Whether the stain is old or new, feline or canine, you don’t need to spend a lot of money or time removing it.
Your bedding can go in the washing machine, but what do you do when your dog or cat pees on your mattress?
Before you mentally commit to hours of elbow grease or hundreds of dollars spent on professional cleaning services, you should know that it’s not too tough or costly to rid your mattress of cat or dog urine by yourself.
You probably have most or all of the ingredients in your house already. The way you should approach the cleaning depends on whether the stain is still wet or dried. Either way, plan to sleep on your couch or elsewhere for at least a night.
Using an enzymatic stain remover like Nature’s Miracle, works best. Start by sprinkling the area with baking soda to absorb the excess moisture. After waiting a few minutes for it to work its magic, vacuum the mattress. Then, spray the cleaner, and let sit according to the manufacturer’s instructions. After the time is up, blot the area gently with paper towels.
An enzymatic cleaner is ideal because the formula helps to break down the urine stain. However, if you don’t have any cleaner on hand, you can usually use a simple vinegar-based solution as described below.
Whether your pet soiled a futon mattress, memory foam, or spring mattress, the process is the same. You want to absorb the excess liquid yet without pressing the stain further into the mattress. Acting swiftly can cut down on the elbow grease, but thankfully most stains still come out later.
The most effective way to clean urine from a mattress is simple and inexpensive. Here’s what you’ll need:
Go ahead and toss the sheets in the wash. If possible, try to wash them with bleach.
Your first goal is to soak up as much of the pee as possible. Instead of blotting paper towels into the stain, which could push urine deeper into your mattress, you need to sprinkle baking soda over the affected area.
The baking soda will draw the liquid up without you applying any pressure. You’ll see the baking soda darken as it absorbs the urine.
Once the baking soda has changed color, you can vacuum it up and repeat the process until the baking soda does not change in color. That means there’s no more liquid to absorb.
In your spray bottle, mix 1 cup of vinegar with 2 cups of cold water and 2 to 3 tablespoons of laundry detergent. If you don’t have vinegar on hand, you can also create a solution using 8 ounces of hydrogen peroxide, 3 tablespoons of baking soda, and a few drops of liquid detergent.
However, this is the easiest formula:
1 cup vinegar + 2 cups water & 2-3 teaspoons detergent = cleaning solution
Spray this mixture over the stain until it is completely soaked. Allow it to sit for at least 15 minutes. Now, you can use a paper towel or cloth to blot away any excess liquid.
After your vinegar solution has sat for at least 15 minutes, cover the stained area with baking soda again. This time, let the area sit undisturbed for 8 to 10 hours. When the time comes, vacuum the dried baking soda up again.
The urine should be gone at this point, but some stains are tough. If you can still see the stain or smell the urine odor, repeat the entire process until it’s completely gone.
Pet urine is the easiest to clean when it’s fresh, but what if you don’t notice the stain until you swap the sheets? It’s still possible to remove the stain, but you should prepare for a longer stay on the couch.
Since the urine is already dry, baking soda might not help absorb the stain. However, you’ll still need the supplies for the same cleaning solution mentioned above (2 parts cold water, 1 part vinegar, and a tablespoon or so of detergent).
Combine ingredients in a spray bottle and spritz to soak the entire stain. Be generous!
You’re going to leave the solution to work its magic for a while, so you need to prevent it from evaporating. Covering the stain in plastic wrap will allow the solution to work on breaking down the stain for longer.
Plan to sleep somewhere else for at least one night, but preferably two. In the meantime, keep your door shut to keep curious pets away.
Remove the plastic wrap and let the mattress air dry. It will probably take at least 8 hours to fully dry on its own.
If the stain is still visible or smelly, try not to get frustrated. Dry stains and even fresh cat urine can be tricky to tackle, sometimes requiring several rounds of cleaning to get all of the pee out.
After going through the process of cleaning a stained mattress, you’ll probably be eager to make sure you never have to do it again. Unfortunately, after it happens once, your dog or cat may be more likely to return to the same spot even after it’s been cleaned to claim their territory once again.
Here are some steps you can take to prevent the incident from recurring:
Dr. Cahn notes that if your pet suddenly begins urinating inappropriately, it may be time to take them to the vet for a check-up, “If your pet is urinating inappropriately or having leaking or accidents, it's important to check with your vet for any medical issues.” This is especially true of senior pets who may be experiencing the beginnings of urinary incontinence.
Finding a puddle of dog or cat pee on your bed at the end of a stressful day may feel like the climactic moment in a drama film. However, the good news is that urine usually comes out with quick and diligent cleaning. In the meantime, you and your pet may have to spend the night somewhere else.
Once the mattress is clean, you might want to employ preventative measures such as enzymatic stain odor eliminators to deter your pet from sprinkling in the sheets or use a mattress protector for safe measure.
While dried urine stains are a beast to remove, most dog pee comes out of a mattress with patience and thorough cleaning with an enzymatic cleaner or a DIY solution using basic household cleaning supplies like vinegar. You’ll have to let the DIY cleaning solution sit for 24-48 hours, though, and may have to repeat the process if the stain lingers.
Yes, a urine-soaked mattress may be cleaned, but it’s best to act quickly. Sprinkle baking soda over the stain and let it sit for a few minutes to absorb the urine. After vacuuming up the baking soda, follow up with a homemade vinegar spray and sprinkle more baking soda over the site of the stain. After letting the baking soda sit for at least 8-10 hours, vacuum it up and repeat if necessary.
Yes, urine can ruin memory foam if the liquid penetrates deep into the fibers. This is because the excess moisture may lead to bacteria and mold growth. Clean up the urine as soon as you find it to reduce the chances of the mattress spoiling.
In addition to acrid stench, urine holds ammonia fumes and increases the risk of mold growth from moisture. You should always clean urine out of a mattress as soon as possible. If it stubbornly remains, repeat the process and apply enzymatic cleaners to try to thoroughly remove the smell.
Sleeping on a bed saturated with cat urine puts you at risk for mold exposure and difficulty breathing due to the ammonia. Repeat the cleaning processes for dry urine and use enzymatic cleaners to give your mattress its best chance. Most stains lift with vigorous cleaning, but it may be time for a new mattress if you find old or super stubborn stains.
