Oxidation for Cleaning Urine in Wool and Silk
Oxidation works best on proteins. Urine can contain protein but the real
cleaning problem is urine salt crystals. It is the off gassing from the urine
crystals that stink. With enough work, flow, and time water will dissolve urine
salt crystals. But acid does it faster and better. Wool in its natural state is
slightly acidic and urine salt is alkaline. Dyes can be destabilized by
alkalinity and acid helps to reverse that damage. So you can use a vegetal acid
such as vinegar or in its stronger form glacial acetic acid or you can use a
more stable and longer lasting mineral acid. Urine pretreatments use mineral
acid as their main ingredient.
The other consideration is that oxidizers work best on proteins but wool
and silk are protein based fibers. All oxidizers are long term bad for wool and
silk. In moderation the damage is minimal. But the best advice that I know is that
oxidizers should be used only on wool and silk when there is no other remedy
and when they are used should be in low concentration. About the only oxidizer
I normally use is 3% Peroxide for blood and protein stains. I would rather
apply it a few times then over use an oxidizer once. If I had to clean a crime
scene Oriental Rug soaked in blood I would likely go to one of the other
oxidizers mentioned. But I never got one and doubt I will.
