Clean Odours and Stains from Mattress
(The Easy Step by Step Guide)
If you have a young child, a pet, or a bed-ridden family member, you've probably experienced accidents that have led to urine-stained mattresses. Whatever the case may be, it is crucial to clean the stain fast, as hygiene is very important.
Don't know how to get urine stains out of mattress? No worries, in this article, we will explain everything you want to know.
However, cleaning urine stains from the mattress is a little tricky. Unlike most clothing, which can be cleaned in the washing machine, mattresses are slightly tricker to clean.
In this article, we'll take you step-by-step to help you learn how to remove urine stain from mattress.
What You'll
Learn..
Below you’ll find 9 simple to follow steps that ‘walk’ you through the process of Clean Odours and Stains from Mattress (with no experience or special skills required).
How to Clean Odors and Stains from Mattress
With the correct know-how, cleaning your mattress will be a simple task. While Febreze and other cleaners do an excellent job at masking urine odors from the mattress, they aren't useful when you want to remove urine stains from mattress.
After much research, we've found some methods that don't really require any fancy cleaners. All you need to tackle these stains are a few household ingredients.
So, how do you clean urine off mattress?
Well, the first step depends on the type of stain you're dealing with. Depending on if it's a wet or dry stain, you can proceed as instructed below.
Wet Stains
If you're dealing with wet stains, then it's best to clean it up as soon as possible as fresh stains are easier to remove.
So, how to clean fresh urine from mattress?
Step One
Firstly, get a cloth to blot up the excess urine. We suggest using an old rag. Try to remove as much of the liquid as possible. Keep trying to dry the mattress until the stained spot becomes damp.
If there's a lot of liquid, we suggest you change the cloth you're drying with once it gets soaked. You can also switch to using tissues, paper towels, or an old towel.
Step Two
The next step is to sprinkle baking soda over the stain. Yes, you've read that right. Baking soda helps soak up all the liquid from the mattress.
Don't worry about sprinkling an excess amount; all that baking soda will soak up the liquid without causing any damage to your mattress.
Just make sure you've sprinkled baking soda all over the stained area on your mattress. After a while, the baking powder will begin to cake as it soaks up the liquid.
Use a vacuum cleaner or brush to remove the powder residue.
Step Three
Next, you need to create a mixture with one part white vinegar and one part water. We suggest pouring the two liquids directly into a spray bottle. The quantity of the solution depends on the size of the stain on your mattress.
Alternatively, you may also reduce the amount of water to create a stronger solution. You may also eliminate water and spray pure white vinegar. While the smell may pungent, it will go away after a while.
The purpose of the white vinegar is to remove the bad odour and help remove urine stains on mattress.
Spray a generous amount of the solution all over the stained area. The idea is to spray enough of the solution so the mattress is damp. Avoiding soaking the mattress by spraying too much solution.
If you're dealing with a particularly large stain, you might need to make more vinegar solution.
Even if you still have some of the vinegar solution leftover, you can save it for another time.
Use an old cloth to dry up any excess liquid. You can dab at the stain lightly to get out as much moisture as possible.
Step Four
Sprinkle some more baking soda on the stain. You can generously sprinkle the powder, try to cover as much area as you possibly can cover.
Step Five
Now, the next step is to patiently wait for the solution and the powder to work its magic. We suggest you wait for around 18 hours to let the baking soda absorb all the moisture from the mattress.
Keep in time the drying period may vary a little depending on the temperature and humidity in your area.
Also, remember that using the mattress while its drying will only interfere with the cleaning process. So, to ensure this works properly, you need to let the mattress be while it dries.
During the drying period, we suggest you open the windows and door to ventilate the room. Once you're sure the mattress has dried up completely, use a vacuum cleaner to remove the powder residue.
Dry Stains
Dry stains are a little tougher to remove in comparison to fresh stains. But don't worry too much, we've found an effective method for you to battle all those nasty stains on your mattress.
Step One
The first step is to make a hydrogen peroxide solution. This may sound like a complicated process, but it's pretty simple in actuality. This solution works like magic for removing old urine stains from your mattress.
Start by combining 240 ml of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide with 43.2 g of baking soda and two drops of liquid dish wash. You can mix all the ingredients in a small bowl. Also, ensure all the solution is thoroughly mixed.
Hydrogen peroxide solution works best on white mattresses. We discourage using it on coloured mattresses as it may bleach them. If you have a coloured mattress, you can use white vinegar instead.
An important point to remember is that hydrogen peroxide breaks down pretty quickly. Therefore, you should use the solution immediately after you make it.
If you let your solution sit for more than an hour or two, it won't be effective at all. So, it's best to use your solution to remove stains immediately.
Step Two
The second step is to dab the solution onto the stain lightly. Soak a white cloth into the solution. Make sure the cloth is only slightly wet and not thoroughly drenched.
Then dab the cloth lightly over the stain to remove it. Keep dabbing until the cloth is dry. Repeat the process.
While you may use the solution generously, try not to soak the mattress as drying will take more time.
Step Three (Optional)
If the stain persists, we suggest making a small mixture from dry detergent powder and water. Combine 50 g of laundry powder and 15 ml water in a small bowl.
You can use an old cloth or a paper towel to spread the mixture over the stain on the mattress. The amount of mixture you make is dependent on the size of the stain.
Warning: If your laundry powder contains oxygenated bleach, we discourage using it on the mattress as it may damage it.
Step Four
Let your mattress dry for 30 minutes. Use an old spoon to scrape the dry foam from the mattress. Try to be as careful as possible, as digging too deep may damage your mattress.
Use a vacuum cleaner to remove any excess foam from the mattress. Try to cover as much area as possible with your vacuum to suck up all the dry foam completely.
If there are some persistent pieces of dry foam still stuck to the mattress, dab it gently with the hydrogen peroxide solution until it comes off.
What are Some Other Alternate Options
Don't Have vinegar?
Another remedy for getting rid of bad odours from your mattress is to use vodka. Yes, you'll be surprised at how well it works.
The process is more or less the same. Pour vodka into a spray bottle and spray over the stained area. Spray until it's damp. Let it dry up, and you're done.
Alternatively, you may also use rubbing alcohol. As the alcohol evaporates pretty fast, so you don't have to wait too long.
However, it is only useful for odours and doesn't help much with stains.
Using Lemon
Lemons have antibiotic properties and are natural bleaching agents. This method works great for general stains and sweat odour.
Simply cut a lemon in half and scrub over the stain. If some of the seeds or juice are left on the mattress, it's alright you can clean it up later on.
Give it a few hours to dry. You can use a brush to remove the seeds and dried leftover lemon bits.
Using an Enzymatic Cleaner
If you're dealing with urine stains left on the mattress by your pet, you may need to purchase an enzymatic cleaner. Enzymatic cleaners do a better job of neutralizing odours.
Animals usually have a strong sense of smell, which means that if the smell lingers, there is a high chance they may urinate in the particular spot again.
While the DIY method works great for stains, to get rid of all the lingering odour using it with an enzymatic cleaner would be the best option.
Urine contains uric acid, which is difficult to break down using regular solutions. This is where the enzymatic solution comes in. It will quickly break down the uric acid crystals and get rid of any lingering smell.
Cornstarch
Cornstarch is also another great ingredient to use when removing urine stains from your mattress.
Sprinkle a little cornstarch over the stain and then add a few drops of water. We recommend waiting 5 to 10 minutes before removing the cornstarch. Lastly, blot the stained area with a cloth or a paper towel.
For better results, we recommend using both cornstarch and baking soda at the same time. While the baking soda is excellent for removing odours, the cornstarch is effective at absorbing body oils.
Leave both the powders on your mattress for a day. Lastly, use a vacuum to remove the powder from the mattress.
What Else Can You Do?
Here are some few tricks and tips you can apply to your cleaning process.
Air Drying Your Mattress Under the Sun
While we understand mattresses are more difficult to move around than regular clothing items, air drying under the sun helps in completely drying out and removing odours from your mattress.
Just move your mattress outside to a dry, sunny area and leave it there for a while. This method is particularly great for getting rid of sweat odours.
For more effective results, we recommend air drying your mattress under the sunlight.
Use a Waterproof Mattress Cover
Trust us, this is one of the best ways to save your mattress from stains and odours. The waterproof mattress covering acts as a protective layer, preventing stains from getting to your mattress.
After an accident, all you need to do is clean the waterproof mattress protector, which is comparatively much easier than cleaning an entire mattress.
Even if the stain does somehow manage to get onto your mattress, it is only surface level.
Can These Methods be Used for Other Types of Stains?
You can try these methods on vomit stains as well. You can use a hot iron and a damp cloth to lift the stains to soak the vinegar. Then proceed as directed earlier by sprinkling baking soda onto the stain.
While this method isn't the best for the iron, it is quite useful. Additionally, you also have to be super careful that the iron isn't too hot or burn your mattress.
Moreover, the method with the hydrogen peroxide solution works just as effectively on blood stains as well.
For general stains and sweat odours, you can rub lemon over your mattress.
What If Cleaning Is No Longer Enough?
Suppose you gave your mattress several runs through the washer for many years, but the stains are getting harder to remove. There will come a time when getting rid of it is the smart choice.
Here are some signs that you need a replacement:
- Your mattress is more than eight years old. Mattresses typically last eight to 10 years, but they can deteriorate sooner if they are not well-maintained.
- It has become uncomfortable. If you are waking up feeling pain or stiffness, or if you are having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, it might be time for a new mattress.
- Your mattress is sagging or lumpy. This is a sign that the support system in your mattress is breaking down.
- You are allergic to dust mites. Dust mites can thrive in mattresses, so if you have allergies, you might need to replace your mattress more often.
- It has stains or tears. This can indicate damage that could lead to mould or mildew growth.
With the country's garbage disposal problem, you may be wondering if a bulky item like your mattress may only cause more issues. Fortunately, you can put it up for mattress recycling instead to keep your waste output down easily and conveniently.
FAQs
Urine odour can last forever if you don't clean it properly. However, if you follow the directions we've listed above, you'll get rid of all the lingering odour and the residue stain as well.
For pets, you can use the same method that is used to get human urine out mattress. The only thing you need to take extra care of is the smell. As mentioned earlier, if you don't get rid of the smell completely, your pet may continue to urinate in the same area.
Animals have a strong sense of smell. If the scent lingers on your mattress, your pet will assume that a particular area is where they're supposed to go.
Therefore, if you've had an accident because of your pet, we recommend you get yourself an enzymatic cleaner. It is quite useful in completely removing urine odour.
Conclusion
Removing urine stains may seem like a challenging task, but you can rest your mind as it's not as difficult as it seems. All you need are a few household ingredients, and you can easily clean urine from mattress.
Follow our tips, and your mattress will look as good as new in no time.
