How to Clean Urine Out of a Mattress? A Complete Guide

A wet mattress is an unwelcoming surprise and can create havoc in your room as well as your brain. It might be caused by your little kid or your pet, and it leaves you worrying about how to remove the stains and get rid of the urine smell.

With this guide, you can learn easy and inexpensive methods of removing urine stains and smells from your mattress and whitening your bed sheets. In this article, we have gathered all the basic steps and additional tips to remove urine, its stains, and smell by neutralising techniques.

List of Things You Require

You can use the household supplies and appropriate techniques to clean the mattress thoroughly. The following is a complete list of things which you need to clean urine out of a mattress:

Cold Water
Plastic Wrap
Spray Bottle
Baking Soda
Clean Towels
White Vinegar
Vacuum Cleaner
Laundry Detergent

Removing Urine from the Mattress

To remove excess pee liquid from a mattress, you need to follow these steps:

Step 1: Remove the Bedding

Remove the bedding sheets and comforter immediately from your mattress and put them into the washing machine so that urine stains do not have the time to set on them.

Step 2: Soak Up the Pee

Take a clean and dry towel to blot the wet area and soak up maximum liquid from the mattress. Do not scrub the area with the towel, as it will further push the liquid into the mattress.

Step 3: Spray Vinegar Solution

Take a spray bottle, add cold water and white vinegar in a proportion of 2:1 and add a small amount of laundry detergent to it. Spray the vinegar solution on the urine stain to soak it thoroughly.

Step 4: Let the Solution Soak

Leave the solution-soaked mattress for at least 10 to 15 minutes. Take a new clean cloth to soak up the extra liquid.

Step 5: Cover the Surface with Baking Soda

Pour some baking soda over the entire soiled mattress area and leave it for 8 to 10 hours. Close the room to prevent kids and pets from entering.

Step 6: Vacuum the Surface

Use a vacuum cleaner with an attached hose to clean dried baking soda from the mattress. Inspect the mattress carefully to verify that it is completely dry to prevent any damage to your vacuum cleaner.

Removing Urine Stains from the Mattress

Urine leaves stains on the mattress, which should be removed immediately to restore its condition. By using simple household ingredients, you can remove the stains by following these steps:

Step 1: Spray Vinegar Solution

Make a vinegar solution by mixing two parts of cold water and one part of vinegar with a small amount of laundry detergent. Spray the vinegar solution over the stain to cover it completely.

Step 2: Wrap the Area Properly

Cover the soaked area with plastic wrap and leave it for 24 to 48 hours to avoid the evaporation of the solution. Do not rub or blot the surface after spraying the solution.

Step 3: Let the Mattress Dry

Allow the mattress to get dried on its own when you remove the plastic wrap. You should at least give it overnight to dry properly.

Step 4: Repeat the Process

If this does not do the job, you can follow the steps mentioned above again to remove deeper stains, as they require a few more treatments to disappear completely.

Step 5: Clean the Surface

Once the stain is removed, check the treated area to remove any residue from the vinegar solution. After that, clean the area with water and use towels to blot water and dry the mattress.

Removing Urine Smell from the Mattress

Removing the pee smell from the mattress can be daunting, even after removing the stain. It would be best if you neutralise its smell, which can be done in the following steps:

Step 1: Use Baking Soda

Take baking soda and sprinkle it all over your mattress, making a thin layer over it. Add an extra amount of baking soda to the urine-affected area.

Step 2: Let the Baking Soda Work

Leave the mattress with sprinkled baking soda for 5 to 10 hours to completely neutralise the smell. It will absorb the moisture from the mattress and change its colour to a darker tone.

Step 3: Vacuum the Mattress

Vacuum the bare mattress to remove the baking soda. It will also remove the urine smell from the mattress. You can repeat the process if the smell still lingers on the mattress.

Removing Pet Pee from the Mattress

Domestic pets, like dogs and cats, have different urine compositions that will create a highly pungent smell inside the room. However, you can get rid of the stain and smell by following these steps:

Step 1: Sprinkle Baking Soda

Cover the whole soiled area with baking soda and allow it to soak up as much moisture as it can. It will become darker in colour once it has soaked the moisture.

Step 2: Clean and Repeat

Vacuum the baking soda once it is completely dark, and add fresh baking soda. Repeat the process unless the baking soda does not change its colour, meaning all the liquid pee has been absorbed from the mattress.

Step 3: Clean the Mattress

Once it is done, you can clean the mattress normally to remove the pee stain. You can repeat the process unless the stain completely vanishes from the surface.

Step 4: Use Enzyme Cleaner

If the smell is too strong, you can use enzyme cleaners to get rid of it. They are available at most pet stores and are specially designed to treat pet urine.

Step 5: Use a Pet Repellent

Once the mattress is clean and dry, you can spray a pet repellent to prevent this from happening again. It is important to remember not to use any toxic chemicals during the process that can be harmful to pets.

Additional Tips

You should deal with the urine-affected mattress as soon as possible to avoid the appearance of stains and potential mould growth.
You can add a cup of white vinegar to the washing machine to remove stains and urine smell from the bedding.
You should not scrub while removing excess liquid from the mattress as it will push the urine liquid deep into the mattress fabric, complicating its removal.
You should close the room after covering the soiled mattress area with baking soda to avoid your kids and pets going there.
You should carefully check if the baking soda is completely dry before vacuuming; otherwise, your vacuum cleaner might get damaged.
You should spray enough vinegar solution on the urine stain to soak the original stain completely, deep from the mattress.
You should not blot, rub, or attempt to soak the vinegar solution sprayed to remove the urine stains.
You should leave the mattress to dry overnight after removing the plastic wrap.
You should leave the baking soda on the mattress overnight to remove the urine smell.

Importance of a Clean Mattress

You can keep your mattress in good condition by adequately cleaning the urine stains and removing its smell for a peaceful and comfortable sleep. It also helps to extend the lifespan of your bed mattress, giving it a refreshing feel.

If you have encountered a urine accident once and dealt with it successfully, you should take preventive measures to avoid such problems. For this purpose, you can purchase a waterproof mattress protector to add an impermeable barrier over your mattress, which prevents urine penetration. Moreover, debris, dust, hair, and dead skin particles do not accumulate, preventing the bugs from entering the mattress.

This way, you can keep your mattress long-lasting by protecting it against spills, natural perspiration, and body oils.