Hi, I'm Robyn from CleanSmart. If you manage rentals, you'll know the scene: carpets steam-cleaned, walls wiped down, everything looking spotless — and then the tenant's old dog or cat has left something behind that a standard clean just doesn't touch. It's usually the last thing anyone notices before a final inspection, and by then it's too late to fix quietly.
Why pet odour survives a standard clean
Most end-of-tenancy cleans are built around visible dirt: floors, benches, ovens, windows. Pet urine isn't a surface problem. It soaks down through carpet fibres into the underlay and, in older houses, into the subfloor itself. Steam cleaning can actually make it worse — heat sets the protein in urine into the fibres rather than lifting it out. So the carpet looks and smells fine on the day, and the smell comes back for the next tenant the first humid week.
What actually gets rid of it
Supermarket sprays and air fresheners mask the smell with fragrance, which fades. Enzymatic cleaners (the kind most people reach for) break down some of the organic matter but often need repeat treatments to fully clear an old, set-in stain. Odarid works differently — it's a hydrogen peroxide formula that breaks down the uric acid crystals causing the smell, rather than just cleaning around them, and it's made right here in New Zealand.
A simple process for a pre-inspection check
- Find it. Old stains aren't always visible once dry. A UV blacklight torch will show up urine residue in a dark room in seconds — useful for anyone doing a walkthrough before a final inspection.
- Treat it properly. Saturate the area, not just mist it — the treatment needs to reach as deep as the original stain did.
- Let it work. No scrubbing needed. Blot up the excess once it's done its job.
What to keep on hand
For a single property, the 5L Odarid covers a full pre-inspection treatment with plenty to spare. If you're managing a portfolio and this comes up regularly, UrineMaster Plus Professional is our professional-strength version, built for exactly this kind of repeat commercial use.
A few honest answers
Can I just use vinegar or baking soda first? They won't hurt, but they won't get rid of set-in pet odour either — they don't break down uric acid, so the smell tends to come back once the room warms up or gets humid.
Does this replace a professional clean? No — it's one specific step for one specific problem. Everything else about your end-of-tenancy clean stays the same.
What if I manage a lot of properties and this comes up often? Get in touch — sales@cleansmart.co.nz — and we can talk through what makes sense for your volume.
