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5 Best Laundry Detergent & Boosters for Cat Urine – 2024 Reviews & Top Picks

Ashley Bates

By Ashley Bates

laundry detergent

Cat urine can be a really tricky smell to remove from your fabrics. If your cat mistakes your laundry pile as a quick spot to do their business, you’ll need something to help you neutralize those odors.

Here are five product reviews that target just these kinds of issues. These laundry detergents and boosters will take the traces of cat urgent away for good so you can get back into your favorite cardigan.

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A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites (Updated 2024)

Rating Image Product Details
Best Overall
Winner
Shop Care 4X Ultra Shop Care 4X Ultra
  • Doubles as a stain remover
  • Works well for multiple surfaces
  • Powerful synergistic enzymes remove odors
  • Best Value
    Second place
    Odoban Disinfectant Laundry & Air Freshener Odoban Disinfectant Laundry & Air Freshener
  • Multipurpose
  • Fresh eucalyptus scent
  • Disinfectants against harmful viruses
  • Premium Choice
    Third place
    Skout's Honor Laundry Booster Skout's Honor Laundry Booster
  • Specially formulated for laundry
  • A portion of proceeds help animals
  • Non-toxic, environmentally friendly formula
  • Best for Kittens
    Puracy Free and Clear Natural Laundry Pet Detergent Puracy Free and Clear Natural Laundry Pet Detergent
  • Hypoallergenic
  • Great choice for kittens
  • Thornell Odorcide Laundry Thornell Odorcide Laundry
  • Easy laundry additive
  • Safe for children and pets
  • Works for other bad smells and stains
  • The 5 Best Laundry Detergents and Boosters for Cat Urine

    1. Shop Care 4X Ultra – Best Overall

    Shop Care 4X Ultra

    Check Price on Chewy
    Effective Ingredient: Synergistic enzymes
    Detergent Type: Concentrated
    Compatible Surfaces: Porous and non-porous surfaces

    When it comes to checking all the boxes as to what makes a laundry detergent for urine great, Shop Care 4x Ultra is our favorite overall. It comes in a one-gallon bottle, lasting longer than many other similar brands—plus, there are double-batch and five-gallon options.

    This synergistic enzyme detergent is incredibly concentrated and effective—a little bit goes a long way. This product eliminates odors on contact and gets rid of the tough stains associated with them.

    The formula is excellent for cat urine, but it will work for all kinds of messes your feline makes with ultra-cleaning power. It will work in any washing machine.

    Pros
    • Works well on multiple surfaces
    • Powerful synergistic enzymes remove odors
    • Doubles as a stain remover
    Cons
    • Not all natural

    2. Odoban Disinfectant Laundry & Air Freshener – Best Value

    Odoban Disinfectant Laundry & Air Freshener

    Effective Ingredient: Alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride
    Detergent Type: Disinfectant
    Compatible Surfaces: Porous and non-porous surfaces

    If you want to save a few bucks but need an effective product, look at the Odoban Disinfectant. It comes in a gallon jug so you can stretch the product quite far, eliminating harsh ammonia odors associated with cat urine.

    This product is ideal for different pet viruses, killing up to 99% of germs. You can use this on virtually any surface, including hard tile, upholstery, carpet—and even bedding. It leaves no filmy residue to leftover buildup on laundry, So, it’s really a one-stop-shop.

    We think the eucalyptus scent is crisp and clean without smelling too much like chemicals. Not to mention, it’s multipurpose and works to reduce aromas in laundry, and acts as a disinfectant. You can use this as a fabric booster as well as in several other areas of the home—from furniture to carpets.

    Pros
    • Multipurpose
    • Disinfectants against harmful viruses
    • Fresh eucalyptus scent
    Cons
    • Not a traditional detergent

    3. Skout’s Honor Laundry Booster – Premium Choice

    Skout's Honor Laundry Booster

    Effective Ingredient: Plant-based surfactant
    Detergent Type: Concentrated
    Compatible Surfaces: Fabric

    The Skouts Honor Laundry Booster is a very effective option for harsh urine smells. Rather than being the base detergent, this booster just acts as a complementary component to reduce odors and refresh fabrics.

    This three-time concentrated formula is powerful, removing both smells and stains in no time. You can use it on porous surfaces for optimal cleaning, including furniture. All ingredients are eco-friendly and biodegradable—non-toxic for you and your pets alike.

    A cool perk with this purchase is the charity involved. Skout’s Honor gives a portion of the proceeds to animal shelters.

    Pros
    • Non-toxic, environmentally friendly formula
    • Specially formulated for laundry
    • A portion of proceeds help animals
    Cons
    • More expensive

    4. Puracy Free and Clear Natural Laundry Pet Detergent – Best for Kittens

    Puracy Free and Clear Natural Laundry Pet Detergent

    Effective Ingredient: Plant-based enzymes
    Detergent Type: Concentrated
    Compatible Surfaces: Fabrics

    Puracy Free and Clear Natural Laundry Pet Detergent will agree with every household member—fleshy or furry. It is completely hypoallergenic and safe to use. So, if you have all your sensitive or allergy-prone people around, it’s a terrific buy. It might be especially good for kittens.

    Even though it might not seem like you get a lot for the price; the formula is highly concentrated, so a little goes a long way. Rather than using harsh chemicals, they use a plant-based enzyme to eliminate odors.

    The aftereffects were as strong as some other products, but it’s ideal for allergy sufferers.

    Pros
    • Hypoallergenic
    • Great choice for kittens
    Cons
    • Not as effective as some brands

    5. Thornell Odorcide Laundry

    Thornell Odorcide Laundry

    Effective Ingredient: Plant-based surfactant
    Detergent Type: Concentrated
    Compatible Surfaces: Porous surfaces

    The Thornell Odorcide Laundry specifically targets the worst pet smells, including cat urine. It is also powerful enough to combat vomit and sweat. You simply add a portion to a regular load of laundry to neutralize the ammonia smell.

    Since it is hypoallergenic, touting all safe ingredients, you can use this on even your most sensitive garments. The formula is non-toxic, so you won’t have to worry about potentially irritating chemicals. This detergent is safe to use for pets and kids alike, which says something about product gentleness. When you measure accordingly, this product works wonders to take away tough urine spots. It’s a handy product to have on hand when your pet has an accident.

    It definitely works to remove stains and smells, but we could still catch a little whiff after one wash.

    Pros
    • Easy laundry additive
    • Safe for children and pets
    • Works for other bad smells and stains
    Cons
    • Works well, but not as effective as some

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    Buyer’s Guide – Choosing the Best Detergent Booster

    If you have a cat who isn’t fixed yet, or maybe they’re just learning the ropes. No matter what stage they are in, accidents happen. But cat pee can be very difficult to remove from porous surfaces.

    Cat urine contains ammonia, which is extremely strong. The longer it sets into the fabric, the tougher the smell is to remove. Luckily, companies have come up with formulas that neutralize these unpleasantries.

    Laundry Detergent for Cat Urine: How to Buy

    Here’s what to consider or look for while you shop for these products.

    Odor Control

    Depending on the type of laundry detergent or booster you choose, there will be some kind of odor-neutralizer included.

    Common ingredients include:
    • Plant-based enzymes
    • Baking soda
    • Essential oils
    • Surfactant

    Stain Removing Power

    Getting rid of the smell of cat pee is a big challenge, but what about the stain? Sometimes a product can take care of other issues. Other times, you might need a product that specifically targets stains.

    cat pee at the carpet
    Image Credit: Pixel-Shot, Shutterstock

    Formula Effectiveness

    When it comes to stubborn smells like cat urine, even effective formulas can meet their match. While it’s not always the case, usually formulas with chemicals are more powerful. However, those same items might cause irritation or trigger allergies.

    Fragrance

    Some laundry detergents that target cat urine are scent-free, serving as a neutralizer only. Others have fabric freshening scents that can come from natural or synthetic sources.

    Because of chemical sensitivities or allergic reactions, some people might be reactive to certain scent additives.

    Laundry-Safe

    Some products are terrific for removing cat urine smells—just not in your washing machine. Make sure to read all labels before purchasing to make sure it’s safe for your washer.

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    Conclusion

    Again, we think Shop Care 4x Ultra is an excellent product for laundry. It removes that intense ammonia smell, restoring the fabric. It works in virtually any washing machine, perfect for most situations.

    If you want to save a few bucks, you can try out the Odoban Disinfectant. It works wonders on fabrics, upholstery, and other household surfaces. So, it’s really a steal for the value.

    In any case, we hope these reviews made your buying process a little easier.


    Featured Image Credit: New Africa, Shutterstock

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