How to Get Urine Smell and Stains Out of a Mattress: Step-by-Step

Whether your child has wet their bed or you’ve found that your pet has been using your guest bed as a litter box, we’ve got your back. You can remove most urine smells and stains with ingredients you may have lying around. 

As product experts, we’ve made our share of mattress messes during our testing. We’ve also had to clean up after accidents from our pets and children, so we’re very familiar with getting out urine stains. We’ve put together this comprehensive guide to help you get your mattress clean from urine stains and keep it that way.

How to Clean Urine From a Mattress: Step-by-Step

Stains get worse the longer they have time to sit. You may not always be able to clean urine as soon as an accident happens, but you should try to take care of it as soon as possible. If you act quickly, you can keep urine stains from setting in and prevent odors with a few simple steps.

What you’ll need to clean urine from a mattress:

• Clean towels, rags, or paper towels
• An empty spray bottle
• Cold water
• Distilled white vinegar
• Laundry detergent
• Baking soda
• A vacuum cleaner
• For pet messes only: enzyme cleaner

As soon as possible after discovering the mess, follow these cleaning instructions:

1. Step 1: Remove bedding and launder it. Immediately remove any soiled sheets, blankets, or covers. The sooner you wash soiled sheets and blankets, the less time urine stains have to set. For best results, add a 1-pound box of baking soda and a cup of distilled white vinegar to the load.
2. Step 2: Blot urine on the mattress. Use clean towels, rags, or paper towels to blot the affected area of the mattress. Avoid rubbing because it can push urine deeper into the bed. Gently absorb as much moisture as you can.
3. Step 3: Create a cleaning solution. Combine equal parts water and distilled white vinegar in a spray bottle, then add 1-2 tablespoons of laundry detergent.
4. Step 4: Spray and blot the affected area. Spray the solution generously on all parts of the mattress that came into contact with urine. Wait 15 minutes to let the solution sit and break down the stain.
5. Step 5: Blot the area again. After the solution has had time to sit, blot the area again with clean towels, rags, or paper towels.
6. Step 6: Coat the area with baking soda. Spread a thick layer of baking soda over the affected area. Let the baking soda sit for at least 8 hours to absorb moisture from the mattress and help break down any remaining odor.
7. Step 7: Vacuum baking soda, and inspect the mattress. After allowing the baking soda to sit, vacuum it up. Check to see if any stains or odors remain. Repeat steps 3 through 6 as needed until stains and odors are gone.

For pet messes: It’s better to use an enzyme cleaner designed to neutralize pet urine instead of a homemade cleaning solution. The strong smell of distilled white vinegar in a homemade solution can cause some pets to engage in marking behaviors, which may lead to more urine stains in the future.

“It’s really best to clean any pet urine with one of those enzyme cleaners designed for pet messes. As a dog owner, I’ve tried getting stains out by hand when my puppy has an accident, but it’s so much easier when you use an enzyme cleaner.”

Logan Foley

Editorial Director

How to Remove Yellow Stains From a Mattress: Step-by-Step

If you didn’t catch a urine stain in time and it’s set in, don’t worry. It’ll take more time to clean dried urine stains, but you can still take action to get your mattress fresh and clean again. 

Here are two of our favorite methods for getting rid of old urine stains using household items.

Method 1: Vinegar Solution

Vinegar is good at breaking down urine stains, even dried ones. To get rid of yellow mattress stains using vinegar, you’ll need:

• An empty spray bottle
• Cold water
• Distilled white vinegar
• Laundry detergent
• Baking soda
• A clean towel

Once you have everything you need, follow these steps:

1. Step 1: Create the cleaning solution. Fill a spray bottle with a 1:1 mixture of distilled white vinegar and water, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons of laundry detergent. 
2. Step 2: Spray the stain. Thoroughly soak the stain with the solution, and don’t be afraid to use a lot. Large stains may go deep into a mattress, so it’s important to use enough cleaning solution to coat the entire stain.
3. Step 3: Let the mattress air dry. This may take several hours to several days, depending on the size of the stain and the humidity level of the room.
4. Step 4: Repeat as necessary. If the stain lingers, repeat steps 1-3 until the stain is gone. It may take several rounds of treatment to fully remove a stain.
5. Step 5: Blot to finish, then air dry. When the stain seems gone, use a damp washcloth with water to blot the treated area. Blotting will help remove any leftover residue and take away some of the vinegar odor.

Method 2: Hydrogen Peroxide Solution

Hydrogen peroxide is a natural bleaching agent, which helps it remove dried, stubborn urine stains.

For this method, you’ll need:

• An empty spray bottle
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Baking soda
• Dish soap or liquid laundry detergent 
• A vacuum cleaner

Once you have everything you need, follow these steps:

1. Step 1: Create the cleaning solution. Mix 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide, 3 tablespoons of baking soda, and a few drops of dish soap or liquid laundry detergent in a spray bottle.
2. Step 2: Spray the stain. Spray enough solution to dampen the stain and let it sit. Start with a small amount of solution and try not to use too much.
3. Step 3: Let the mattress air dry. As it dries, the baking soda will form a residue on the treated area.
4. Step 4: Vacuum the area, and inspect the mattress. Once the area is completely dry, vacuum it thoroughly to remove all the baking soda residue.
5. Step 5: Inspect the mattress and repeat as necessary. If the stain remains, repeat steps 1-4 until it fades. You’ll probably need multiple rounds of cleaning to remove a stain that’s set in deeply.

How to Get the Urine Smell Out of a Mattress: Step-by-Step

The more urine a mattress absorbs, the harder it is to eliminate the smell. Because foam quickly absorbs liquid, all-foam mattresses may be more likely to hold onto the smell of urine.

The distilled white vinegar solution and hydrogen peroxide solution we just told you about can both work to remove or reduce a urine smell. 

Here are a couple methods you can use to specifically tackle the smell of urine in your bed.

Method 1: Baking Soda Paste

Baking soda is great at removing the smell of urine. 

To draw out a stubborn odor with baking soda, you’ll need:

• Baking soda
• Distilled white vinegar
• A large mixing bowl and spoon
• A scrub brush (or an old, clean toothbrush for smaller stains)
• A vacuum cleaner

To harness the odor-eating power of baking soda, follow these steps:

1. Step 1: Create a baking soda paste over a sink. Mix equal parts baking soda and vinegar in a bowl to make a paste. Combining these products creates a lot of foam at first, so use a large bowl or container and combine them over a sink to contain the mess. 
2. Step 2: Apply the baking soda paste. Spread a thick layer of the paste over the affected area, then scrub it in with a brush. A clean scrub brush works best, but an old, clean toothbrush works in a pinch for smaller stains. 
3. Step 3: Let it dry. Leave the paste on the mattress until it dries. Timing varies depending on the size of the stain, but it may take an hour to a few hours to dry fully.
4. Step 4: Vacuum the area. Vacuum up all the dried paste, removing any residue.
5. Step 5: Inspect the mattress and repeat as necessary. Give the area a few minutes to air out, then check it for any lingering odors. Repeat steps 1-4 until the smell fades.

“Baking soda paste is an old go-to stain and odor fighter, and many people have the ingredients lying around. My grandmother taught me about it ages ago when my younger cousins were wetting the bed, and I still use it today for all kinds of stains. It’s that good.”

Daniel Noyed

Senior Product Editor

Method 2: Enzyme Cleaner

If your pet has urinated on the mattress, you’ll want to use a pet-specific enzyme cleaner. Pet urine can smell worse than human urine because it is more highly concentrated, and pet urine odors are much more difficult to get out. It’s also important to remove the odor of pet urine, because if pets can smell it, they may urinate there again.

Enzyme cleaners work well for pet messes because they break down the odor-causing components of pet urine. They’re typically non-toxic and biodegradable. Some enzyme cleaners also contain ingredients, such as essential oils, intended to deter pets from marking.

You can purchase enzyme cleaners at grocery stores, pet stores, and online. Choose one designed to treat urine messes for your particular type of pet. Follow the product’s instructions for best results.

Tips for Preventing Future Stains and Smells

If you’ve recently bought a great mattress, you’re probably wondering how to keep it free from urine stains. Try some of our expert tips to keep your mattress fresh and urine-free:

• Limit liquids before bedtime. If bedwetting is a consistent problem, limit the amount of liquid consumed in the hour before sleep. If you or a child in your care feels thirsty, you can sip water, but steer clear of caffeinated beverages, like soda and tea.
• Schedule visits to the bathroom. Encourage children to use the bathroom before going to sleep. You can also try waking the child and having them visit the bathroom later in the night, potentially before you go to bed.
• Give pets regular opportunities to urinate. For pets who urinate outside, make sure to take them out regularly.
• Clean your bedding regularly. Pets are more likely to mark bedding with strong smells, and cleaning your sheets at least once a week can help ensure that your bed stays odor-free.
• Keep pets off the bed. If a pet has established a pattern of marking the bed, consider keeping the pet out of the bedroom. If this isn’t possible, remove bedding that the pet might associate with marking. You might also try a pet training mat designed to deter marking behaviors.
• Protect your mattress. If future accidents seem likely or unavoidable, a waterproof mattress protector or mattress cover can prevent urine from absorbing into your mattress. These products make cleanup easier and can prolong the life of your mattress, maintaining its quality, color, and fresh smell.

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