Cats are one of the most favorite companions for many people across the world. They’ve turned out to be the bread and butter for quite a lot of comical internet memes due to their loving and independent attitude. Numerous studies have shown that having a cat around can improve your social life, relieve stress and improve sleep.
But then again, these witty creatures can become a nuisance when they accidentally urinate outside the cat litter box. If your cat pees on the mattress, you need to get rid of it fast because it’ll be difficult to deal with the resulting smell if the stain sets in. Today we feature an ultimate guide on how to get cat pee smell out of mattress and neutralize the irksome odor completely to prevent your feline friend from becoming a repeat offender.
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Supplies Needed:
- Distilled white vinegar
- Liquid dishwashing soap (Dawn)
- Empty spray bottle
- A roll of paper towels or clean rags
- A few cups of water
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Enzymatic cleaners (optional)
- Baking soda
- Wet-dry vacuum cleaner
Disclaimer: Before using any ingredient listed above, first do a spot test on a small, inconspicuous area of your mattress to guarantee safety for your bed.
How to Clean Cat Pee Smell Out Of Mattress – Steps to Follow
Absorb the Excess Urine
Using paper towels or clean rags absorb as much wet urine as possible from the mattress. Press the absorbent towels firmly into the mattress to suck up the wet urine. Try not to rub the towels too hard into the mattress as you may end up working the urine even deeper into the material beneath.
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A blotting method is the most preferable option for absorbing the excess cat urine on the mattress. Replace the towels with dry ones immediately they become too soggy, and continue absorbing the urine until the towels come out dry. Remember to launder the used towels immediately to get rid of the pee smell; otherwise the cat may mark a peeing territory on them again.
Saturate the Spot With Water
Take the mattress outside if the weather is mild and there is no rain, then rinse the affected area with about 4 cups of clean water. You can lay down a sizeable plastic sheet on the mattress to protect it from attracting dirt. Concentrate the water on the urine spot to avoid soaking the rest of the mattress.
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Dousing the affected area with enough water will saturate the urine and dilute the smell. Once most of the urine smell has been flushed out, absorb the excess moisture by pressing a dry towel or rag on the mattress. You might also want to remove the excess liquid using a wet/dry vacuum cleaner.
Choose Your Preferred Cleaning Agent
There are different products that can be used to get cat pee smell out of mattress. You can use enzyme cleaners for the job as they’re specially formulated to break down organic matter (such as food and blood) in the cat urine. If you choose to use biological enzyme cleaners, sprinkle about ½ or a full cup on the affected surface depending on the size of the stain.
You can also try other household products like a vinegar solution. Mix about ½ cup white distilled vinegar with equal parts water and sprinkle the solution liberally on the affected spot. You can also mix ½ cup hydrogen peroxide with equal parts water and 1 tsp liquid dishwashing soap. Then gently squirt the solution over the affected area.
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Allow the Cleaner to Work and Absorb the Excess
After spreading your preferred cleaning agent over the urine spot, allow it about 10-15 minutes to soak in and to dilute the odor. Leaving the cleaner to soak in for a few minutes will allow it to penetrate deep into the stain and break down the urine. It’s advisable to at least open the windows or run a ceiling fan to increase the airflow and accelerate the process.
Now, after the 10-15 minute time has elapsed, soak up the excess cleaning solution from the mattress using fresh paper towels. Blot it up as much as possible to pick up the excess solution, but try not to press the paper towels too much into the mattress as this could send the liquid deeper making your job harder. Continue blotting until all the excess cleaner, urine and water has been fully absorbed from the mattress then wash the dirty towels immediately.
Sprinkle Baking Soda Paste
Often used in baking, baking soda is a low-cost and non-toxic substance that precisely pulls out moisture and eats away stubborn cat pee smell. More often than not, it’s used to neutralize odors in refrigerators and closets. To apply baking soda, first make a paste of it and dampen the affected area with water.
Then, sprinkle a liberal amount of baking soda paste over the soiled area of the mattress until it fully covers both the stain and its outside edges. Allow the baking soda paste to work on the stain for at least 8-10 hours so that it can pull out cat urine odors and moisture out of the mattress. Baking soda will start caking and clumping up as it soaks in the vinegar, taking the disgusting odor with it. It’ll also turn yellow after absorbing the urine.
Allow the Mattress to Dry
After applying the baking soda paste, allow your mattress to dry out completely. Usually, a mattress could take between six hours and 3 days to fully dry out depending on the material and density. Make sure the mattress is naked and without covers, sheets or blankets for expeditious dry-up.
For better evaporation, leave the mattress outside to dry out in the sun (if the weather permits), and make sure nothing obstructs the airflow. Alternatively, turn on a ceiling fan and keep it directed to the spot. If you’re going to sleep on it, cover the stained spot in towels and make your bed just normally. Don’t forget to place the mattress in drying mode as soon as the sun rises.
Vacuum Up
Vacuuming up the baking soda is the final step of the mattress cleaning process. You can repeat the whole process in the event the cat pee smell is still lingering around the stained area. But if the odor is completely vanished, go ahead and vacuum up or brush off the mattress.
Brushing or vacuuming is intended to remove the dried powder residue from the mattress. Preferably, work your vacuum cleaner into all folds, cracks and crevices until all the soda is removed. This step is crucial because baking soda can be gritty if it absorbs moisture.
Wrap-Up
Hopefully, these simple procedures will help you get cat pee smell out of mattress and achieve a more peaceful and relaxing sleep. Even while these guidelines will get your mattress cleaned safely and naturally, you need to take a few steps to ensure your feline friend won’t pee on the same spot again and again. Protect your bed from future mess by keeping your cat off your bedroom and ensuring that its litter box is easily accessible, safe and attractive.