The Greenfields Urine Destroy Spray is the one in the range aimed squarely at urine -- the mess that keeps announcing itself for weeks after the stain itself has gone.

Key Features

• Urine specific: Formulated for urine rather than general soiling
• Bio-cultures: Bacteria that break down the compounds urine leaves behind
• Works on the smell: Tackles the odour at source instead of covering it
• Most surfaces: Carpet, wood, fibre, tile, plastic, furniture, bedding and clothing
• No rings: Greenfields say it does not leave a mark behind
• Size: 400ml spray bottle

How To Use It

• Blot up as much as you can first, pressing down with a towel rather than rubbing.
• Soak the area. Urine goes deeper than it looks, and a light mist only reaches the top.
• Leave it to work and let it dry on its own rather than scrubbing it off.
• Old or repeated accidents need a second and sometimes a third application.
• Test a hidden corner first on anything old, untreated or valuable.

How A Bio-Culture Cleaner Works

This is not a disinfectant. It carries bacteria and enzymes that feed on the organic matter in urine, faeces and vomit -- the part that keeps smelling after the stain has gone. That means it needs time and damp to work, so soak the area rather than misting it and let it dry on its own instead of scrubbing it off.

What Stops It Working

• Bleach, disinfectant and strong detergents kill the bacteria doing the work. Clean with one or the other, never both at once.
• Never use an ammonia-based cleaner on pet urine. Ammonia is one of the things urine smells of, so to a cat or dog you have just marked the spot again.
• Blot up what you can first. A cleaner cannot reach through a puddle.
• Old, dried stains that have soaked into underlay usually need a second or third application.

Where You Can Use It

Greenfields list it as safe for carpet, wood, fibre, tile, plastic and most furnishings, and say it leaves no ring. Test an out-of-the-way corner first anyway -- old dyes, untreated wood and silk are the ones that surprise you.

When Soiling Is A Health Problem

A housetrained pet that suddenly starts going indoors is usually telling you something. Cystitis, a urinary infection, bladder stones, diabetes and kidney disease all cause accidents, and a male cat straining without producing urine is an emergency. Clean up by all means, but book the vet before you assume it is behaviour.

Who Makes It

Greenfields is part of Orange Pet Brands, based in Rotterdam in the Netherlands. They say they have more than twenty years in pet care and that their shampoos are produced in the Netherlands, paraben-free, biodegradable and pH balanced.

Good To Know

• This one is out of stock at the moment, so the page is here for reference while we wait on the next delivery.
• Once urine is through the carpet and into the underlay, no spray reaches it. Lifting and replacing the underlay is the only real fix at that stage.
• Dogs and cats return to a spot they can still smell. Cleaning thoroughly the first time matters more than cleaning often.
• Read the label before use and keep it out of reach of children. Store in a cool, dark place.