Cat piss on my G&L's fretboard

[ShavedBass16]

Yeah, so my cat kinda seizured-out a few weeks ago and ended out wetting himself, my floor, and parts of my bass. The cat's fine, the bass, not so much. I've gotten the bass mostly cleaned up, just the fretboard reeks. From a suggestion of my dad, I used some lemon Pledge wipes on it, don't really think it helped. Any Suggestions? The bass is a G&L SB-2 Tribute with a Rosewood fretboard. I just wanna play my bass without my hands smelling like a Cat-Lady's carpet. Thanks.

[etechstan]

That's why I don't own cats.

[Mojo-Man]

Equal parts Baking Soda & peroxcide.

[mjac28]

I would replace the strings part of the smell is going to stay on them then I would get "pure" lemon oil and rub it down until the smell is gone.

[jay loren]

My wife suggests vinegar which she uses to clean wood but doesn't damage it.

[NickTej22]

Someone once pissed into a bottle and dumped it all over my old bass while I was upstairs. Couple weeks later that same person died when his brakes went out on him, true story. Kinda hard core karma. I know random but your story reminded me of that.

[DigitalMan]

I'd be removing parts anywhere I suspect got soaked, and restringing goes without saying.

Flushable toilet wipes or highly diluted Mr Clean come to mind, but also be sure to use something to rehydrated the fretboard properly after using anything that might strip the oils from it. This is not advice from a professional woodworker nor a cat owner.

A custom shop style neck might be I your future, or a clothespin, a bottle of hand sanitizer, and a lot of patience.

[DigitalMan]

Note to admins - edit button in the iOS app would be suhweet.

[superjesus]

Sounds like its time to make a trade in at guitar center.

[sharpbass]

First you'll need a gun, shovel, bag....

[jdwhitak]

You just might have to wait the smell out. I don't know about using the cleaners that the others have suggested. You definitely don't want to soak the wood with them.

I've used naptha aka lighter fluid for years because it was recommended by Dan Erlewine, the famous repairman. Don't know how it will do on piss.

How was the cat in a position to piss on it anyway? Do you leave your bass laying on the floor?

[HeavyJazz77]

Replace the neck w/ a Moses Graphite equivalent. It's worth the dough. My L2000 kills now!

[Steve Dallman]

There are enzyme products, available at pet stores, that are designed to break down the urine and also deodorize what was peed on. That will work better than most home remedies. Sunlight is a great deodorizer but I'd use the enzyme stuff first.

[Joe Louvar]

Oh no, I feel sorry for you - cat piss is the worst. But it does get weaker with time "lots of time". Good luck

Originally Posted by ShavedBass16

Yeah, so my cat kinda seizured-out a few weeks ago and ended out wetting himself, my floor, and parts of my bass. The cat's fine, the bass, not so much. I've gotten the bass mostly cleaned up, just the fretboard reeks. From a suggestion of my dad, I used some lemon Pledge wipes on it, don't really think it helped. Any Suggestions? The bass is a G&L SB-2 Tribute with a Rosewood fretboard. I just wanna play my bass without my hands smelling like a Cat-Lady's carpet. Thanks.

[GBassNorth]

I suspect you've already become sensitized to the cat piss smell so no matter how much you try to get rid of it you'll always pick up a trace hint of it and it wii eventually drive you nuts.
I'd suggest you just bite the bullet and replace the neck with a new one and throw the old strings away. If you still detect it after that just sell the bass, chances are that after all the replacements there won't be any real odor but your mind will always have that doubt and you'll constantly swear you smell it but others won't because they haven't been sensitized to it.
Good luck.
Hope the cats ok now, if not be sure to hide all your other gear.

[chuck norriss]

Originally Posted by Steve Dallman

There are enzyme products, available at pet stores, that are designed to break down the urine and also deodorize what was peed on. That will work better than most home remedies. Sunlight is a great deodorizer but I'd use the enzyme stuff first.

Yes called Natures Miracle. You can by online too.

[emblymouse]

I use an orange oil and beeswax wood conditioner on my rosewood boards. It will clean moisturize, and the orange oil ought to overpower the smell. This I got from Carl at Lakland, good stuff. That bass will smell better than you.

[sbpark]

Maybe the cat really didn't have a seizure and was trying to tell you something about your playing.

[FretlessMainly]

Originally Posted by superjesus

Sounds like its time to make a trade in at guitar center.

Agreed, but how much can you realistically expect to get for a cat?

[P. Aaron]

Keep my basses in their cases when I ain't playin' 'em.