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It’s not always easy to keep your mattress as fresh and clean as it was when you first received it – especially if you have any little rascals like pets or children in the house too! Bed wetting is a completely normal part of growing up, for both pets and children, and this can often result in some unpleasant smells and stains that you want to clean up ASAP.
We’ll take you through how to get urine out of a mattress when it’s fresh, and also when it’s older, as well as getting out stains and eliminating smells, so you can try to revive the mattress back to its former glory. The great news is that it’s pretty easy to get urine out of your mattress, you just need to follow our steps to keep your mattress in top-tip condition.
How to get pee out of a mattress
Getting urine out of a mattress requires some quick thinking and following some crucial steps:
- Blot up any fresh liquid immediately with clean cloths - acting quickly when you know there’s been an accident can be a lifesaver, as the quicker you can blot up any liquid on a mattress, the less time the liquid will penetrate through all the different layers inside it.
- Add bicarbonate of soda to the entire area – this will absorb any remaining moisture.
- Spray the area with a cleaning solution – we recommend either washing powder and water, or warm water and white vinegar, which will both work to help eliminate stains and smells. Leave the solution on for 3-5 minutes.
- Blot up any liquid again – using clean cloths or paper towels, blot up any liquid again to soak up any residual pee and to make sure you avoid any mould.
- Sprinkle more bicarbonate of soda over the entire mattress and leave for at least 24 hours to dry out.
- Vacuum the mattress and leave it to air out – leave it in an area with plenty of fresh air to help shift any leftover odours.
How to get pet pee out of a mattress
Over half of Brits who have pets claim that their pets have had an accident indoors that has ruined their furniture or flooring. From our guide on creating a pet-friendly home, it’s little wonder that you might be concerned about your mattress being ruined by your fluffy friend!
You might be worried that your precious pet’s pee will leave a stubborn smell too, but not to worry - dog and cat pee smells a lot stronger than human urine because it is a lot more concentrated, however it will clean up just the same as human urine by following the steps above.
Both animal and human urine are made up of similar crystals of uric acid, so using a cleaning solution that contains enzymes will permanently remove the acid, odour, and bacteria. Make sure you check the label to use the product properly and be sure to check that any shop-bought cleaners are pet-friendly (and/or child-friendly) before you use them, so you can keep on getting all those benefits of sleeping with your pet without panicking.
Removing urine stains from a mattress
It’s not always possible to address potty training mistakes right away, so it’s worth knowing how to get rid of older urine stains too! The process is similar to that of fresh urine stains, but it might take a bit longer to completely get rid of the dried-out stains and smell with older urine. Some points to be aware of are:
- Be very generous with the cleaning solution – it needs to entirely soak the stain!
- Covering the soaked stain with clingfilm will allow the solution to break down the stain for longer without evaporating.
- Wait between 24-48 hours for the solution to work its magic.
- Be patient – this might require several rounds of cleaning to completely get the stain and smell out!
How to get the pee smell out of a mattress
While you may have gotten rid of the unsightly stain, the smell (especially from cat pee!) can sometimes stick around for a lot longer – so how do you completely get rid of the urine smell once and for all? Sprinkling the mattress with bicarbonate of soda and leaving it to sit there for 10 hours should give it plenty of time to work its magic. Bicarbonate of soda has a basic pH level, which means that it won’t just mask the smell like a deodorising spray, but it will break down the ammonia and get rid of it.
Once you’ve let the bicarb sit on the mattress overnight, the next morning you can vacuum up the residue. As we mentioned above, if it doesn’t shift right away, repeat the process a few times until it’s completely gone, making sure there’s plenty of fresh air in the room too so the smell doesn’t stay trapped in the room with your mattress.
To prevent any future mishaps, try investing in a waterproof mattress protector for the time being, which helps protect the mattress underneath from spills, stains and accidents. And if you’re dealing with a mattress that seems like it will never be able to shift that stinky smell, treat yourself to a brand new mattress from our range – or a new kids mattress for your little ones who are still getting to grips with their potty training. For help and advice on transitioning your little one away from nappies, read our guide on How To Stop Your Child Wetting The Bed.
