Step 1: Apply Baking Soda Directly to Stain Rather than blotting up excess urine with a towel as you would normally, skip immediately to applying baking powder directly to the soiled surface. Baking soda absorbs moisture, and should darken in color as it draws the urine up and out of the mattress.
Aside from using bleach or white vinegar, you can actually make very powerful odor eliminators at home. Try mixing a cup of peroxide, three tablespoons of baking soda, and a couple drops of dish detergent. Spray the area, allow it to sit for about 20 minutes, and rub the area until the foul smell is eliminated.
It's in the science
There are two things that urine will do to a mattress if left unattended. Within 24 hours the mattress will start to smell like the inside of a men's public toilet and be warned, once that urinal smell sets in, it's almost impossible to remove.
As you've likely noticed, the smell of urine can linger long after the mess has been cleaned up. While it might seem like nothing gets rid of it, it's actually pretty easy to get rid of urine smell. You just need to get something that will break down uric acid—that's what causes the odor.
Urine usually has a distinct odor, but under normal circumstances, the odor is relatively mild and not too noticeable. Certain conditions, however, may cause your urine to have an unusual or unpleasant odor, which may raise concerns about a problem or abnormality.
Urine that contains a lot of water and few waste products has little to no odor. If urine becomes highly concentrated — a high level of waste products with little water — your urine may have a strong ammonia odor.
For best results in neutralizing urine odors in your mattress, spread a thin layer of baking soda out over the entire mattress surface. If a specific area smells more strongly, you can use a slightly thicker layer of baking soda. Allow the baking soda to sit, uncovered, for 5 to 10+ hours, and then vacuum it.
Not only is it nasty, it's also bad for your health! The ammonia that causes the stink can irritate the lungs and again, cause problems with the respiratory system. If you can smell it, you can breathe it, which means that bacteria is hurting more than just your nostrils.
After a night's sleep, urine is more concentrated and odorous as well as brighter yellow in color. Dehydration also increases urine concentration, causing stronger smelling urine.
The sad reality is that once a mattress has been soiled with urine, there is not much you can do beyond removing the stain. The moisture will quickly seep into the layers of foams and materials and the only solution to resolve it is to remove the bedding and allow the mattress to air out.
First of all, don't panic. All you need is an enzyme-based cleaner and some baking soda, vinegar, borax, or hydrogen peroxide. Removing urine stains can be a chore, but it's something you should do as soon as quickly as possible. Bed-wetting accidents can lead to bacteria and mold growth, ruining your mattress.
The combination of the three is often powerful enough to drive away strong urine smells. The solutions is eight fluid ounces of peroxide, three tablespoons of baking soda, and a few drops of dish detergent. It is best to test a small area first to ensure it does not discolor flooring, carpet or any other surfaces.
White Vinegar Method
Go a more natural route by using white vinegar to break down that powerful pee smell. This method works well for stains you can see and know exactly where they are. Mix 2 cups of water, 2 cups of distilled vinegar, and a cup of detergent in a spray bottle.
Febreze Odor-Fighting Air Freshener
This GH Seal-star spray quickly tackles airborne cooking odors, smoke, must and more with its cyclodextrin technology that surrounds odor molecules and pulls them from the air. And all this performance comes at a great price, making it our Best Value pick.
In addition, as gross as it might sound, surveys have shown that around 70% of all people pee in the shower. That urine can become trapped if not cleaned away properly, causing an ammonia smell to build.
Each night, our bodies release at least half a litre of water into the air through perspiration and our breath. If this moisture has nowhere to go, the excess dampness can cause the growth of mould in your room. If your room lacks good ventilation, then you'll wake up in a bedroom that smells bad.
Results of the present one month long study showed that many male and female participants were aware of difference in smell of urine of either sex. Those who correctly identified urine samples reported the smell of male as racy or pungent and that of female as piquant or poignant.
Newton says a pigment called urochrome, or urobilin, causes the yellow color in urine. Your kidneys filter out this byproduct from your bloodstream and it exits your body in urine. The more fluids you drink, the lighter the color of the pigment in your urine. The less you drink, the stronger the color.
Is clear urine always a good thing? In most cases, clear urine is a sign that you're well hydrated. And that's a positive thing because good hydration helps your body function at its best. But, in some cases, clear pee may mean that you're drinking too much water and you're too hydrated.
Fish Odor Syndrome
Also called trimethylaminuria, this genetic condition can give your pee a fishy smell. It happens when your body can't break down trimethylamine. You end up getting rid of the compound through your pee, sweat, breath, and other fluids.
Opt for Baking Soda
Baking soda naturally neutralizes odors. Sprinkle it liberally on the damp area or even an old urine stain, and work the powder gently into the fibers of any fabric, rug or carpet. Let the baking soda sit overnight for maximum odor absorption, then vacuum it up to remove the smell completely.
A waterproof mattress protector is the very first thing you can do to keep the mattress protected from urine stains. Some mattress protectors are designed with a bottom waterproof layer that stops all sorts of liquids in their tracks and prevents moisture from reaching the top of the bed.