Methyl salicylate is a flavoring. Look at the ingredients for
wintergreen lifesavers. That said, it is toxic in the same way that
many 'industrial' flavorings are toxic. It would probably be very bad
news to ingest 5 ml or so (Workers in places that make things like 'hot
tamales' candy get blisters if the cinnamon flavoring gets on their
skin).
I hope the original poster can get the odor under control,
~Paul
On Oct 6, 2004, at 9:55 AM, Karl Vacek wrote:
> Our first house had been occupied by several cats with no litter box.
> I
> really hate the smell of cat pee. Nothing including a special
> formaldehyde
> disinfectant formulated for me by a chemical firm my dad sold to, did
> any
> good. Then I mentioned it to one of my customers. She immediately
> had the
> guys in the back get me a gallon of methyl salicylate, aka oil of
> wintergreen, and told me to dilute it (geez, I don't remember how
> much) with
> water and spray it on liberally. It did the job, first time.
> Carpets, wood
> floors, and the concrete basement floor/foundation walls. I applied a
> second coat to make sure. It smelled like a Texaco restroom for a
> while,
> but no cat pee !! 13 years later, hosing out the basement preparatory
> to
> painting the floor to sell the house, I caught a whiff, and applied a
> little
> more from the old can. Fixed it right up.
>
> Dunno where you'd get it today, but it definitely works. Don't think
> it's
> too toxic when diluted, but it may be expensive. I have noticed it as
> a
> component in some heavy-duty deodorant/disinfectants.
>
> Best of luck,
> Karl
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