The greatest downside of owning male cats and dogs is the fact that they have no choice but to mark their territories. One of the most inconvenient things they can mark is your central air conditioning unit. It doesn't take long for you to figure out that they've done this because your home will fill with an obnoxiously disgusting odor when your air conditioning kicks on to cool off your home. Don't worry, you can eliminate the odor with a little time and a few supplies.

You will need:

• Hose with a spray nozzle
• Spray bottle filled with enzyme-based cleaning solution (Nature's Miracle is one good product)
• Screwdriver and a jar to hold your screws in

Shut off the Power

Go to your breaker panel and shut the power off to the air conditioning unit. You don't really want to be messing around with the unit while the power is still flowing through the connections or you could get shocked.

Take off the Grill

The vented side of the unit is the grill. You should see screws all around it that need to be removed so that you can take the grill off. Start removing those screws. If they don't break free easily, spray them with a bit of rust-breaker and let them sit for a few minutes. Return to them and finish removing the screws. Put the screws inside a jar so you don't lose them as you work.

Spray the Cleaner

Now that you can see the internal components of the unit, use the cleaning solution to spray it entirely. Be sure to truly saturate the entire unit as you will not be scrubbing the solution into the tight areas. This type of cleaning solution only needs to be applied and let to dry. As it dries, it kills the protein in the urine that causes the odors.

Walk away from the unit and let it dry for an hour or so.

Rinse it Clean

Use your hose to rinse away any remaining solution. Don't use your hose at full power to avoid knocking any wires lose as you spray it clean. Spray down both sides of the grill and let everything dry for a bit.

Reassemble and Test

Now that everything is clean and dry, reassemble the unit putting each screw in tightly. Restore the power and turn the unit on. Go inside and take a deep breath. Your home should now be filling with clean, fresh cool air once again.

For more information, contact companies like AC Pros of Florida Inc.