Urine stains and odors in a mattress can be annoying and embarrassing. But don’t worry – with some basic household items and a bit of elbow grease, you can get urine out of a mattress quickly and effectively.
Why It’s Important to Clean Urine from Mattresses
It’s crucial to clean urine from mattresses as soon as possible after an accident. Urine can leave permanent stains and create lingering odors if left untreated. The uric acid and bacteria in urine can also break down mattress materials over time.
Leaving urine soaked into a mattress risks:
- Permanent stains setting into fabric
- Lingering odors that are difficult to eliminate
- Degradation and damage to mattress materials
- Mold and mildew growth
Cleaning and deodorizing quickly prevents these issues and saves your mattress.
What You’ll Need to Clean Urine from a Mattress
Gather these common household items before starting the urine cleaning process:
- White distilled vinegar
- Baking soda
- Hydrogen peroxide (for old stains)
- Liquid dish soap
- Enzyme-based laundry detergent
- Clean towels
- Paper towels
- A spray bottle
- A vacuum with hose attachment
- Rubber gloves and eye protection (optional)
How to Remove Fresh Urine Stains from a Mattress
For the best results, start cleaning fresh stains immediately. Here are the steps:
- Blot up excess urine: Gently blot the wet area with clean towels or paper towels. Apply pressure to absorb as much liquid as possible. But don’t rub vigorously as this can spread the stain.
- Strip the bed: Remove all bedding from the mattress and wash immediately in hot water. Use an enzyme-based laundry detergent that helps eliminate urine odors. Vinegar in the wash can also help freshen mattress linens.
- Make a cleaning solution: Mix equal parts white vinegar and warm water in a spray bottle. The acidic vinegar helps neutralize urine odors and lift stains.
- Apply the solution: Lightly spray the vinegar solution directly onto stained areas of the mattress. Avoid saturating the mattress.
- Let it sit: Allow the solution to soak into the mattress for 5-10 minutes. This gives the vinegar time to start breaking down uric acid and lifting stains.
- Blot and rinse: After letting it soak, gently blot the area with clean towels to absorb excess moisture and lift stains. Repeat spraying and blotting until no more stains transfer onto the towel.
- Baking soda treatment: Liberally sprinkle baking soda over all stained areas of the mattress. The baking soda will help soak up remaining moisture and deodorize.
- Let it sit overnight: Allow the baking soda to sit on the mattress for at least 8 hours or overnight. Longer is better to allow full moisture absorption.
- Vacuum thoroughly: Use the hose attachment of your vacuum to suck up all baking soda residue from the mattress. This removes lingering urine particles along with it.
- Air out the mattress: If possible, allow the mattress to air out in the sun to fully dry and dissipate any remaining odors. Rotating it can also help it dry evenly.
Follow these steps as soon as possible once a urine accident happens, and you should be able to rescue your mattress from lasting stains and smells.
How to Get Old or Set-In Urine Stains Out of a Mattress
For dried or old urine stains:
- Mix cleaning solution: Combine one part hydrogen peroxide, one part baking soda, and a few squirts of liquid dish soap in a bowl. Stir into a spreadable paste.
- Apply paste to stain: Use a cleaning toothbrush or cloth to rub the hydrogen peroxide paste thoroughly into set-in stains. Apply liberally.
- Let paste dry: Allow the cleaning paste to fully dry on the mattress. This can take a few hours. The bubbles in the paste help lift stains.
- Vacuum: Once completely dry, use a vacuum hose to remove all dried paste residue from the mattress surface. Repeat steps 2-4 as needed for stubborn stains.
The hydrogen peroxide bubbles away at old stains while the baking soda deodorizes. With some patience, even old urine stains can disappear using this method.
How to Get Urine Odors Out of a Mattress
For urine odors that linger after cleaning stains:
- Sprinkle baking soda: Liberally shake baking soda over the entire mattress surface. Pay special attention to areas most prone to accidents like edges and corners.
- Let sit overnight: Allow the baking soda to sit on the mattress for 8-10 hours or overnight. Keep pets and people off the mattress while the baking soda deodorizes.
- Vacuum thoroughly: Use the hose attachment of your vacuum to remove all baking soda residue. This eliminates trapped urine particles that cause odors.
- Spot clean with vinegar: Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Lightly mist this solution onto areas that still smell like urine. Let dry fully. The vinegar neutralizes odors.
- Air out the mattress: If possible, let your mattress air out in the sun to allow any last odors to dissipate. Rotating it can also help air it out evenly.
With time and patience, even stubborn urine odors can disappear with these deodorizing methods.
How to Keep Urine Out of Your Mattress in the Future
While accidents happen occasionally, you can take steps to protect your mattress from regular urine exposure:
- Use a waterproof mattress protector: Invest in a waterproof protector designed for mattresses. This creates a barrier that keeps urine and other spills from seeping into the mattress itself.
- Wash sheets weekly: Frequently wash bed sheets and mattress covers to eliminate odors and organic matter that attract repeat accidents. Use enzyme detergent.
- Clean up pet accidents promptly: If you have pets, quickly blot and clean up any pet urine accidents on beds with vinegar, baking soda, and soap to keep the mattress protected.
- Replace old mattresses: Over time, mattress materials break down and become more prone to harboring odors and stains. Replace excessively old mattresses.
When to Call in a Professional for Urine Cleaning
In severe cases of heavy staining or odor, the cleaning methods in this article may not fully restore a urine-soaked mattress. Consider calling in professional urine cleaning services if:
- Urine has fully soaked through the mattress to the inner material or mattress frame
- Stains or odors persist after multiple thorough home cleaning attempts
- The mattress has remained urine-soaked for over 48 hours
- Mold or mildew is visible growing on or inside the mattress
Professional urine cleaning services have commercial sanitizing solutions and powerful extraction tools that can deep clean urine from mattresses and combat severe odors.
While expensive, they can often save heavily soiled mattresses from replacement. Compare rates if considering professional mattress cleaning services.
Conclusion: A Clean Mattress Lets You Rest Easy
Accidents happen, but urine stains and odors don’t have to ruin your mattress. With the right cleaning methods and products, fresh and old urine can be removed from mattresses to eliminate odors and stains before they set.
Follow these proven cleaning steps as soon as possible after accidents happen. The small time investment can save you money and frustration compared to replacing a urine-damaged mattress.
Just remember to act quickly, arm yourself with vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and elbow grease, and your mattress will be fresh and clean again in no time. Sweet dreams ahead!
