie him to your waist again.

I recognize that this is a lot of bother. Just because it works does not mean it is easy. If he is older, it will take longer to correct because he has a history of bad habits.

Do not yell at or spank your dog. Do not rub his nose in his eliminations. These are counter-productive. Do praise your dog when he eliminates in the proper place.

BTW, I've been training dogs over 16 years.

Sounds like good advice.

...Wonder if I could tie my cat to my waist...

;) :)

Stephanie, I just might try this. He's a wonderful little dog in everything but this. Thanks a million for taking the time to write this out.

The dogs are mostly confined to the area of the house where the floor is mop-able, and my fabrics and projects are all in plastic tubs and totes, so I don't have to deal with that, but if I've got a quilt that I'm putting the binding on, it might be on or near my tv chair for a few days and I've caught him with that interested look a few times. :?

I tell him NO and take him outside right away every time I see "that look," but it's hard to catch 'em in the act. I guess that's why you leash them to yourself. :) Thanks again.

Try putting the 2.5 inch squares in a pillowcase, secure the end and wash in a bath tub with scent-a-way, rinse while still in case and lay case out side to dry, this way the squares won't fray.

amonia work really well, i got the lemon scented one and it works for me

You got it, that's exactly why. You also want to break the habit, and if he's in a situation where it is hard to continue the bad habit, you have a greater chance of success.

It's not about punishment; it's about creating the behavior that you want your dog to do. Yes it's work. No, it's not the easiest thing (like raising kids). However, a little work early on makes for better citizens later (kinda like kids).

Good luck with your training.

I use vinger and baking soda.

I had a lady back in 1998 tell me that gain detergent and a cup of vinegar would take out any smell .... I had had a fire and lots of smoke damage , she had had a cat who marked his territory
it took the smoke smell out I didnt have a cat .... you could give it a try !!!!!

a small amount of vinegar in the wash with detergent will neutralize the odor. good luck

Borax neutralizes urine and removes odors. Just use a cup along with your detergent. I would add Downey for added freshness. Good luck!

There is a product called Petastic that I have used successfully in the laundry to get out animal smells. You can get it at places like Petsmart, Petco, Petpros