How to control urine smell? At wits end!

What happens is that we become, as the commercials say "nose blind" to smells. I can sniff my carpeting and not smell anything, but if I use a black light, oh my gosh why didn't I smell that?

Humid days are THE worse, or when our elders decide 82 degrees is perfect for the thermostat. I will need to buy several cans of Lysol spray and soak the powder room rug in my parents house [it's now vacant] due to what smells like many a mishap had happened. Why on earth the builder put wall-to-wall rug in the powder room is beyond imagination. I plan to sell the house "as is" but I want the buyers to at least get past the front door.

Does the bathroom have an exhaust fan? If it does, keep the diapers in there and keep the fan running. I know of only two household chemicals that neutralize urine: Iodine (betadine) or bleach. BUT adding a sprinkle of a good antifungal powder at the start keeps the urine from breaking down into odorous components. Look for one with ingredients like: tolnaftate, clotrimazole or miconazole on the label.

thank you all for your suggestions! Sadly, I've tried them all. She puts the Depends in grocery bags, ties them up and then puts them in a stainless steel garbage can lined with a trash compactor bag (as thick as a contractor bag but not as big), and has baking soda in the bottom. I've cleaned the carpet with vinegar and pet odor solution. I've even crawled on the floor with my nose to the carpet sniffing in all suspect spots. (Mom has limited mobility so there's only so many). There was only one spot where I could smell the faintest smell. We have pads on her chair that get removed daily.

The biggest problem is her ability to take the garbage out. Where she is now, they pick up garbage from outside the door three nights a week. Other than that, there is no dumpster, garbage room, garbage chute or something else that is accessible to residents or visitors. Only employees can access the dumpster. I've been told that other people deal with this by hiring daily caregivers from their agency that take out the garbage as part of their work. We have a private caregiver. Plus, no matter how well sealed, a garbage bag containing 2-3 days worth of depends is going to smell while it sits in the hallway.

Personally, I think this is insane! Has anyone else run into such a thing?

395 nM 51 UV Ultraviolet LED flashlight Black-light works for spotting urine and feces. We have a cat...wear safety glasses shows up when spots have dried

I would think the facility would e responsible for maintaining --cleaning public areas

We use plain vinegar to clean and deodorizer and while wet baking soda cures smell

Robin, my Dad just this week moved to Independent Living and his Caregiver is trying to train him to put his Depends into a plastic grocery bag.... it's a tough train because Dad wants to re-use his Depends and he wants to put more than one soiled Depend into that grocery bag. All that comes from him being the child of the Great Depression.

Dad has an outside hallway trash chute which is easy for him to get to, and we are trying for him to take that plastic bag immediately to the chute. I have cats, so I know how used cat litter can smell sitting the garage waiting for the next trash pickup.

I think the only way for my Dad [or your Mom] to change their thinking is if we mention that during the social hours or dinning, that other won't want to be sitting near them. If one can smell the odor in the hall, then the other residents can also smell the odor on Dad [or your Mom] if for a fact it is coming from their apartment.

I found 20-Mule Team Borox added to the wash really helps :) I got that suggestion from others here on this forum. Thanks all.

It might be with having Mom checked for a UTI. You are doing everything to control the smell so it must be exceptionally strong even though you personally can't smell it. If you can't solve the problem yourself maybe be it is the time to call in one of the professional cleaning services - the ones with the big green machines.

Urine will show up as sort of a dull yellow-green under a black light. Maybe shining a black light on floors, furniture, etc. could help you locate the problem.

Thanks for your responses. I've tried most of that but it didn't occur to me that the smell might be coming from the hallway! Will check that out. Thanks!

Just a thought, are they sure the smell is coming from her apartment? I wouldn't be the first place I've heard of where pets (and even people, ugh) have peed on the hallway carpet.

Got any good friends?? LOL

My biggest problem is that I can't smell the odor. I have no idea if anything I'm doing is working. I got down on the floor and had my nose almost against the carpet in a suspect spot and could just faintly smell it. How do I solve a problem I can't smell?

Something that can be smelled in the hallway has to be pretty strong and is likely not coming from the trash, I expect your mom has had accidents that have soaked the furniture and carpets. It doesn't have to be a lot, but even a little over a long time can cause a big problem. Try some urine odor neutralizers from the pet store and do a thorough steam clean of the floors and upholstery and mattress, then invest in waterproof pads for her chairs and bed.