Bed-wetting happens. It’s something just about every parent has to deal with at least once during their child’s growing up process, and it can happen to adults too. Sometimes pets leave pee stains on mattresses as well. While it’s no fun to spend your time cleaning up urine spills, removing pee from a mattress isn’t at all difficult. The faster you get on the job, the easier and more effective cleanup will be.
To avoid nasty odors and ugly stains, act as soon as the accident happens. By using paper towels to quickly blot up as much liquid as you can, you’ll keep the urine from penetrating deep into the mattress layers. Once you’ve completed the first step, you can use these tips to completely remove pee stains from the mattress.
We’ll get started in a moment, but first, it’s important to understand that pee contains uric acidcrystals. These can only be removed with certain enzymes.
Standard detergents won’t work! To get rid of pee stains permanently, along with the odor and bacterial buildup that accompany them, you will need to choose an enzyme-based cleaner.
Amy from outsidelivingtoday.com says that some biological laundry detergents will work, and so will products that are sold specifically for treating pet urine stains on carpet, fabric, and more.
While pet stains have a different odor than human stains, pet pee products work just as well for cleaning up human pee accidents. Note that white vinegar and water can be mixed at a 1:1 ratio to create a simple enzymatic cleaner. This smells strong at first but it will do the trick in an emergency.
After you have selected a product for removing pee stains from a mattress, double-check the label for warnings and instructions.
It’s a good idea to begin the process by testing a small, hidden area of the mattress before you move on to treating the actual stain. You might also want to wear gloves to protect your hands from the urine and the cleaner.
How to Clean a Mattress: Pee Stains
- Gather enough absorbent materials to blot away all the urine. Towels are a good choice, and paper towels are ideal as they can be discarded rather than adding to your laundry pile. Note that it’s very important not to rub the stain, as this can make matters worse by pushing the pee deeper down into the mattress’s structure. Blot it instead, replacing your towels as they become damp. Keep on blotting until the towels no longer pick up moisture from the pee stain.
- Sprinkle a generous layer of baking soda onto the pee stain. This will absorb any moisture that remains.
- If you need to mix up your cleaning product or detergent, now is the time to do it. Place the product in a spray bottle.
- Spray the pee stain with the cleaner. Be sure to saturate the entire area, since the cleaner’s job is to digest any urine that remains in the mattress. Allow the cleaner to sit for at least three to five minutes, unless the product’s directions specify otherwise.
- Repeat the first step with clean towels. Again, blot everything. If you can still detect an odor of pee, repeat steps 2 and 4 again.
- After you’ve blotted up all the pee, sprinkle the entire mattress with baking soda. Leave it alone for at least 18 hours. Whoever sleeps on the mattress will have to spend the night somewhere else while the baking soda does its work.
With a clean upholstery attachment, vacuum the baking soda and other residue from the mattress. If possible, take the mattress outside and prop it up sideways. Leave it out for a few hours to allow the entire thing to air out completely. If you can’t take the mattress outside, consider propping up alongside a wall for the day.
By following the simple, 7-step process outlined above, you can easily clean pee from a mattress. Next, you’ll probably want to decide how to avoid another deep-cleaning project.
Protecting Mattresses and Preventing Pee Stains
Now that you’re an expert in the pee stain cleanup process, it’s time to prep for potential problems that could arise in the future. Sealed, waterproof mattress protectors are essential, whether you are concerned about occasional accidents, or if someone in your family suffers from frequent urinary incontinence. We recommend purchasing at least two mattress protectors so that the clean one can be put on as soon as the soiled one is removed.
The newest mattress protectors are soft, comfortable, and absorbent – and many top mattress manufacturers offer waterproof covers with some of the same technology that goes into their mattresses. Many of these also offer protection from dust mites, allergens, and other spills that might happen.
With a clean, protected mattress, you and your loved ones can rest easy, knowing that accidents won’t lead to a lengthy pee stain removal process.
