How to Get Pee Out of a Mattress
In the silent hours of the night, when we drift off to sleep and dreams unfold, our mattresses cushion and cradle us through the entire journey. Yet, accidents sometimes happen amidst the peace and tranquility, leaving unpleasant stains and odors behind. Whether it's a kid's nighttime accident, an unavoidable spill, or a pet mishap, this can disrupt the sanctity of your sleep environment, making it hard to fall asleep. And if left untreated, pee stains and smells can pose countless dangers, not just to your mattress but also to your overall well-being.
Fortunately, with the right approach, you can quickly restore your bed to its clean and fresh state. Ready to reclaim the purity of your sleep space? Here's everything you need to know about getting pee out of a mattress, preventing future accidents, and welcoming back the peaceful sleep you so deserve.
Why is Urine Difficult to Remove?
Urine can be quite challenging to remove from your mattress for numerous reasons. For starters, mattresses are usually made to be absorbent, meaning they can easily soak up urine and other fluids. As your mattress absorbs these fluids, they spread and penetrate the inner layers, making it a bit hard to get rid of them. Urine also contains urea, which releases ammonia when broken down. This process can leave an awful smell that's difficult to neutralize.
Another reason urine can be difficult to remove is that its natural yellow pigment can cause staining. Urine stains can set on your mattress and become even more challenging to clean, especially if not taken care of promptly. To effectively get pee out of your mattress, it's wise to act quickly and use cleaning solutions to help remove the smell and the stain.
How to Clean Urine from Your Mattress
Cleaning fresh urine from your mattress is much easier and more effective before it dries, so immediately you notice a stain, follow these easy steps to remove it.
What you'll need:
- Clean paper towels
- Distilled white vinegar
- Baking soda
- Vacuum cleaner
- Spray bottle
- Cold water
- Your favorite essential oil (optional)
Step 1: Remove Your Bedding
First things first, you want to remove your mattress sheets and pillowcases and toss them into the washing machine. If you're using a removable and washable cover, consider putting it in the laundry machine as well. Make sure you check the care labels on the bedding to know the recommended wash cycle and water temperature for them. If you wash them and find the urine smell still lingers, we recommend adding a cup of white vinegar into your machine and running the wash again.
Step 2: Blot the Area (Don't Scrub)
Use paper towels or clean microfiber cloths to blot up as much pee as possible. Avoid scrubbing the spot, as this might only push the stain further into the mattress' fabric, making it harder to remove. Also, make sure you take a dry towel every time one becomes too wet.
Step 3: Spray Vinegar Solution on the Stain and Let it Soak.
Mix white vinegar, cold water, and a few tablespoons of laundry detergent in your spray bottle and spray the solution on the stain. Apply enough of the bacteria-killing solution so the surface is damp, then leave it to soak for at least 10 minutes. Blot the area with a clean towel to soak up the excess mixture.
Step 4: Cover Area With Baking Soda
Cover the soiled area with several spoonfulls of baking soda and let it sit for about 8 hours. Don't worry about applying too much baking soda, as it won't damage your mattress. In fact, it not only absorbs the urine and cleaning solution but also helps deodorize your mattress. Close up your room to keep your kids and pets from making a baking soda mess.
Step 5: Vacuum Off the Dry Baking Soda
Open all the doors and windows in your room and leave your fan blowing on the mattress. Inspect the mattress to confirm whether it's completely dry, and then use a handheld vacuum or brush attachment to clean up the dry baking soda. If necessary, repeat procedures 3 and 4 to remove any lingering odors and urine stains. Don't make your bed until the surface is completely dry. Otherwise, you risk damaging your mattress and even encouraging the growth of mold and bacteria.
How to Remove Urine Stains/Dry Pee from Your Mattress
Once urine has dried on the surface, it sets into the mattress' fibers and leaves behind a dingy yellow color. Such tough stains call for heavier cleaning solutions like hydrogen peroxide. However, if you're sleeping on a latex, hybrid, or memory foam mattress, you may want to use this antiseptic and stain remover cautiously to avoid damaging your mattress.
That said, make sure you perform a spot test on a small part of your mattress to confirm whether or not the hydrogen peroxide will cause discoloration or damage to the mattress. If it does, you may have to dilute the hydrogen peroxide solution with an equal amount of water to prevent any potential damage to the foam.
What you'll need:
- Baking soda
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Liquid dishwashing detergent
- Spray bottle
- Vacuum
Step 1: Soak the Stain with Hydrogen Peroxide, Dish Detergent, and Baking Soda Sol.
Mix 3 tablespoons of baking soda, 8 ounces of hydrogen peroxide, and a few drops of liquid detergent in a bowl and then pour the mixture into a spray bottle. We recommend mixing these ingredients in a bowl first, as shaking your spray bottle to perfectly blend them might cause messy foaming. Using the spray bottle, evenly cover the stained area with the cleaning solution and let it sit until it dries up. Don't completely saturate your mattress with the solution, as this might make it take longer to dry. Consider leaving a window open or pointing a fan toward the urine stain to help speed up drying.
Alternatively, slightly wet a clean white cloth or towel with the hydrogen peroxide solution and then repeatedly dab the stained area to soak it with the mixture. Wear a pair of gloves to protect the skin as you clean.
Step 2: Blot the Stained Area with a Clean White Cloth
Using a clean white cloth, dab the stained region to lift the urine and get excess moisture out. Cover the surface with more hydrogen peroxide solution if the urine stain is still visible, let it sit for about 15 minutes, and blot the stain again. Repeat this procedure until the stain disappears.
Step 3: Sprinkle Baking Soda On the Area
Next, sprinkle the spot with a generous amount of baking soda and let it sit for about 8 hours, ideally overnight. Feel free to pour your favorite essential oil on the area to help with the urine odor.
Step 4: Vacuum the Mattress
Use a handheld vacuum to remove the baking soda from the surface. At this point, the urine should be removed and your bed fully deodorized. If the spot is still damp, let the mattress air dry before putting the sheets and covers back on.
Another perfect alternative to getting old pee stains out of your mattress is using borax powder. Borax is an alkaline mineral salt found in most laundry detergents that helps neutralize acid stains, such as urine. While natural, this powder is harmful to humans, so always wear eye protection and rubber gloves when using it to prevent eye and skin irritation. You should also make sure that your mattress is well-vacuumed before sleeping on it again.
To use borax to remove dry pee, mix one cup of the powder with one tablespoon of water to make a thin paste, and then use a soft-bristled brush to spread it over the stain. Allow the borax paste to dry completely before vacuuming the mattress to residue.
How to Remove Urine Smell From Your Mattress
One of the most challenging and frustrating aspects of removing urine stains from your mattress is getting rid of the smell. The difficulty usually lies in how long the pee has been there and how deeply it has penetrated your mattress. Fortunately, you can use a few readily available tools and solutions to remove fresh and older, more stubborn odors.
What you'll need:
- Baking soda
- Vacuum
Step 1: Sprinkle with Baking Soda
For the best results in deodorizing your mattress and neutralizing the pee smell, spread thin layers of baking soda over the entire surface. Use slightly thicker layers in pee-stained sections that smell more strongly. Since baking soda boasts a basic pH, it can actually help you get rid of the urine smell instead of masking it.
Step 2: Wait it Out
Let the baking soda sit on the surface uncovered for about 5 to 10 hours. The best idea here would be to leave the baking soda on your bed overnight and check it out again in the morning.
Step 3: Vacuum the Mattress
Once you've left the baking soda to sit overnight, vacuum it off using an upholstery attachment or a handheld vacuum. Remember, doing this doesn't really get rid of the stains; it only removes the layer of baking soda and the unpleasant smell. Repeat the process if the awful smell still lingers.
Step 4: Spray the Mattress with an Enzyme Cleaner
You may want to opt for enzyme cleaners for stubborn and hard-to-remove smells. These solutions are specially made for protein-based stains, such as urine, and can completely remove urine odors. Make sure you follow the manufacturer's tips and guidelines for using the cleaner.
What About Removing Dog or Cat Urine Out of a Mattress?
In addition to being more concentrated than human urine, pet urine contains extra elements, such as carbohydrates, fatty acids, and ammonia, making them smellier and hard to remove. That's why pet stains need stronger cleaning solutions with enzymes that can break down more stubborn components and remove lingering smells and urine from a mattress. Otherwise, your pets may mark their territory and leave you another smelly mess to clean.
What you'll need:
- Baking soda
- Distilled white vinegar/enzyme cleaner
- Spray bottle
- Vacuum
- Essential oil (optional)
Step 1: Remove Your Bedding
Before addressing the pet urine stains on your mattress, remove the sheets, pillowcases, and blankets and toss them into your washing machine. Wash them right away to avoid yellow stains from the urine.
Step 2: Apply Baking Soda to the Urine Stain
Instead of blotting the excess urine with clean cotton towels, as you'd normally do with human urine, immediately sprinkle baking soda directly on the stained area. Let it sit there for about 5 hours as it absorbs the urine out of your mattress. You should notice it darkening in color as it draws the pet's urine up and out of your mattress.
Step 3: Vacuum Powder and Repeat
Next, clean the soiled powder from your mattress and replace it with another baking soda, allowing it to continue soaking up the pee. Repeat this process until the baking soda remains white.
Step 4: Clean Mattress As Normal
Once you've removed as much pet urine from your mattress as possible, clean the surface as you would if it were human pee. Here, you can choose to either use white vinegar solution or enzyme-based cleaners.
Option 1: White Vinegar Solution
Use a 50/50 mixture of warm water and white vinegar. You can also add essential oils to cover up the unpleasant pee odor. Spray the stained part with the mixture, let it sit for about 10 minutes, and then allow your mattress to air-dry fully. Cover the surface with baking soda to draw out any remaining moisture and help neutralize the white vinegar smell from your cleaning mixture.
Option 2: Enzyme-Based Cleaners
Enzyme-based cleaners can actually break down pet urine to eradicate both the smell and stains. Using enzyme cleaners normally involves spraying the affected area with the solution, allowing it to sit for approximately 1 hour, and then blotting the surface with a clean cloth. However, different enzyme cleaners may come with different instructions, so follow the label guidelines before use. Also, select a cleaner that's uniquely designed to handle pet stains. You can find these enzyme-based cleaners in pet stores and online platforms.
Steam Cleaning Your Mattress Can Also Help
If spot treatments fail to get rid of the urine stain and smell, try steam cleaning the mattress. While this isn't difficult, it may take about 10 hours to clean and dry your mattress. So, choose a day when the mattress won't be used dClosing Thoughtsuring the day and start the process early in the morning to leave enough time for the mattress to dry.
Note that: You shouldn't steam clean latex and memory foam mattresses, as you risk damaging your mattress from high temperatures and moisture. Always read your bed's owner's manual or the company website for specific cleaning guidelines.
What you'll need:
- Steam cleaner
- Microfiber towels
- Vacuum with an upholstery brush attachment
- Laundry stain remover
- Baking soda
- Paper towel
Step 1: Clear the Surface
Remove any clutter and objects from your mattress for better access and to avoid potential damage to your accessories. Now would also be a perfect time to wash your bedding.
Step 2: Vacuum and Deodorize Your Mattress
Vacuum the surface with an upholstery brush attachment and suction up as much pet dander, dead skin, hair, and dust as possible. This will enable the steam to penetrate effectively into the inner layers of the mattress.
For strong urine smells, sprinkle a thin layer of baking soda on the mattress before vacuuming. Let the baking soda sit for at least an hour to absorb the smell, and then vacuum the surface before the next procedure.
Step 3: Spot Treat Stains on the Mattress
Pre-treat the stubborn stains with an appropriate stain remover before the steam cleaning process. A commercial laundry stain remover has the necessary enzymes to break apart the urine stain molecules and enhance the effectiveness of the cleaning process. Be keen not to over-saturate the affected areas with water or the stain remover. Follow the product's guidelines for the best cleaning results.
Step 4: Steam Clean the Mattress
Fill your steam cleaner with distilled water. Some steamers also allow users to add distilled white vinegar to the reservoir for added disinfection. Next, bring the steam cleaner to full heat according to the manufacturer's instructions. The water should generally reach between 212 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit to break down stains and effectively kill bacteria and dust mites.
Next, hold the steam cleaner head about 2 inches above your mattress and slowly move it from one end of the bed to the other. Consider moving the steamer in straight lines or overlapping passes across the mattress surface for thorough coverage. Remember also to steam clean the side surfaces of your mattress. Once you're done, allow your mattress to dry for about 4 hours or longer (if necessary) to keep any moisture from being trapped in the mattress fibers.
Dangers Of Urine in a Mattress
Sleeping on a mattress with urine stains can pose several health risks due to allergens, bacteria, and ammonia vapors. Frequent bedwetting can lead to a continual wet bed. This moist environment can foster bacterial growth if left unattended, leading to health problems like skin irritation and urinary tract infections. Contact with a urine-soaked mattress can also lead to other skin conditions, including rashes and inflammation.
The ammonia vapor released by the urine stains can irritate your respiratory system. If you don't clean your bed of urine, these vapors can lead to symptoms like coughing, difficulty breathing, and sneezing, especially in patients with allergies and asthma. Moreover, urine components, histamine hormones, and carbon dioxide can offer an ideal environment for pets like bed bugs, which are often difficult to remove once they infest a mattress.
Your mattress isn't safe, either. Over time, urine can eat up the mattress layers, leading to deterioration. This eventually shortens your bed's useful lifespan. Ultimately, you'll have no other option but to get rid of your mattress and invest in a new model.
To mitigate these risks, it's crucial to address urine accidents on your mattress promptly and to use protective measures, as we'll discuss below. Proper hygiene and regular maintenance can not only protect your mattress but also help ensure a clean and healthy sleep environment.
How to Protect Your Mattress From Urine Stains
Protecting your mattress from pee stains is vital for maintaining a hygienic sleep environment. Below are some simple steps you can take to safeguard your mattress.
Invest in a Waterproof Mattress Cover
The most effective way to prevent pee stains and smells from accumulating on your bed is to ensure it is fully protected. We recommend investing in a high-quality waterproof mattress protector, such as the PlushBeds Organic Mattress Protector, that can create a barrier between your sleep surface and any fluid that comes into contact with it.
This will also keep your mattress from collecting other particles, such as dead skin cells, dust, and dander, and can even help keep pesky bed bugs at bay. If you have young kids or pets, we recommend using additional protective layers, such as waterproof bed pads specially designed for potty-training and pet accidents.
Wash Your Bedding Regularly
Regularly washing your bedding can also keep your bed from accumulating unpleasant stains and odors and becoming a problem in the long run. We recommend washing your sheets and pillowcases at least once per week. Also, consider vacuuming your mattress, sprinkling on baking soda, and sweeping it up every 6 months. Aside from keeping your sleep environment fresh and clean, this will contribute to the mattress's longevity, giving you years of comfort and restorative sleep.
Closing Thoughts
While dealing with urine stains and odors can be unpleasant and frustrating, it's not insurmountable. More often than not, common household supplies and simple techniques are more than enough to successfully eradicate both the stubborn stains and smells associated with accidents. Once your mattress is clean, consider protecting it with a waterproof cover to prevent future urine-related mishaps. You'll also want to develop a maintenance routine, as this ensures that your bed remains a fresh, comfortable, and hygienic sleep sanctuary.