How To Clean Pee Off Of A Mattress

It may feel unpleasant, but the reality is that everyone has experienced or will experience a urine-stained mattress. Whether it may be a pet, your toddler, or a personal experience, accidents do happen.

We suggest handling the clean-up as soon as possible. Allowing urine to settle into your bedding will not only result in an unpleasant odor but possibly lead to the growth of fungus. In our detailed blog, you will learn how to remove urine stains from the mattress step by step in the most effective manner with minimal discomfort and with everyday household items in the right way.

A Puppy Sitting Near Wet or Piss Spot on the Mattress

How to Get Pee Out of a Mattress

The six-step guide below describes how to get pee out of a mattress.

What You'll Need:

Baking soda
Clean paper towels
Coldwater
Washing detergent
Distilled White vinegar
Spray jar
Vacuum Cleaner

Here is the Six-step easy guide to get urine off your mattress:

Step 1: Strip your bedding

First things first, remove your mattress and take your bedding into the washing machine before the Urine stains anchor on your bedding.

After washing, if you still find the urine stains or the odor, add a cup of distilled white vinegar and repeat the process.

Step 2: Do not rub, just dab

Use a clean, dry paper towel and blot the stained area to absorb as much excess liquid as possible. Avoid rubbing the spot; it will sink the fluid further into the bedding fabric, which will make it harder to remove entirely.

Step 3: Use vinegar on the stain

Mix a solution of two cups of cold water, a cup of distilled white vinegar, and 2-3 tablespoons of washing detergent into a jar. Spray this solution on the stain, do not be afraid if it soaks in the fabric.

Step 4: Let the vinegar solution soak

Once the mattress soaks the solution, allow it to remain for a minimum of 10–15 minutes. Blot with a fresh cloth to absorb the excess liquid. This solution can act as a great urine stain remover.

Step 5: Cover the spot with baking soda

Cover the entire soiled area with baking soda and allow it to settle for 8–10 hours.

Step 6: Vacuum the dried baking soda

Vacuum the dried baking soda from the mattress. You have to make sure that the powder is dry, or you risk damaging your vacuum cleaner.

After Vacuuming, examine your mattress. If required, repeat steps three through six to remove any remaining odors or stains.

How to Remove Old Urine Stains Out of a Mattress

Let us now check how to remove dried urine stains from the mattress.

For Old Stains:

If the urine has dried, it settles into the fibers of our mattress, leaving behind yellow color. These types of stains need powerful oxidizing agents, such as hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide changes the chemical composition of urine by breaking down its chromophore- a part of the molecule that consumes visible light to produce color. Let us now understand how to get rid of old stains.

What you'll need:

Baking Soda
Hydrogen Peroxide
Liquid Detergent
Spray Bottle
Vacuum Cleaner

Here is the four-step guide to eliminate the old stains.

Step 1: Use a Vinegar solution to soak the stain

Form the same solution used above, two cups of cold water, a cup of distilled white vinegar, and 2-3 tablespoons of washing detergent into a jar and cover the stain. Allow the mattress to soak into the solution.

Step 2: Wrap the Area in a Plastic Cover

Wrap the wet area with a plastic cover and allow it to settle for 24-48 hours. It enables the solution to work longer on the stain and avoid any evaporation. Do not rub or blot or soak in the excess liquid.

Step 3: Prepare Hydrogen Peroxide Solution

Mix a cup of hydrogen peroxide, three tablespoons of baking soda, and a few drops of liquid detergent in a bowl. Mix all of them, then pour the solution into a spray bottle.

Step 4: Spread Solution on the Stain

Cover the urine stain with the solution, but do not let it soak in. Allow the mixture to settle until it has dried. Allow smooth passage of air over the stain.

Step 5: Vacuum the Remaining Residue

After the mixture has dried, use your vacuum cleaner to suck up any lingering residue.

Household Cleaners You Can Use to Clean Urine Stains

1. Use Vinegar

Make sure that you use distilled white vinegar when removing urine stains as its acetic nature can help break down the components of the stain. Soak the affected area with vinegar if you are dealing with old or dry stains.

2. Baking Soda

This is really easy to find in most homes. After sprinkling the powder, make sure that you vacuum all the crevices on the mattress to remove the powder and the stains with it. To make this technique work, start with the vinegar soak before sprinkling the powder. Give the baking soda time to work by leaving it for a few hours.

3. Hydrogen Peroxide

A lot of parents swear that this product can help clean their mattress up, regardless of whether you want to remove blood stain, cat urine, or urine smell, this product is going to be your new friend.

You can actually make your own stain remover using the following ingredients: 8 oz hydrogen peroxide, a drop of liquid dish soap, and 3 tablespoons of baking soda. Put all the ingredients in a spray bottle, starting with the hydrogen peroxide, before adding the baking soda and the soap. Just swirl the bottle gently to help dissolve the baking soda, otherwise, it will clog the bottle. Spray the contents on the stains on your mattress and allow it to settle for around 5 to 10 minutes.

A word of caution- the solution isn't meant to be kept long as it can erode your spray bottle. Once you are done, dispose of the solution properly.

4. Enzymatic Cleaner

If you manage to get your hands on an enzymatic cleaner, you are in luck because this will help with your mattress cleaning. Make sure that you follow the instructions on the label and use precautionary measures, such as wearing gloves, and testing it out on a small patch on your mattress to minimize the damage.

Spray the solution on the mattress, paying close attention to the stubborn stains, then leave it to soak for a few minutes. Use paper towels to draw excess moisture then leave your mattress to dry thoroughly.

How to Get the Pee Smell Out of a Mattress

Your immediate actions may remove the urine stains on the mattress, but the pee smell may remain for weeks giving you an unpleasant feeling. So let us understand how you can get the pee smell out of a mattress?

What You'll Need

Baking Soda
Vacuum Cleaner

Baking Soda has a basic pH; it can remove the urine smell instead of hiding it. Here is the 3 step guide to get the pee smell out of your mattress.

Step 1: Sprinkle the Mattress with Baking Soda

First of All, spray a thin layer of baking soda across your mattress, most heavily on the urine-stained area.

Step 2: Allow Baking Soda to Settle

Baking Soda requires at least 5-10 hours to do its work. Allow the baking soda to settle overnight and inspect the mattress in the morning.

Step 3: Use Vaccum Cleaner to Dry the Mattress

Once the baking soda has settled overnight, vacuum the mattress (bare mattress). Make sure you are not lifting the stains, or else it will remove the baking soda. It will again lead to an unpleasant smell.

If the smell remains, repeat the process.

Check out our detailed blog on How to Clean a mattress to know more about cleaning your mattress with some simple household tricks.

How to Remove Pet's Urine Stains

You might love your pet, but pet urine can sometimes stink more than human urine. Animal urine is composed of different chemicals and is more concentrated. Hence, it is important to remove pet urine.

What you'll need:

Baking soda
Vacuum cleaner
Enzyme cleaner
White vinegar

Removing pet urine stains from a mattress is similar to the process listed above, with just a few simple alterations.

Step 1: Apply Baking Soda to Stain

Instead of bottling the stain with a towel, immediately apply the baking powder directly to the stained surface. Baking soda soaks moisture and gets a darker color as it draws the urine out of the mattress.

Step 2: Clean Powder and Repeat

Clean the powder from the soiled spot and renew it with fresh baking soda. Allow the powder to continue absorbing up the urine.

Repeat the process until the baking soda remains white.

Step 3: Clean the Mattress

Once you remove a considerable amount of your pet's urine out of the mattress, clean the mattress, assuming it is human urine. Repeat the process till the stain remains.

Step 4: Try Enzyme Cleaner

As discussed above, animal urine is much more concentrated than human urine. It also contains extra components like carbohydrates and fatty acids (in dogs); and ammonia ( dogs and cats). You can use enzyme cleaners, which are biological catalysts and accelerate chemical reactions, which can help break down these headstrong elements.

Step 5: Avoid Chemical Products

You should avoid using poisonous chemicals like Hydrogen Peroxide or any standard household cleaner that does not have a non-hazardous label for animals.

Step 6: Avoid Using Pet Repellents

You might have cleaned the mattress, but your pet may still be able to smell traces of the urine's chemical trail that are invisible to you. Animals tend to return to places they have peed before to urinate again; it is advisable to use a pet-friendly repellent to prevent future accidents.

Tip for sensitive pets: You can compose a natural pet deterrent solution by mixing one and a half parts of cold water, two parts of white vinegar, and about 20 drops of any citrus-scented essential oil.

Check out our blog on Sleeping with Dogs that guides you through the various aspects of sleeping with your beloved pet.

How to Avoid Urine Accidents?

Many people face the struggle to make it to the bathroom in time. You should consult your doctor and understand what is causing it to get a proper treatment plan.

However, we have six steps you can practice to reduce the risk of such accidents helping you get back to experiencing everyday activities without worrying.

Reduce Caffeine and Alcohol

Caffeine and alcohol increase the amount of urine you produce. If you are facing issues controlling your bladder, consuming caffeinated beverages may elevate your issue.

Try to reduce the number of aerated drinks, alcohol, and caffeine in your daily life to overcome bladder issues, if any.

Avoid Artificial Sweeteners

Some artificial sweeteners, such as sodium saccharin, acesulfame K, and aspartame; may disturb your bladder and increase the amount of urine it produces. Avoid artificial sweeteners to avoid any kinds of urges.

Avoid Other Bladder Irritants

Other bladder irritants that may increase urine production include:

tomatoes
apples
citrus fruits
spicy foods

Try to reduce these irritants in your diet.

Find Your Pelvic Floor Muscles

Overactive bladder is a major cause of bladder control problems, especially among women. It is necessary to know your pelvic floor muscles. Try to stop the flow of urine midstream the next time you urinate. The muscles you use to stop the urine flow are your pelvic floor muscles.

Do Kegel Exercises Regularly

After finding your pelvic floor muscles, you can perform regular Kegel exercises to strengthen them. Contract your pelvic floor muscles, hold them for 5 to 10 seconds, and relax them.

The Final Word

If you buy a mattress, and you want to protect it from damage for the long term, you need the skill to protect it from urine. Although these stains are unpleasant and frustrating, removing pee stains from a mattress is not as hard as it seems.

As mentioned in our guide, essential household items are enough to eliminate urine stains and smells. If you follow one of the above methods, your mattress will feel brand new.

Happy Sleeping!

FAQs

How to get pee out of a memory foam mattress?

Getting pee out of a memory foam mattress is quite similar to a normal urine stain. First of all, pour full-strength vinegar into a spray bottle and spray enough to saturate the stains. Use paper towels on top of the spot to blot out excess vinegar. Spread baking soda over the stains and make sure it spreads over the area. Finally, use a vacuum to exclude the dried baking soda.

Does baking soda get rid of the urine smell?

Baking soda neutralizes odors. Sprinkle it on a urine stain, and spread the powder smoothly into the fibers of any fabric. Let the baking soda settle overnight for maximum odor absorption, then use a vacuum cleaner to remove the smell.

Can I use the same cleaning method on other stains?

It depends on the type of stain. Generally, urine stains contain many chemicals, and hence a more chemical approach is used to clean the strain.