Using UV lights to Find Cat Urine
Cat urine has a pungent smell that will linger and stick up the home. Since cats like to use the bathroom in private, it can be hard to locate where they have urinated, mainly if it has already dried.
Thankfully, Olight Arkfeld Pro Flat EDC flashlight with UV rays can help you locate any areas that have been soiled so you can get your house all cleaned up and smelling perfect again.
How UV light work?
UV light works by picking up and glowing items that fluoresce. These items contain exposed phosphorus atoms that reflect little wavelength UV light back to our eyes. For example, paper shines under a UV light because of the fluorescent chemicals. In the same way, many bodily fluids will fluorescence and show up under a UV light, including pet urine.
Before you buy
Not every UV light is created equal, so ensure that you pick one that is best for your needs.
Cost
Depending on your budget and your condition, the upfront cost is forever an issue. You want to get a UV light that will provide you with great standard for your money. The price range for UV light varies greatly. Some of the more high-powered, durable lights may come at a higher cost. If you find yourself having to search for urine stains frequently, it may be value the extra cost. If you are on a budget or do not intend to use light frequently, you may go for a less expensive light.
Battery
As you can view different UV lights are powered by different battery types. You can buy AA, AAA, and lithium-ion batteries products. For some rechargeable options are the most perfect, as you can avoid trips to the store if you are out of AA or AAA batteries. Considering your UV light is being used to detect cat urine within the home, having disposable batteries may not be much of an inconvenience tough.
Size
UV lights come in a range of size and weight options. While some are truly easily portable, lightweight and compact others can be much bigger and heavier to tote around. The size will come down to your preference, but ensure it matches all your needs.
Reasons for pet owners to have a UV flashlight
Finding the source of bad odors
There are big ranges of reasons why cats may use the bathroom outside the litter box. There is no mistaking the powerful smell of cat urine, whether it be from a male marking their territory or any feline household member going outside the box for any reason.
You need to find the urine smell source to clean it up rightly. The issue will finding the source is that cats like to use the bathroom in private. Unlike dogs, they will go as far as to find their way into hidden, smaller areas to do their business.
Having a torch handy will help you locate the areas that have been saturated with urine so that you can fully clean and get rid of the unwanted odor.
Preventing more marking/urination
It is vital to note that smell of previous urination can prompt your cat to utilize that place again. Through cleaning of any area that has been soiled is a must to stop future accidents. It is advised that you find a cleaner that is designed to completely get rid of the cat urine to stop any remnants from hanging around.
How to use UV flashlight to find the spot
Lucky for dog owners, pet urine contains phosphorous. This phosphor-rich acid is important to ensuring your pets digestive system, nervous system, and body as a full operates perfectly. While elevated levels of phosphorous can indicate liver disease, kidney failure, or even Vitamin D deficiency, they are able of pointing out the presence of urine regardless of concentration. It helps describe why pet urine spot will glow underneath a UV light regardless of how long ago your pet may have peed.
The process for using pet urine black lights to find where your pet may be peeing indoor is very straightforward. It is best to wait until nighttime to try unearthing old or new urine spots around your home, thought you can perform this at any hour if the room you are checking does not have windows or is not exposed to natural light. In either scenario, following these steps to view if your pet is peeing in the home:
- Turn of all lights in the room you are checking, shut the door, and tall the other steps to make sure the room you are checking is pitch black or as pitch black as possible.
- After you turn on your UV light, wave it closely around your chairs, rugs, drapes, and other general areas where your dog might be peeing in the home.
- If your dog has marked or peed on certain areas, you will be capable to view these spots very immediately on your rugs, furniture, walls, and molding.
If the room you are looking at light up under your UV light, anyway, you know you have a true problem with pet peeing or marking that you need will to address right away.
FAQs
What shows under UV light?
Most generally, UV light are used to detect bodily fluids such as blood, urine, and semen. All these body fluids contain fluorescent molecules that cause them to become capable to be seen under the UV light even when undetectable by the human eye.
Vitamins such as riboflavin, thiamine, and niacin, will shine under black light. Teeth whiteners, some laundry cleaners and detergents, anti-freeze, tonic water, and even scorpions can show under UV light.
Do all UV lights detect pet urine?
Unfortunately, not every UV light is going to be perfect for detecting cat urine. You need to check the wavelength of UV light from each item. The perfect wavelength for detecting cat urine is generally between 365nm and 385nm.
It is excellent to avoid UV light that use LEDs with a wavelength of 390nm or more. While some people have reported these higher wavelength blacklights have some success, it is best to buy a light with the advice nanometers to improve your chances of successfully detecting pet urine.
