Re: Floorboards and Stale Urine?

[Rick Dipper]

Hi all

> >Nearing the end of the 1970's bathroom re-fit. >The original toilet recently removed was not sealed around the base and as a >result there is now a smelly patch of crystallised urine around where the >old pan once stood. >Is there any way of neutralising the residue to prevent smells in the newly >decorated room? > >So far I have tried a scrubbing brush with bleach, fairy liquid and water, >even a coat of PVA to seal the smells. >Hopefully there is a more chemically proven method I am missing. >I don't want to remove the floorboards as they are uncommon width and well >fixed where the pan is located. >As a last resort I will cover the offending area with ply and lay cushion >floor over and hope for the best. > >TIA > >Phil >

Ideas - that may or may not work

1) floor sander 2) power plane

The piss will have soaked into the wood, and maybe even gone down between the gaps in the boards.

I would rip em out, and replace wil 22mm plywood cut to shape.

Rick

[TheScullster]

Tony

Does the Cinnamon Oil neutralise the smell or simply mask it with another? I believe that NP's post is correct stating that the smell is from "wet" urine. In other words, as well as improving the situation by scrubbing away some of the residue, I am aggravating it by returning the dried remains into solution.

In response to G&M's carpet comment, yes there was, but the offending liquid has obviously run down the outside of the pan, rotted away and/or soaked through the carpet and impregnated the flooring beneath.

Picking up Peter Parry's comment on time scale, the job has probably taken the thick end of 6 months solid (spare time) DIYing. Glad it's finally coming together! Before anyone asks, yes we do have other washing facilities.

Phil

[Tony Halmarack]

It produces very effective masking for the period of time needed for the unwanted odor to diminish when exposed to air drying. As Cinnamon is often recommended for these problems it may also be that it has a significant neutralising effect As far as re-wetting the area goes, we're talking about a very small amount of water in spray form here. Sometimes I use a spirit base. Surgical spirits is a cheap option but carries it's own distinctive smell.

[Neil Jones]

When we bought our house there was one room which the previous owners used to leave their Dalmatians in all day and it *reeked* of stale dog's urine. We chucked out the carpets of course but even the stench from the bare concrete floor made the room basically unusable.

I washed it down with diluted Jeyes fluid and once the smell from *that* had gone the room was free from any malingering malodour.

HTH

Neil

[Andy Luckman (AJL Electronics)]

In that case, your aim is totally wrong. :-)