Urine stains in your mattress, how to remove them?
Urine stains in your mattress? It happens to the best of us, you already have a mattress protector for your child’s mattresses, but you didn’t take into account that an accident might happen when sleeping with mom and dad… Bedwetting unfortunately happens more often than you think and you had better be prepared.
Act fast! It is a lot easier to remove urine stains that are still wet. We have tested many solutions and we will share the results with you here!
What do you need
- Cleaning cloth, towel or paper towel
- Baking soda
- Spoon
- White vinegar, detergent or other cleaning agent
- Plant sprayer, atomiser
- Vacuum cleaner
- Possibly a fan
Order a mattress protector for next time!
Are you familiar with that saying about a donkey and a stone? Prevention is better than cure! A good mattress protector does not have to be expensive and saves you a lot of hassle.
1. Remove the bedding
Remove the bedding from your mattress to prevent the urine from staining your cover, for example. If it is already too late, it is wise to wash the covers immediately.
2. Absorb as much urine as possible by dabbing the stain with a cloth
If you are (un)lucky enough to discover the urine stain shortly after the accident happened, it is important to blot up the moisture as soon as possible!
With an old and dry cloth, apply some pressure onto the mattress to blot up as much urine as possible before it penetrates further into the mattress. Keep dabbing until the mattress feels damp at most. It is a good idea to change the cloths when it becomes too wet.
Do not rub! This only forces the liquid deeper into the mattress.
3. Use a liquid detergent to remove the odour
You have managed to blot up the majority of the moisture with a towel, now it is time to prevent permanent damage. There are multiple solutions you can use. Which one you choose mainly depends on what you have on hand and how aggressive/ environmentally friendly you want the solution to be.
Leave the solution to work for 5 to 10 minutes before going to the next step.
Cleaning agent based on bacteria/ natural enzymes
Enzyme based products are a less aggressive way of removing the stain. In addition to detergents, these products also contain bacteria. These bacteria form enzymes that do not mask the odour, but effectively remove it.
When a cleaning product contains enzymes, this often limits the amount of detergents and surfactants, resulting in a smaller impact on the environment.
White vinegar with warm water
White vinegar is known for its ability to neutralise odours and reduce stains. The strong odour of the vinegar itself will dissipate over time.
You can use it pure, but we recommend diluting it one to one with water. By doing this, the vinegar stays effective while the odour is not as overpowering.
Use a water sprayer or atomiser and dampen the mattress sufficiently without getting it soaking wet!
Detergent with warm water
Detergent is your best friend when it comes to removing the urine odour from your mattress. Mix a few spoons of detergent in a bowl of warm water and pour or spray on the affected area.
You can add a bit of white vinegar here, too.
4. Spread baking soda on the stain
Spread a generous and equal amount of baking soda on the urine stain on the mattress. Do not worry whether you are using too much, because in general soda is harmless to the mattress. Check carefully whether the soda covers the entire stain!
Ideally, leave the soda to work for 8 hours to allow it to kill any bacteria and neutralise the odour. If you have used enough soda, it will also absorb a good amount of moisture.
After 8 hours you can remove the soda with a brush and a vacuum cleaner. If you notice that the mattress is still a bit damp, you can dry it with a fan or hair dryer.
Last but not least…
Once the mattress is completely dry, you can use your favourite clothing or air freshener to welcome your mattress back into the family!
