How to Clean Urine From a Mattress

Whether you're a new pet owner who loves to snuggle your pet or a new mom who loves to sleep with your baby, bed wetting can be common in your home. It's an accident, nothing to be ashamed of. Just know how to clean urine from a mattress correctly and what products to use.

Most kitchen products, such as white vinegar and baking soda, are suitable for cleaning urine, but they're acidic. You can still use them, but enzyme-based cleaning products are the best, especially when cleaning cat pee.

Various methods are available for cleaning urine stains and odors from mattresses, depending on what you have in your home or can afford.

This article guides you through each step, including how to treat urine on mattress. Read on.

How to Clean Urine From a Mattress

Depending on your mattress type, you may have to repeat the cleaning process several times to remove the urine stain or odor.

Foam mattresses, for example, absorb urine more quickly than traditional mattresses, so you must act fast to prevent quick penetration and absorption of urine.

Once urine penetrates a mattress foam, cleaning it becomes difficult; you may need to pay for professional mattress cleaning services to successfully remove the stain and odor.

Here's what you need to clean urine from the mattress.

• Gloves

• Spray bottle

• Clean, dry towels

• Distilled white vinegar

• Baking soda

• Dawn or any enzyme-based cleaner of your choice

• Vacuum

• Water

• Laundry detergent

Step-by-step guide on how to clean Urine from Mattress

Step 1: Remove the Bedding

Strip the bedding (sheets, blankets, duvets) into the washing machine immediately. To prevent the urine odor or stain from setting, add a cup of white vinegar and run the wash.

Step 2: Blot the Urine

Wear gloves. Spread a towel over the wet area and pat it gently to soak up as much urine as possible. Change the towel if it gets soaked in urine, and repeat the process with a dry towel until all the urine is soaked.

Four to six paper towels are an alternative, but be careful not to leave bits of paper on the mattress. Blot the area several times to absorb as much urine as possible. Avoid rubbing or scrubbing the area; you'll only push urine further into the mattress foam, making it difficult to remove it all.

Scrubbing causes friction, which creates heat, causing the urine stain to set in. Avoid rubbing or using any other heat source to dry urine on the mattress.

Step 3: Make a Cleaning Solution

Make a 1:1 solution of white vinegar and water. If you prefer using an enzyme-based cleaner, mix it with warm water according to the manufacturer's recommendation. Put the solution in a spray bottle.

Step 4: Spray the Solution and Blot the Area

Spray a generous amount of the solution on the wet area. Whether you're using vinegar or an enzyme-based cleaner, let it sit for at least 15 minutes to set. Keep the room well-ventilated, especially when using vinegar.

Pat the area with a dry towel to soak up excess liquid.

Step 5: Sprinkle Baking Soda

Coat the area with a thick layer of baking soda and let it sit for 8 to 10 hours. The acidic vinegar breaks down the bicarb, releasing carbon dioxide, which helps lift the stain from the mattress foam.

Step 6: Vacuum

Vacuum the mattress to soak up the excess baking soda; it should be dry and stain-free.

If there are traces of stain or odor, repeat the entire process. Do not soak your mattress with the cleaning solutions, as this creates a thriving place for bacteria.

That's why it's best to seek professional mattress cleaning services to clean your mattress correctly, help it dry quickly, and eliminate stains and odors.

How to Remove Dried Urine Stains on Mattress

Dry urine is characterized by a dingy yellow stain, which is much tougher and more time-consuming to clean than a fresh stain.

What you need

• Dishwashing detergent

• Baking soda

• Hydrogen peroxide or vinegar

• Soft-bristled brush

• Spray bottle

• Vacuum

• Distilled water

• A sponge

• Clean towels

NOTE: Only use hydrogen peroxide on white mattresses because of its bleaching effect. Hydrogen peroxide can also damage latex and foam mattresses. If you are afraid of damaging your mattress or causing discoloration, use vinegar in its place.

Step-by-step guide on how to remove dried urine stains on mattresses

Step 1: Make a Cleaning Solution

Mix baking soda (3 tbs.), dishwashing detergent (2 to 3 drops), and 10 oz. of 3% hydrogen peroxide in a spraying bottle. Swirl the solution to combine it (avoid shaking) until the baking soda dissolves completely.

Step 2: Pre-test the Solution

Before using the solution, test it on a small area, such as one of the mattress corners, to see if there is discoloration. If there isn't, proceed. If there is, use vinegar instead of hydrogen peroxide.

Step 3: Spray the Solution

Spray a generous amount of the solution on the stained area and allow it to sit for 15 minutes. The detergent breaks down and loosens the stain, while the baking soda lifts the odor and discoloration.

Step 4: Gently Rub the Stain

Use a soft-bristled, mattress-friendly brush to gently rub the area to help the baking soda absorb the liquid better. Allow the cleaning solution to sit for 4 to 8 hours. A layer of baking soda will set, and it will be pale yellow.

Step 5: Vacuum and Rinse

Vacuum to remove excess baking soda and cleaning solution residue. Dampen a sponge or a towel with distilled water and rinse the area to remove all the cleaning solution residue. This prevents dirt from settling on the detergent residue or hydrogen peroxide from bleaching or weakening the mattress foam.

Step 5: Dry

Dap the area with a dry towel to remove excess moisture, and ventilate the room to allow the mattress to air dry properly.

Inspect the area. If the stain remains, repeat the process or call a mattress cleaning expert, such as Zerorez®.

How to Get Urine Smell Out of a Mattress

You may still notice a lingering odor after successfully removing the urine stain from the mattress. You could try the methods below to eliminate the pee smell based on the old stain.

Method one: Distilled white vinegar
Method two: Baking soda
Method three: Steam cleaning

Read on for steps on how to get urine smell out of a mattress and the requirements based on the method you choose.

Requirements

• Vacuum

• Paper towels

• Baking soda

• Steam cleaner

• Distilled white vinegar

Method 1: Distilled White Vinegar

• Pour distilled water into a spray bottle and generously spray the affected area to neutralize the urine components.

• Properly ventilate the room or run fans to speed up the drying process.

There will be a strong vinegar smell, but it will dissipate with time as it dries.

Method 2: Baking Soda

• Combine a tablespoon of water with one cup of baking soda to make a paste

• Wear gloves and spread a liberal amount on the area with a pee smell

• Use a soft-bristled brush to gently scrub the paste to work into the mattress foam

• Wait at least four hours for the paste to dry completely and neutralize the smell

• Vacuum away the residue

Method 3: Steam Cleaning

If the smell or urine stain persists after you try all the other options mentioned above, steam clean the mattress. Steam cleaning mattresses requires patience because cleaning and drying the mattress can take 6 to 12 hours.

Commercial steam cleaners are much more effective than home-used steam cleaners. They're more powerful and suitable for cleaning stubborn urine stains and odors. At Zerorez, we offer mattress cleaning services for stubborn stains and odors.

Schedule a service at any time.

How to Disinfect a Mattress From Urine

Mattress disinfection is essential; it kills bacteria that are invisible to the human eye but lurk under the mattress cover. Disinfecting the mattress after an accident also prevents staining. There are various ways of disinfecting a mattress from urine:

Method One: Vinegar and Baking Soda

• Pour vinegar into a spray bottle and lightly mist it on the mattress

• Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes, and blot it out using a towel.

• Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on the area and allow it to sit for about 4 to 8 hours. This allows the baking soda to absorb the stains and vinegar while disinfecting the mattress.

• Vacuum the mattress to get rid of vinegar and baking soda residue.

Method Two: Steam Cleaning

Steam cleaning helps disinfect mattresses and remove dust mites, making this method a win-win option. However, be careful not to soak your mattress, which will create room for bacteria. Use sharp, short bursts of steam, or hire us.

Clean Urine From the Mattress With Zerorez!

Most common household cleaning products aren't effective in fixing urine stains and odors. Others, such as hydrogen peroxide, could cause discoloration or damage your Latex and Foam mattresses.

At Zerorez, we're experts in cleaning mattresses to remove stains and odors. Our mattresses don't take longer to dry because we don't flood them with water.

Contact any of our locations for help at an affordable cost and your convenience.

We'll gladly transform your mattress into a clean, healthy resting place. Contact us at 866-937-6739.