It is a common yet perplexing question for almost all of us, especially for mothers. We all encounter bedwetting accidents at some point in our homes. Whether it’s a baby whose diaper gets leaked or a toddler who urinates on the mattress during the toilet training stage, we find ourselves in trouble. These incidents are bound to happen when we have small kids and children at home.
Not only young children, older kids, adults, and the elderly too may sometimes spoil the mattress by accident or due to some prevailing health condition. Similarly, a lot of people have pets who are not properly toilet trained and often pee on the bed, sofa, or couch making it quite unhygienic and disgusting.
So, if you too have faced such a dilemma in your life and looking for ways that would help you answer the frustrating question of how to get pee out of a mattress, then keep scrolling down.
Fortunately, there are simple ways and solutions to get pee out of the mattress. These will help you get rid of stains as well as a bad smell. All that is required is the correct information on this topic, diligence, quick action, some things from your pantry, and voila! You are ready to combat this uncalled-for situation.
How to Get Pee Out of a Mattress? Get Some Solutions
Now that your kid has made your mattress wet, it’s time to pull up the socks and get into action.
How do you get pee out of a mattress without much fuss?
Getting pee out of a mattress is no joke and you are advised to act as soon as possible. This will help in the prevention of stubborn stains and lingering smells.
We have sorted out some solutions based on scientific research to help you clean your mattress in simple, easy-to-implement, and cost-effective ways. Most of the things required must be already available at your home. And if not, you can get them easily from the nearest supermarket.
Remove Bed Linen
First things first. Strip your mattress and take off all the linens i.e. sheets, mattress protectors, blanket, throws, etc. Put everything in the laundry machine to clean the stuff that came into contact with the pee.
Gather the Required Stuff for Cleaning
Collect the required supplies. You will be needing vinegar (preferably white), sodium bicarbonate aka baking soda, clean water, a spray bottle, a cleaning towel, and a vacuum.
Blot Using Towels
Put a towel or tissues over the wet area to blot. Press gently so that all the pee moisture is soaked well. Make sure you remove as much of the liquid from the mattress as possible. Avoid rubbing and do not scrub the area. Scrubbing might spread the stain and urine will go further inside the mattress.
Make the Cleaning Solution
Mix water and white vinegar. It is recommended to use a 1:1 ratio of water and vinegar for the solution to work effectively. Put the mixture into a spray bottle and spray over the desired area. Make sure you have covered the affected area properly. Now, blot the area again to soak the moisture while using cleaning towels or tissues.
Sprinkle Baking Soda
The next step is to sprinkle sodium bicarbonate over the wet surface.
Allow the baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) to react with the vinegar and let it rest for some time. Recommended duration is 6 to 7 hours.
Use Vacuum
After a few hours, clean the baking soda using a vacuum. Vacuum the entire area gently and make sure the powder has been cleaned properly. Look for signs of smell or stain and if found any, repeat the process until the stains are removed from the mattress surface.
This is by far the best way to get pee out of a mattress. The process requires simple household staples that work well in minimizing the stain and bad odor. If somehow it does not work well for you, you can always resort to some heavier chemical options available in the market such as
How to Clean Dried Up Urine from a Mattress
If hours or days have passed since the urine penetrated the mattress, it would be a bit hard to get rid of the stains. But nothing is impossible. You will be required to use heavier chemicals to remove stains.
- Make a chemical solution using hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and dishwashing soap. Mix 250 ml of hydrogen peroxide with three tablespoons of sodium bicarbonate and a few drops of dishwashing soap.
- Once the solution is ready, put it in a spray bottle. Now spray the solution over the stained areas. Let the solution sit in for some time.
- After the mixture dries up, sprinkle baking soda and let it sit for a few hours.
- Vacuum off the affected area and see if still there are signs of bad odor or stains.
- Repeat the process until you completely get rid of the stain and odor.
- This chemical solution is heavier as compared to the water and vinegar solution. Allow the solution to fully soak into the mattress so that it works well beneath the surface too. When the chemical evaporates, the pee also comes to the upper surface along with sodium bicarbonate. This process helps in cleaning the mattress thoroughly.
How to Clean Pet Urine from a Mattress
A lot of us have pets in our homes that we adore and love. Pets, like human kids, also need to be trained for the toilet. Those who are not trained well can pee on your couch, sofa, or mattress.
Dog Pee
How to get dog pee out of a mattress? A dog’s urine is quite similar to human pee. The same solutions that work for removing human pee from a mattress work well with dog urine too. Hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, and baking soda solution are likely to help you in removing the stain and lingering odor of a dog’s pee.
Cat Pee
But my dear fellas, have you ever wondered how to get cat pee out of a mattress? It’s quite a challenging task. Cats’ pee has a strong pungent odor that most of us cannot stand. You can try cleaning your cat’s pee with the same methods used for humans. If that does not work, try resorting to heavier chemical compounds that are available at the supermarket such as enzymatic cleaners and bleach sprays.
Cleaning the Fresh Pee
- If the pet’s pee is fresh, clean the liquid using cleaning towels. Just dab and avoid scrubbing around. Pour 3 to 4 cups of warm water over the desired surface area. The purpose is dilution. It will help in removing the strong odor. Using towels and tissues, soak the moisture as much as you can.
- Now use the store-bought cleaner and spray it over the affected area. Leave it for about 10 to 15 minutes or follow the instruction on the bottle. Soak up leftover moisture.
- To cut off any residue of bad odor, sprinkle baking soda over the stained area and leave it for a few hours. Vacuum off the soda and check for any unpleasant smell or stains.
- Repeat the process if needed.
Cleaning Dried Up Pee
How to get pee out of a mattress when it’s dried up already? The process to remove the stain and smell of a dried-up pee of a pet is the same as mentioned above except that you do not have to blot the fresh pee. Follow the steps mentioned above. If the smell persists, use some air fresheners and mattress perfumes.
How to Get Pee Smell Out of a Mattress
If you have cleaned the mattress after the bedwetting accident and there is still a bad odor that lurks in the air, do not fret. Follow the below-mentioned guidelines to get rid of the pungent smell.
- Sprinkling baking soda over a mattress spoiled with pee works wonders. It helps in absorbing bad odors and removes stains as well. The chemical properties of the sodium bicarbonate react with the acidic urine and cut off bad smells. It further absorbs the pee from inside the mattress and pulls out moisture residue to clean the mattress completely.
- Make a layer of baking soda over the desired spot and leave it for a good 5 to 6 hours. Vacuum it afterward and you will see a noticeable difference. Repeat the process as many times as you want until the urine odor has completely vanished.
- Vinegar solution, as mentioned above, also works well in combating pee odors. Use a half and half mixture of white vinegar and water along with any essential oil to get rid of unwanted smells. Spray the solution over the mattress and let it dry. Use baking soda to soak leftover moisture and finish off by vacuuming the surface.
- Mattress scents and perfumes can be used to get rid of any leftover unwanted smells.
How to Prevent Stains and Odors
Use Mattress Protectors
It is generally recommended to use mattress protectors and toppers to safeguard the mattress from water spills and drips. These protectors are water-resistant and will prevent the pee from penetrating inside the bed.
Put Waterproof Sheets for Small Kids
Make use of waterproof sheets and covers if sharing the bed with toddlers and small children. This is recommended especially for the toilet training stage.
Wash Your Bedding Regularly
Wash your bed linen regularly to prevent your mattress from garnering unpleasant smells. It is recommended to wash bedding at least once a week.
Cautions
- Always be careful when handling chemicals.
- Make sure kids are not around and keep the stuff out of the range of small children
- Wear gloves to avoid direct contact with the chemical solution
- Hydrogen peroxide can react with certain fabrics and there might be some bleaching reaction. Always test on a small area before applying to a larger affected surface.
- Hydrogen peroxide might also affect the quality of foam-based mattresses resulting in worn-out texture at the surface. However, it is safe for use with innerspring mattresses and those that do not feature pillow tops and quilted covers.
Conclusion
It’s not fun and games to figure out how to get pee out of a mattress. Whether the deed is done by your adorable kid, your most loved pet, or a dear aged family member, getting rid of urine stains and odor is tiresome. However, the hassle can be minimized by trying to act diligently and wisely.
If you ever find yourself stuck in such a situation, act as soon as possible. Follow the solutions carefully to maintain hygiene and clean your mattress effectively. Be careful when using harsh chemical substances.
Avoid using heavy chemicals as some cleaning products are not meant to be used on beds and mattresses. Your rug cleaning spray might not be suitable to be used over a mattress. Harsh chemicals have substances that should not come into close contact with humans.
FAQs
Q 1: How Do You Get Urine Out of a Mattress After it has dried up?
Ans: Dried-up urine on a mattress can be effectively cleaned by mixing some hydrogen peroxide, sodium bicarbonate, and a dash of dishwashing liquid. Spray the mixture over the affected area, let it dry, sprinkle baking soda, and vacuum it off.
Q 2: Are Urine Stains Permanent?
Ans: No. some stains can be harder to clean if some time has elapsed since the accident. Fresh urine stains are easier to clean while dried-up urine stains require the use of harsher chemicals and professional supplies.
Q 3: How Do You Get Urine Out of a Mattress Without Baking Soda or Vinegar?
Ans: Enzymatic sprays, stain removers, washing detergents, bleach spray, and professional mattress cleaning services can be used as alternate options to clean urine from a mattress.
Q 4: How to Get Pee Out of a Memory Foam Mattress?
Ans: The vinegar and water solution works well for all kinds of mattresses including Memory Foam mattresses. Use the mixture for spraying and blotting the area and later spread baking soda and finish off the process by vacuuming the surface.