A mattress is a considerable investment. So, when something unexpected happens, like the dog has an accident, it is understandable to be upset. You probably stand there wondering how to clean pee out of a mattress.
The answer may not be as complicated as you think. It is a process, though. You need to have the right tools and cleaning products on hand to get the job done right.
The good news is you probably have most of these items in your house already. You just need to gather them together and get to work. This article will walk you through the steps of getting urine out of a mattress.
What Do You Need to Clean Urine From a Mattress?
The first step is going to be to line up the stuff you need to cleanse the mattress properly. You'll need to gather these items:
- Clean towels
- Cold water
- Baking soda
- White vinegar
- Laundry detergent
- Spray bottle
You'll also want to have your vacuum cleaner handy.
Strip the Bed
The next step is to remove the soiled bed linen. You'll want to toss everything you remove right to the washing machine. It is just as essential to clean the urine from your bedding as well as the mattress.
If you let the sheets sit, the urine will set, so wash them immediately. Once you have them in the machine, you can focus on the mattress.
Cleaning Urine From a Mattress
The initial goal is to blot as much liquid as possible with a clean towel. Don't scrub the area with the towel; just carefully press it into the mattress and let it absorb the urine. Scrubbing will push the urine deeper into the mattress material.
Mix the Cleaning Solution
You don't need to buy an expensive cleaning product to remove urine from your mattress. A simple DIY solution should do the trick. Add the following ingredients to your spray bottle:
- Two parts cold water
- One part white vinegar
- A small amount of laundry detergent
In other words, add twice as much water to the bottle as you do white vinegar, then put in just a little laundry detergent. You don't want too much soap.
Spray the solution on the stained area. You'll want to soak the dirty area well.
Let the vinegar solution soak for up to 15 minutes. Afterward, take a clean towel and blot as much of the liquid out of the mattress as possible.
Add the Baking Soda
Cover the area with baking soda when you have blotted out as much of the vinegar solution as possible. Let the baking soda sit for up to 10 hours. This will absorb any remaining liquid and eliminate the odor.
The next day, check to make sure the baking soda is dry. If not, you must let it sit longer or use a wet/dry vacuum to clean it up. You can use your regular vacuum to remove the powder if it is dry.
What About Urine Stains?
What about when the accident goes unnoticed, and the urine dries in place? That is a significant problem. Ideally, you should immediately clean up any accidents to avoid letting the stain set.
The process of cleaning a urine stain out of the mattress is similar but a little more involved.
Start with:
- White vinegar
- Cold water
- Spray bottle
- Laundry detergent
- Clean towels
- Plastic wrap
Mix two parts of cold water and one part of white vinegar into the bottle. Add just a little laundry detergent to the white vinegar solution.
Cleaning the Pee Stain From the Mattress
Removing a urine stain will take several days. Here are the steps to follow:
- Spray the liquid onto the stain. Make sure to saturate it. The liquid must soak to the same level the urine did to remove the stain thoroughly.
- Cover the soaked stain with plastic wrap.
- Let the wrap sit on the stain for at least 24 hours. Leave it up to 48 hours for deep stains.
- Remove the plastic wrap and allow the mattress to dry. In most cases, you'll want to let it dry at least overnight.
Repeat the process if you still see the stain when the mattress dries. It may take several tries to get the stain out completely.
How to Remove the Urine Smell
Even if you get all the pee out of the mattress, there may be a lingering odor. If you still smell it, try sprinkling baking soda over the bed. You can do this regularly to help deodorize your mattress, too.
Let the baking soda sit for up to 10 hours, and then vacuum it up. That should leave your mattress smelling fresh. If not, repeat the process.
How to Get Dog or Cat Pee Out of a Mattress
If you are wondering how to get cat pee out of a mattress or how to get dog pee out of a mattress, you need to approach the cleaning process a little differently. Pet urine is more concentrated than human urine, so the smell can be stronger.
Apply Baking Soda First
Instead of blotting up the liquid with a towel, apply baking soda to it. The baking soda will absorb the moisture and darken in color.
Vacuum the powder up and repeat the process. Keep doing this until the baking soda remains white. That indicates all the liquid is absorbed. From there, you can clean the mattress the same way you would if it were human urine.
When to Use an Enzyme Cleaner
If the odor is powerful, you should bring in an enzyme cleaner. Enzyme cleaners will break down the substances in the pet's urine that are causing the smell. Make sure to buy an enzyme cleaning product that is safe from pets. Stay away from toxic chemicals like bleach or hydrogen peroxide.
Protecting Your Mattress
To best protect your mattress investment, consider using a quality mattress protector like those offered by Ergomotion. Mattress protectors serve as an initial barrier against any stains, effectively shielding your mattress. After fitting the protector, you can comfortably add your regular bedding over it.
You pay a lot of money for a quality mattress, so equip yourself with the most effective way to prevent urine stains from ever becoming a problem with a mattress protector. If the unthinkable does happen, your mattress protector simply needs to be laundered, yet your mattress remains stain free.