Valspar emulsion left house smelling of cat urine

Discussion in 'Painters' Talk' started by jenniferbtheberge13, May 27, 2018.

  1. jenniferbtheberge13

    jenniferbtheberge13 New Member

    Looking for advice please. Painted hall, stairs and landing 2 months ago using Valspar Trade emulsion. Didn't smell at the time but slowly a terrible cat urine smell has started and is getting stronger as the weather gets warmer. Valspar not interested, suggested I must have had bacteria on my walls as apparently bacteria mixed with emulsion equals ammonia urine smell. Rubbish - as walls clean, dry and properly prepped! They suggest re painting with primer then new emulsion. This is my large hall, stairs and landing, the thought of re doing it makes me want to cry. Anyone experienced this and can advise me whether the smells goes in time or if it never goes? It's very strong
     
  2. Astramax

    Astramax Super Member

    Major thread about this already posted on her last year along with a few new ones recently. Thought this was sorted, when did you buy the paint.
     
  3. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

  4. Mrsihavehadenough

    Mrsihavehadenough New Member

    This has been driving me nuts for over a year, so problem is a lot older than they are letting on. Like a lot of people we checked the loft space, gutters, gas as it smelled like dead animal to start with, now it smells like good old, vomit inducing cat wee. We replaced doors, used pet odour cleaner on whole carpet (we couldn’t locate specific spot as carpet smelled clean), had the carpet shampooed every week, washed down walls, chucked out bedding, duvet, pillows, blinds, had the mattress shampooed, chucked out the mattress and pillow protectors, scrubbed the furniture. Lifted the carpet to check the floor boards...it’s awful and I can’t even get through to B&Q as just left on hold. What is the solution? Is there one or do we have to rip off the walls and ceiling and replace with new plaster board?
     
  5. Astramax

    Astramax Super Member

    Valspar are recommending to paint over the affected walls with 2 coats of Zinsser BIN Primer Sealer and then re emulsion walls....................don't use Valspar :(
    Screwfix sell the Zinsser paint, Valspar are compensating customers apparently!
     
  6. Wayners

    Wayners Screwfix Select

    Tin lids were lifted then treated with a few drops of tack that would get mixed when shaken to stop this problem and this was supposed to have been done last year. Sounds like a few tins were missed?
     
    Astramax likes this.
  7. Astramax

    Astramax Super Member

    When was the paint purchased?
     
  8. Mrsihavehadenough

    Mrsihavehadenough New Member

    My husband will be checking tomorrow but it was about 2 years ago and we painted the room straight away. It’s a guest room so windows closed and heating at lowest setting so when we first noticed it was about 4 weeks after painting when it smelled like dead mouse or bird. We thought it was that so got the gutters cleaned and the chimney swept, lined and capped and checked the loft space too. Then..the cat wee smell. We blamed our cat, it wasn’t him, he’s still raging. Been trying to fix it since then, since it’s the UK, it’s not always warm so we thought we had finally chucked out and cleaned everything but then it came back. We blamed the cat..again..he’s still raging. Found these multiple complaints online when I searched for “removing cat urine smell from bedroom” and forgot to add carpet.
     
  9. Mrsihavehadenough

    Mrsihavehadenough New Member

    I have joined a group through Facebook about this and almost everyone who were advised to try this last year have came back and said the smell is back and Valspar are taking no further responsibility or offering any further compensation as they can now legitimately raise doubt that it’s their product.
     
  10. Astramax

    Astramax Super Member

    :(:mad:
    I believe that someone had achieved success by washing the walls with white vinegar, but I am unsure if that has lasted the test of time.
     
    Mrsihavehadenough likes this.
  11. Ray911

    Ray911 New Member

    I can’t believe the Valspar cat pee/ smell of death is still rumbling on. There is only one solution to this so don’t waste your time and money doing anything else. First, buy a shed load of BIN sealer at £40 a tin (I didn’t say it was cheap). Cover every inch of the stinking Valspar in sealer. You can use a roller but will have to throw away all tools once done. Once that’s dry in about 10 minutes the smell will go. You only need one coat of BIN thankfully. You can then repaint with a proper paint. Zinser, who make BIN do a mixable biocides paint which can be mixed with any colour mixers, we used dulux heritage colours. You will need to go to a proper decorating shop for this but you will realise you should have gone there to start with. Zinser price is about the same a Valspar!!! Once your house/room is normal again go and shout at Valspar for ruining the last 12 weeks of your life and demanding compensation. I got it. Good luck
     
  12. Sparkielev

    Sparkielev Screwfix Select

    A lot of cats have made homeless shot, fed to the german shepherd because of valspar
     
    KIAB likes this.
  13. Ray911

    Ray911 New Member

    This is true. I know of a lady who was one phone call away from putting her poor cat down because of the smell. She spent several hundred pounds in vet bills and her cat even had a direct bladder extraction test(don’t ask but it’s not nice) trying to find the problem. Valspar should be reported to the rspca.
     
    KIAB likes this.
  14. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    Know a few cats got the blame & ended up at the cats home.:(
     
  15. deborah R

    deborah R New Member

    room half decorated and there is a strong smell of cat's urine. it is my bedroom and i don't know what to do. lounge decorated at easter with Valspar paints and there was not problems. the bedroom paint was purchased 24 May. thought there was not a problem any more
     
  16. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

  17. Andrew Innes

    Andrew Innes New Member

    Hi all! I have decided to create a quick survey to help everyone affected, including myself, by Valspar's terrible paint odour.

    Please click the survey below to answer some very quick multiple choice questions on your experience and solutions (if any) so far.

    If we can better understand everyone else's situation, then we will be more informed to take the right course of action ourselves.

    Results from the survey may also help victims to push for greater compensation if they can show Valspar are insisting customers take steps that are proven to not solve the problem over the long term.

    Please get involved and contribute to the survey regardless if you have found a solution or haven't even started yet! Everyone's input is highly valuable to each other and our strength grows immeasurably by sticking together and providing facts that Valspar cannot dispute.

    Many thanks and good luck to you all!

    https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Q7NCL2B
     
    KIAB likes this.
  18. Macca74

    Macca74 New Member

    House been smelling for a few weeks and couldn’t work out why. Thought it was smelly trainers, drains etc. Thrown out 4 pairs of trainers, used drain cleaner in all showers, sinks etc. Was telling someone as they asked what paint I had used when the house was renovated. They then told me about the issues with the paint. Too late tonight to contact B&Q but will be calling first thing. The whol house was renovated and all paint used was valspar, will wait and see what they say, however I am expecting them to pay for the issue to be rectified, and will take legal action I feel they do not fix the issue.
     
  19. AndyN

    AndyN New Member

    Recently had a room painted using Valspar paint and have noticed the "cat pee" odour appearing in the afternoons, getting stronger towards the evening and then disappearing completely in the evening. Contacted the Valspar helpline and after their inquiries with batch numbers etc, they tell me I am experiencing "ghost odour" and that it's nothing to do with them, and I should use 2 coats of Dulux Stain Blocker and then wait a week and repaint the room. They say they will not be awarding any financial recompense for this. I am taking it further with them as I have never had this with any other paint in any other house and for it not to be related to teh previous issue seems a little unlikely. The bloke I spoke to was insistent that last years problems had now been rectified and that only people who had bought their paint some time ago were now experiencing that problem.

    I am waiting for a management call back, but I suspect "ghost odour" is the line they will keep trotting out

    PS. i completed the survey above but now I have a reply from valspar I can't go back and update it.
     
  20. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    Load of BS I say about Ghost Odour.

    There were stil a few affected this year,around July,from the "cat pee" odour.
     

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