How to Remove Urine from your Mattress

I recently had a emergency when my cat decided that my lovely duvet and mattress would be the best place to pee rather than her super duper clean litter tray.After a day of deep cleaning the the duvet and sheets, I had to find a solution to remove the urine smell and stain from the mattress. After googling I found various recommendations for this recipe. As it worked so successfully for me, I had to share this with you all.You need the following:

• a. Baking Soda

• b. White Vinegar

• c. Dishwashing Detergent (I used Tide powder)

• d. 3 % Hydrogen Peroxide (10Vol) - if you don't have hydrogen peroxide on hand you could substitute it in an emergency for a spray laundry stain remover. Check the bottle. If it says 'Oxy' anywhere on the label then it probably contains hydrogen peroxide. Most UAE supermarkets sell Oxyclean.

• e. Paper towels

• f. Old towels

• g. Old toothbrush or scrubbing brush

 Here is how to clean the urine and stain:

1. If the urine is recent, blot up as much of it as you can using paper towels or a sponge. Apply plenty of pressure to reach the dampness deep down. If you own a wet/dry vacuum cleaner extract as much of the moisture as you can. If the urine has dried proceed to step two.

2. Mix a solution of 50% vinegar and 50% water in a jug or other container. Pour a small amount of this solution over the area of cat urine. Then begin blotting (as described above to soak up this solution). Or use a wet/dry vacuum cleaner. Continue until you have covered the whole area (note there will be a strong smell of vinegar).

3. Sprinkle a good handful of baking soda over the area.

4. Mix a quarter of a cup of 3% (10 Vol) hydrogen peroxide with a teaspoon of dishwashing detergent and drizzle it over the area where you have sprinkled the baking powder and work it in using your fingers or use a brush.Allow fifteen minutes for the solution to work and then begin blotting again. (Don't use wet/dry vaccum at this stage, just blot)

5. The mattress must now be left to dry thoroughly. A good indication is when the baking soda feels completely dry. Next vacuum up the dry baking soda thoroughly. The baking soda absorbs the odor and urine. (Use a hard bristled brush to loosen up the baking soda if necessary).

6. If you live in a sunny climate (such as the UAE) and are able to move the mattress, put the mattress out in the sun to dry. You can also assist the drying process by using a hairdryer, fan or heater.I couldn't move my mattress out onto my balcony, so left the mattress to dry for 2 days (thankfully I have a sofa bed I could use!). If the stain/smell has not disappeared completely, repeat the process. After two days of drying the stain had disappeared and the area was pure white. I did take a photo, but it is not clear enough to show the change in colour fully - just take my word for it!

The same method should work for your sofas and for other stains such as food and coffee. It may even work for blood...Let me know if you use this method to remove stains and how it worked. 

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