Cleaning a mattress from stains and urine odor at home

Sleeping accessories: mattresses, pillows, feather beds, blankets are one of the main components of good sleep and relaxation. Careful care of them helps not only to preserve their beneficial properties, but also to extend their service life. One of the most important elements of a bed is the mattress. That is why it must be clean, free of odors, stains, and not infested with dust mites.

The most common stain on mattresses is urine stains, especially in families with small children or pets. It is best, of course, to put a mattress cover or a special cover made of moisture-repellent material on the product, which can be easily washed in a washing machine or washed and cleaned of stains. In addition, urine can be of different origins, which means the selection of methods for removing stains is different. For example, the level of acid in a child’s urine is significantly lower than that of an adult, not to mention a sick person. The composition of animal urine generally varies widely depending on sex, size, breed, etc. Therefore, to achieve a positive result in each specific case, an individual approach is required. But general recommendations can be given.

Removing baby urine stains and odor

Since the urine of children contains the least amount of substances that leave traces and odor on the mattress material (urea, uric acid and urochrome), it is easiest to get rid of these traces.

You can try to remove a fresh stain using a soap solution.The solution must be soapy, without the use of synthetic (chemical) detergents. In this case, it is desirable that too much moisture does not penetrate into the structure of the product. The contaminated area must be cleaned with a brush, while drying it with a towel.

It should be remembered that old urine stains are much more difficult to remove, and poor cleaning contributes to the accumulation of uric acids in the tissues of the mattress, the proliferation of microorganisms and an increase in unpleasant odor.

Removing adult urine stains and odor

With a mattress stained with adult urine, there is much more work. Here it is already necessary to use stronger cleaning chemicals, and they are not always harmless, especially when the mattress is used by a sick person or an allergy sufferer. Of course, in such cases, it is best to put a cover or mattress pad on the mattress, which can be easily washed in an automatic washing machine using strong chemical cleaners and high-quality rinsing. In families with a sick person, padded diapers are often used. Well, if the mattress is damaged, you can use the tips below:

1. Borax cleans urine stains perfectly. To do this, mix borax with water to a paste-like state and distribute evenly over the surface of the stain; Leave to absorb dirt for at least 10 minutes. Then remove the remaining mixture with a brush or rag, and, if possible, go over the top with a vacuum cleaner. It will probably not be possible to remove the yellowness completely, but there will be no smell.
2. To remove especially persistent urine odors, you can use an ammonia solution.To prepare the solution, you need to mix half a glass of ammonia and half a glass of hydrogen peroxide in a container with 2 cups of heated water. Using a clean rag soaked in the prepared solution, thoroughly treat the stain, then wash it thoroughly (you can use a sponge or other clean rag) and blot it with a dry towel. Carry out work with rubber gloves. To completely dry the mattress, you need to take it out into the sun.
3. You can remove the smell of urine by wiping the surface of the mattress with a clean white rag soaked in a vinegar solution.
4. You can also try removing urine stains from your mattress with a mixture of salt and lemon juice. To do this, they need to be thoroughly mixed until smooth and placed on the contaminated area. Leave in this position for a day, and then rinse and dry well so that there are no wet stains left.

Removing Old Urine Stains

Before taking the item to the dry cleaner, you can try using a solution of a soap mixture with baking soda. To do this, mix 100 ml of hydrogen peroxide (3%) with two tablespoons of baking soda. After the soda has completely dissolved, add a little liquid soap. Pour the resulting solution into a spray bottle and thoroughly treat the contamination. Dry the mattress well: you can use a fan, or you can take it out into the open air under the sun.

Removing Pet Urine Stains and Odors

The fact that pets can stain bedding, in particular the mattress, is often the fault of the owners themselves.Untimely cleaning after the animal or insufficient attention leads to pollution in the apartment, and things such as upholstered furniture, mattresses, clothing, which also have significant absorption of both moisture and odors, contribute to increased unpleasant odors and unsanitary conditions. To clean things, including a mattress, in cases of animal contamination with urine, it is recommended to use products that repel them and do not provoke them to “mark” again. Here are some tips for removing pet urine stains and odors from the surface of your mattress.

1. First of all, it is recommended to use special products to neutralize animal odors, which are sold in pet stores.
2. A universal remedy used to eliminate odors from various animals, especially cats and dogs, is vinegar. Use a swab soaked in vinegar to wipe the stained areas and then rinse with water. If the stain is small, you can dry it with a hairdryer, otherwise, take it out into the sun or use a fan. Instead of vinegar, you can use lemon juice.
3. Hydrogen peroxide solution removes urine odor well. You need to mix half a glass of peroxide with a glass of water and, always wearing rubber gloves, rub the stain, then rinse thoroughly with water.
4. Alcohol and vodka are also good at eliminating urine odors from both cats and dogs. In addition, the “marked” place treated with these means no longer attracts the animal.
5. The smell of urine can be removed with laundry soap. Dirt is rubbed off with a well-soaped brush and then rinsed.
6. Soda is used to remove stains by rubbing it into a pre-moistened area or diluting it in water to a paste-like state, and then applying it to the dirty surface and waiting for it to dry.After this, the dried soda is removed with a clean cloth and vacuumed.
7. The most common method against animal litter is bleach. You need to work with rubber gloves and very carefully so as not to damage the material of the mattress.

General recommendations for caring for mattresses

To keep your mattress clean and not spend a lot of time cleaning it, you can use the following tips:

1. To avoid infecting your mattress with dust mites, you need to wash your bed linen at least once every two weeks.
2. It is best to put a mattress cover or a special moisture-proof cover on the mattress, and vacuum it at least once a month.
3. After sleep, it is advisable not to immediately make the bed, but to let it air out and dry out from odors and body secretions.
4. Periodically, it is necessary to turn the mattress over, as a result of which both sides are evenly ventilated and dried.

It should be remembered that effective removal of persistent urine odor at home is impossible, since these liquids penetrate deep into the product. In order to completely remove extraneous odors, first of all, it is necessary to remove the substance that is the direct source of the odor, and this is only possible if the mattress is completely sanitized in a dry cleaner.