How do you clean a soiled Sherpa bag?

[lemur 6]

I got one of those Sherpa bags for my cat, and she's soiled it a couple times. It came with a soft tray with a terry lining that I can chuck in the washing machine, but I guess she got super scared and got urine and some poo on the sides as well. I wiped off as much as I could, but the smell still remains. Is there any good way to clean these things?

-Lemur 6

 

[goldenkitty45]

Are you talking about cleaning the little insert part (for the bottom)? Or the entire carrier? Since its washable you can toss in the washing machine. I'd use some Clorex/hot water on the insert and wash it. Then hang to dry. And after drying you could sprinkle a bit of cornstarch powder on it.

 

[lionessrampant]

Bleach, hot water and an enzyme cleaner like Nature's Miracle would do best.

 

[lemur 6]

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

Are you talking about cleaning the little insert part (for the bottom)? Or the entire carrier? Since its washable you can toss in the washing machine. I'd use some Clorex/hot water on the insert and wash it. Then hang to dry. And after drying you could sprinkle a bit of cornstarch powder on it.

The entire carrier. The insert part is actually pretty easy to clean. The carrier is a little trickier it seems.

Originally Posted by lionessrampant

Bleach, hot water and an enzyme cleaner like Nature's Miracle would do best.

I'm afraid if I use bleach or some other caustic substance it might eat away at the PVC of the carrier. Was thinking of just hosing it down, but then the metal parts might rust... sigh... maybe I should've stuck with a hard plastic carrier...

 

[valanhb]

This is going to sound strange, but I understand that it really works... Vodka. The cheaper the better. There is something in vodka that naturally counteracts the ammonia in cat urine. (And it also works on clothes if you get sprayed by a skunk!)

 

[sylorna]

How about calling or emailing the company to ask? They might have some ideas.

If it were my carrier (I have a sherpa as well), I'd wait for a really warm day with lots of sun, then hose it down and scrub the inside with a sponge and some liquid soap. I'd rince very thouroughly and set in the best sunniest spot to dry as quickly as possible so as to not let rust form. If the smell still stuck around afterwards I'd consider some enzime remover like Natures miricle. For the next time, I think I would suggest putting in a big blanket just for the kitty...something that might cover the walls a bit better. Sorry this happened to you.

 

[black&tan]

If there is fecal matter clean this off as best you can with a carpet cleaner like resolve. Then I agree with using an enzyme cleaner like Nature's Miracle. Spray it well so the soiled urine area is soaked. Then place it in a plastic bag for a day or two so the enzymes can do their stuff. After this you could hose it if you want to. Make sure you do it on a sunny day so you can put it in the sun to dry.

 

[semiferal]

I have tossed mine in the washer and dryer more times than I can count. Just be sure to take out the stiff bottom liner beforehand. It's made of cardboard and won't handle the washing machine very well.

 

[sharky]

Originally Posted by semiferal

I have tossed mine in the washer and dryer more times than I can count. Just be sure to take out the stiff bottom liner beforehand. It's made of cardboard and won't handle the washing machine very well.

this is what I was told when I bought a used one from the pet store

 

[lemur 6]

Originally Posted by semiferal

I have tossed mine in the washer and dryer more times than I can count. Just be sure to take out the stiff bottom liner beforehand. It's made of cardboard and won't handle the washing machine very well.

OMG! I can do that? I don't know if it'll even fit in my washer, doesn't the vinyl melt in the dryer?