Disinfecting a Mattress

Updated on October 05, 2008
K.B. asks from Parkton, MD
27 answers

Help! My daughter wet MY bed this morning. I used OxyClean to wipe the area on the mattress that got wet and a few hours later I sprayed Lysol hoping to remove the odor, but the smell is lingering a bit. Any other helpful hints?? Thanks :)

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K.B.

answers from Charlottesville on

Try using the antibacterial Febreze or the pet odor Fabreeze. My daughter peed on my bed tons of times when I did not get the diaper on fast enough after bathtime and the febreze worked really well.

1 mom found this helpful
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H.P.

answers from Richmond on

Can you air out the room or take the mattress out in the sun? I think the odar will work away in time.

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N.R.

answers from Richmond on

Email me K. and I'll share what I used to pull the smell out of my bed when my 2yr old did the same thing.

EMAIL: ____@____.com

Take Care,
N. :) SAHM homeschooling 3 boys 12, 7 & 2 yrs old and married to my Mr. Wonderful for almost 15yrs. We love to help other moms, who want to be SAHMs, reach that goal. Could this be you or someone you know? If so, email me at ____@____.com.

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E.T.

answers from Washington DC on

You don't need to "disinfect" as urine is sterile.

Use "Nature's Miracle" or a similar enzymatic cleaner. They are available at the pet store. Skip "Simple Solution" though. In my experience it is useless.

The area needs to be saturated with the cleaner. The longer you keep the area moist with the cleaner, the longer the cleaner has to neutralize the smell. The smell should be gone when the area completely dries. If there is any residual stain, then just use a carpet or upholstery cleaner (Woolite Rug cleaner is my favorite).

I forgot to mention, you might want to invest in a waterproof mattress cover for your bed. We have one that protects our mattress similar to the one on our daughter's. It is terry cloth with a rubber backing. It is highly absorbent and will not let liquid through to the mattress. The one for our king-size bed was $75 or so, but it has already stopped many baby puke incidents from damaging our mattress.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.C.

answers from Washington DC on

try 'Natures Miracle'. I think that sell it at Babies R Us. They also sell it at Petsmart. It removes the urine smell.
M.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.M.

answers from Washington DC on

PetsMart has stuff I used to use on puppy pee. It's in a white bottle with I think - red lettering. Called "Nature's Miracle" It is an enzyme that you saturate the stain with and it actually gobbles up the urine & smell or whatever stain you get on things. It always worked for my dogs accidents - why not for people, too!?

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M.F.

answers from Washington DC on

The smell should disappear if you cleaned it. If not, try sprinkling some baking soda on it, or dabbing it with a baking soda/water mix--it's great for removing odors. Also, don't worry about disinfecting--did you know that urine is sterile? You can actually drink it if you're ever lost in the desert:-))

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N.B.

answers from Washington DC on

Hi, K. - Sol-U-Mel, by Melaleuca, gets rid of ANY smell or stain, and kills mold, mildew, and its spores - all without harmful chemicals! Please be cautious about the chemicals you are using in your home. I wish I had been introduced to Melaleuca when my children were small; I would have raised them chemical free. I'm happy to provide more info, if you'd like. Good luck! N.
saferforyourhome.com
melaleuca.com

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K.M.

answers from Washington DC on

Hi try nature's miracle. It's sold in pet stores, it works great! I used it when my neice wet my bed- no odors or anything.

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S.K.

answers from Washington DC on

I only scrolled down a little and I see you have lots of advice for getting the odor out.

I would also recommend getting a waterproof cover for your mattress. My daughter did this a few months ago and there's no way you can "spot clean" that. Fortunately for us, we have a Select Comfort, and, even though you're not supposed to, I washed the top, which you can unzip, in a large (very large!) capacity washing machine, on gentle, with Woolite, and then dried it for about an hour and fifteen on the lowest setting. So now the warranty is void, but my bed is clean!

NOTE: you may have to replace the mattress pads every two years or so. Test it, maybe in the kitchen or something, once in while. A previous poster is right, they're not like the old ones, or the ones you find in hotels. And they're not very expensive either, certainly less than buying anew mattress or reconditioning the one that's been soaked. Get two, so when one's in the laundry...

Good luck! -S

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S.H.

answers from Washington DC on

actually this same exact thing happened to me ..isnt that funny? i did the same thing you did first time out..but the second i did some research online and found the old fashioned borax does the trick..ive used it at its wonderful..just goes to show you that some grandma's tricks never become out of date!! just dampen the spot rub in the dry powder (becomes pasty) let it dry..i used a fan or blow dryer to speed things up a bit =) then vacuum up..simple. the borax itself doesnt smell so i still febreeze it..but its not because it doesnt eliminate the smell of the urine but it just makes it smell fresh =) hope this helps! ~S.

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A.R.

answers from Richmond on

I know vinager is the only thing that gets out cat urine, so you might give it a try. We got a waterproof matress pad (at Wal Mart) to put over our mattress in case my water broke in bed. They make really nice ones now, that don't feel like the old timey plastic ones. We have had it on there for 2 years now and never noticed it. My daughter wet our bed one time, and it was so easy just to throw in the washer.

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N.F.

answers from Washington DC on

Use equal parts of white vinegar and water to saturate the area. Blot up as much as you can with towels and then cover with a layer of baking soda. When the baking soda is dry just vacuum it off.

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L.R.

answers from Washington DC on

Yep, you don't have to disinfect any more! I'd avoid the harsh chemicals for cleaning up urine next time, too--those chemicals are going into the mattress you sleep on you can't wash them out. If the smell is still lingering, you can try the simple and non-toxic solution - baking soda. Sprinkle on plenty, rub in into the surface of the mattress a bit, and give it all day to dry thoroughly (baking soda will also help pull out any remaining moisture). Then use the hose attachment on your vacuum to vacuum up the soda completely. You may have to do it twice if it's really smelly but it does work for us. Keep lots of baking soda around as it's great for this!

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W.S.

answers from Norfolk on

My son did this also, on my brand new mattress. I blotted up with towels, then used the baking soda method described below. Don't be shy...use lots!! Wait the rest of the day and let it really get good and dry, then vacuum. Then get yourself to the store and buy a waterproof mattress pad for your bed. Doesn't interfere with sleeping one bit, and it eases the mind!!!

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T.H.

answers from Norfolk on

they sell stuff you put on animal pee, oxy clean and protect...we got it at walmart. and they have a foam spray that smells nice too.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.H.

answers from Washington DC on

Try Nature's Miracle. You can get it at any pet store. It works but takes a couple of weeks to completely remove odor.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.W.

answers from Norfolk on

Maybe set it outsdie for wahile? I did that wiht a pac and play one time and the smell went away

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L.S.

answers from Washington DC on

The is the world's best and cheapest odor remover.
1 cup hydrogen peroxide
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 drop dishwashing liquid (like dawn)

Stir together gently. Spray area until it is throughly wet. Let dry. Repeat if necessary.

I've used this on my mattress when my cat was in her obnoxious phase and it worked great.
L.

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N.B.

answers from Dover on

My son has done this quite a few times, and I finally got a great solution from my friend's Mom Mom. Saturate the area of the mattress that was urinated on with White Vinegar (do not dilute). Then put a thick towel over the spot to absorb the liquid. It will be dry within a few hours, the vinegar smell is strong, but it fades soon, especially after you make the bed. This is the only thing that saved my mattress during the potty training phase. Good luck.

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N.L.

answers from Washington DC on

K.,

My son did the same thing and my mother-in-law is the one who told me to get "20 Mule Team Borax" from the store. I could only find it in the grocery store with the laundry detergant. WOW, when I read the back of the box to see what it does it can be used for lots of household items. My neighbor even borrowed it to use on her mattress as well.

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E.S.

answers from Richmond on

K.,

Luckily I have never had to do this but I have been told for the kids beds to use baking soap or powder, cant remember whic one it is, it is the one that use put in yout frig to help keep it from stinking. Sprinkle this on the wet spot and let it sit, I would let it sit all day if possible, then vaccum it up. It is supposed to absord the liquid and smell. Good luck.

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A.P.

answers from Washington DC on

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

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A.G.

answers from Norfolk on

Try vinegar and pine-sol (not necessarily in that order, and not together!).

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J.C.

answers from Norfolk on

Try using a solution of vinegar and water. It has worked well for me on my son's bed. The vinegar smell is very strong at first, but it does go away.

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K.W.

answers from Washington DC on

Hello,

Invest in a mattress pad it is the best thing you can buy and when the kids wet the bed it doesn't go through to the mattress.
K.

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L.V.

answers from Washington DC on

Baking soda works like a charm. Pulls the wet out of the mattress and takes the smell with it. Put lots on and just vacuum off. Also works great on carpet!

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