Cleaning coir mat of pee smell

boardtc

We have a coir mat at the back door tile well. It's been great since we purchased to size and installed in 2015.

Our puppy has peed on it a few times though and it stinks, we have had to move it outside

I'm unsure how to put vinegar/hydrogen peroxide over the whole mat even if that would do it.

I contacted the supplier and they suggested a new mat (€100) :mad:

Has anyone solved how to get the smell of pee out of a coir mat?

puppieperson1

Cover in bread soda and leave overighht then wash with hot water & suds

boardtc

I put a container of baking powder on it and left it in the garage for the last 2 days and nights.
Reading up, "Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate....baking powder includes sodium bicarbonate, as well as an acid", so I hope that will do the trick too? Not straightforward to wash out a coir mat.

Alun

Speaking from experience here with a cat that liked peeing on our coir doormat, just throw it out and replace it, you'll never get rid of the smell.

I'm not sure of the price we paid, but I'm sure it was less than €100. Try any place that does carpets and flooring, they'll probably have a big roll of it in stock and cut it to size for you.

Also, depending on what's underneath it, which in our case was bare concrete, the pee will have seeped into it. One thing that helps with cat pee, so I assume it will work with dog pee too, is to make a solution of biological washing powder and water and either spray it on using an old spray bottle or just apply liberally and let it soak in. The enzymes apparently break it down.

Once that's done get some floor paint, usually meant for garage and workshop floors, and put as many coats as you can in the well, to give it some degree of waterproofing should it happen again.

EDIT: I'd also hold off putting a new mat in there for the time being until you've solved the peeing issue.

boardtc

Great tips @Alun, thanks. I paid €100 for it but did not know of the cheaper sources you suggest. Our well is concrete yes. I did not know the concrete would retain the pee smell, makes sense. I'll look at the washing powder/water soaking and painting.

He's also been peeing on some engineered floor boards, chances are then that the pee has got under them too and can't be got out :-(

Alun

boardtc wrote: »

He's also been peeing on some engineered floor boards, chances are then that the pee has got under them too and can't be got out :-(

We had that too with the engineered wood floor around the well. Not too bad thankfully, but you can still see it where it soaked into the joints between the boards. Even now, a good 5 years after the incidents, if you get down on your hands and knees and smell the area there's still a faint whiff of cat pee. Cat pee is stronger than dog pee though, I think, so hopefully not as bad for you.

boardtc

Hopefully not! Yikes, a faint whiff after 5 years! I think he's peed in every room at this point. I'm scared to get down and smell the joints tbh!!

boardtc

@Alun, 2 coats of weathershield so far, perfect use for those tester tins! I'll put another on tonight. The old coir mat went in the bin and taking your advice on holding off on buying a new one.

bb12

distilled white vinegar is your friend here. pour it on neat if the smell is very strong and leave to soak in and you may need to do it a couple of times. i've tried everything and i've always found this the most successful, even on floor boards.

Alun

boardtc wrote: »

@Alun, 2 coats of weathershield so far, perfect use for those tester tins! I'll put another on tonight. The old coir mat went in the bin and taking your advice on holding off on buying a new one.

I used grey floor paint with mine, but I guess Weathersfield would do as well. It's just so that if he does pee in there again it doesn't soak into the concrete.

boardtc

Indeed, floor paint was like 50 euros in a few places I tried and then a paint shop recomended weathershield, 2 tester tins for a fiver