Okay, I know this is an unpleasant morning topic. However, even older children still urinate in their beds sometimes and so there are many years of cleaning mattresses ahead of all of us. I found this British website called House of Strauss: it is a holistic website that had thorough advice on the subject and another site called Newsdial that suggests a few different methods. Newsdial’s instructions are listed at the very bottom. Everything I read on the subject cautioned to be sure that the mattress doesn’t become so wet that mold grows within the mattress. If that occurs, without hesitation, everyone suggests dumping the mattress. Looks like mattress pads are the cheapest way to go!
From House of Strauss: Using hydrogen peroxide (H202) helps
to eliminate this problem by tackling both the biological cleaning and
the pee stain removal. H202 is a strong bacteriaside. If you can follow
the path of the urine with a flush of H202 you can neutralise and
destroy any potential bacterial growth from the residual urine. H202
is also an oxidiser i.e. it removes oxygen. Oxidation will break down
the chemicals that form colours (staining) and other products that are
part of that stain. When they break down they are released from the
bonding that causes them to ‘stick’ in the fabric and hence the stain
is loosened or dissolved.
There are 4 elements that you need to satisfy in order to clean a mattress successfully
1) Biological cleaning
2) Odour removal
3) Stain removal
4) Drying
There is also a disclaimer!
Hydrogen
Peroxide is a mild bleaching agent and may take the colour out of the
mattress. Do a spot check first in an inconspicuous area.
Please
note, this is NOT a QUICK FIX routine. It takes effort on your part and
it takes time – around 2 hours to do a thorough job.
So, if you’re still interested, put your pinny on, roll up your sleeves and let’s get to work.
Collect together:
A large pile of towels / tea towels or any absorbent, washable fabric
3 % hydrogen peroxide
Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), borax or some regular washing up liquid
A soft brush or firm sponge
1) Biological cleaning.
You
need to remove as much of the urine as possible by blotting it up with
towels (You’ll get through heaps of them, so be prepared beforehand).
If the stain is fresh and wet then just apply lots of towels, lots of
pressure (press, DON’T rub) and keep going until no more liquid comes
to the surface (You may have to be prepared to keep going for an hour
or so). Once no more liquid comes up you need to saturate the
urine with hydrogen peroxide, leave it to work its magic for 5 minutes
and blot again with towels until the stain is dry. If the stain is
an old dry one then you can simply skip the initial blotting stage,
pour enough H202 to saturate the stain and start blotting until dry.All the towels can go in a regular machine wash when you have finished with them.
2) Odour removal
Sprinkle
on some dry bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) or borax onto the
mattress (make sure the mattress is virtually dry at this point
otherwise you will end up with a paste that is difficult to remove),
work it in gently with a soft brush or firm sponge and leave to work
overnight.
Vacuum the dry powder off the following day.Alternatively,
make up a solution of regular washing up liquid (1/2 tsp detergent in a
quart of warm water), agitate the water until you have lots of suds and
apply the SUDS with a soft brush. Work your way in from the outside of
the area you are cleaning and remember to frequently change the suds.
Work with an almost dry brush in small areas at a time.
3) Stain removal
The
application of H2o2 should already have addressed this, but if you
skipped section 2 you may need to gently rub in a little dry borax as
suggested if stains still persist. You may find that you need to repeat
the entire process from step one if you have not fully succeeded.
4) Drying
It
is vital that your mattress is thoroughly dry otherwise you have the
ideal breeding ground for bacterial, viral or fungal growth. The best
possible way to dry your mattress is outdoors in the sunshine, although
we appreciate that is not practical for all. The sun has disinfecting
and mild bleaching qualities and the fresh air will help to further
neutralise any odours. If this is not possible you will have to air
the mattress thoroughly in the house – preferably by lying the mattress
on its side to allow a free circulation of air.
Please don’t put your mattress back onto the bed until it is completely dry!
From Newsdial
How to Clean Mattress Stains Using the Gentle Dry Suds Method
When working a stain out of a mattress, it is typically best
to try out the gentlest method first. Many mattress manufacturers
recommend trying the “Dry Suds” mattress cleaning
method. This method typically works best on a fresh stain, but
mattress cleaners have had success with removing older stains
with this method as well. It is an inexpensive first method,
so it is worth a shot before having to move on to expensive cleaners
(or, worse yet, having to buy a new mattress).When attempting
the Dry Suds mattress cleaning method, you will need some mild
dry
powdered detergent, some warm water and an electric mixer or egg beater. Put about a quarter cup of the dry detergent
in a bowl and start slowly adding warm water to the mix. Don’t
add more than about a cup of water. Beat the water and detergent mixture with an egg beater or electric mixer on medium speed until
suds form. The suds will be frothy and thick. Take the layer of
suds off of the top of the bowl and rub them into the mattress
stain with a sponge. Continue to work the dry suds into the stain
until it begins to fade. If you have to add more suds, rinse the
sponge off with warm water and ring it out profusely before applying
back to the mattress. The idea is to keep the mattress as dry as
you can while cleaning the stain. Completely dry the mattress before
putting your sheets back on. You can use a gentle blow dryer or
fan on the mattress or just keep it uncovered until it completely
air dries.
How to Clean Mattress Stains Using Upholstery Cleaner
So, you try the Dry Suds method, wait for it to completely dry
and, low and behold, the stain is still there. This is a difficult
stain! If a mattress stain is particularly difficult, upholstery
cleaner may be the only solution, even though using harsh chemicals
on furniture is always risky. It may be best to go out and buy
heavy-duty upholstery cleaner to work the spot out of a mattress.
Using a biologically-based enzyme cleaner has been recommended to really break down tough stains and the odors associated with
them. Make sure you follow the instructions carefully and allow
the mattress to completely dry before covering with sheets or a mattress pad.
Removing Urine Stains From a Mattress
To remove urine stains from a mattress, try the hydrogen peroxide method. You can also try using white vinegar. If you attempt
to clean the spot with white vinegar, treat the stain with the same method as the peroxide, blot the stain with a towel from
the outside of the stain to the inside of the stain until it is removed.Because urine may seep further into the mattress, make sure you
cover the freshly cleaned area with baking soda to neutralize the
odor and leave the baking soda on the damp area overnight. The
next day vacuum the baking soda off the mattress. To further remove
the odor you may want to put a couple of drying sheets on the mattress before putting the bedding back on. Always remember,
no matter what stain you are trying to remove, try your best to
avoid dampening the inner mattress padding. If
the mattress’ padding has been dampened by cleaning liquids
or water it can be much more difficult to completely dry. If a mattress is not totally dry when covered with sheets and blankets,
remaining moisture can cause mold and mildew to grow within the mattress. If this happens you will not only further damage your
mattress, you will start to notice a strong odor and can potentially get sick from mold and mildew.