How to Get Cat Pee Out of a Mattress

How to Get Cat Pee Out of a Mattress

Do you have a cat at home? Well, you might have many memorable moments with your pet in that case. Cats are great companions, and they help you feel stress-free and happy. However, sometimes, your cat can cause many problems for you, especially if it does something out of its routine. Not peeing in the litter box is one such out-of-routine activity of cats, which can cause you to worry.

Human and pet urine tend to smell a lot, and when it is not done in the right place, you have to live with the stink for a while. Pet urine, especially that of cats, is stinkier than human urine as it contains a lot of chemicals, carbohydrates, fatty acids, and ammonia. So, when it pees on your mattress, it causes a stain immediately. Have you been trying different sorts of cleaning agents and DIY solutions to eliminate the smell and stain of cat urine from your mattresses? If yes, you have come to the right place!

Here, we give you a brief overview of different techniques you can try to get rid of wet and dry cat urine stains and smells from your mattress forever. However, before knowing how to get cat pee out of your mattress, let us understand why cats do it in the first place. This will help us get to the root of the problem and correct it, so we don't have to deal with any mess in the future.

Is There a Reason Why Cats Pee on Mattresses?

Cats are very sensitive animals. We must assure them of their privacy, comfort, and security at all times. New situations in your home can make the cat feel nervous. The birth of a baby, shifting to a new home, adding a new person to your life permanently, and bringing another pet home are some situations that can make your cat feel stressed. One of the key indicators of a stressful cat is when it pees at a place other than its litter box.

If the situation at home has not changed, but your cat has still peed on your mattress, it could be due to other medical issues. When your cat cannot control its bladder movement, it can pee urgently on the bed or anywhere nearby. Usually, bathroom accidents in cats occur due to medical issues like kidney stones, hyperthyroidism, arthritis, diabetes, and other infections. Please consult a vet without further delay in this case.

How Do You Remove Cat Pee Smell and Stains from Mattresses?

You have to do a thorough job while removing cat pee from mattresses because cats and other pets can sense even the slightest odor they leave in a place. Cats can quickly identify if they have marked a territory; they can come back and pee in the same place if they can track the scent. So, it is all the more important to thoroughly clean your mattress to ensure this does not happen. Here are some simple steps to follow to remove cat pee from mattresses.

Getting Rid of Fresh Cat Pee Stains

When you notice fresh cat pee stains on your mattress, you can clean it easily with the help of these simple ingredients, which might be a part of your kitchen already:

Things Needed

  • Baking Soda
  • Vacuum Cleaner
  • Clean and dry towels
  • Water (preferably cold)
  • Any cleaning detergent
  • White Vinegar
  • Spray Bottle

How to Clean

  1. Firstly, clean the mattress in the washing machine as quickly as possible when you spot urine stains. The fresh urine stains and smells will disappear when you quickly put them in the washing machine.
  2. If you still see signs of stains, blot the stained area with the help of a few clean and dry towels. You can also use paper towels. Ensure that the towels soak up the stains properly. Please remember to only blot the tissues over the stains and not scrub them, as this can cause the stains to spread. Keep replacing the towels until you notice they are no longer picking up wetness.
  3. Now, you can make a simple DIY cleaning solution to eliminate the cat pee signs. In a clean spray bottle, add two to three lids of any liquid laundry detergent of your choice. Add cold water and white vinegar to this. The water and white vinegar ratio should be 2:1. Mix the contents well. Spray generously on the stained area.
  4. Allow the solution to settle for about 15 to 30 min, depending on the intensity of the stains. After 15 to 30 min, blot the stained area with fresh and clean towels so that all the liquid is absorbed completely.
  5. If the cat didn't damage your mattress too much, the stains and smells would have vanished by now. However, if you still notice traces of cat pee signs, you can opt for baking soda. Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on the stained area and let it settle for about 10 hours. Yes, you heard that right! Baking soda is a magical cleansing agent, but it takes time to act. When you spread the baking soda on the mattress, ensure you keep the place safe from pets and kids.
  6. After about 10 hours, you can use your vacuum cleaner to clean the dried baking soda powder from your mattress. Your mattress should be sparkling clean by now. However, don't get disheartened if the stains or cat pee smell still remain. You can repeat the process of using white vinegar and baking soda as often as you want until you notice that your mattress is fresh and stain-free.
  7. If the cat pee odor is powerful, you can use an enzyme cleaner instead of regular laundry detergent. Since cat urine contains ammonia, it smells way stronger than human urine. The enzyme cleaner's chemicals will help break down the elements present in cat pee and eliminate the odor completely.

Getting Rid of Dry Cat Pee Stains and Smells

Have the cat pee stains become dry by the time you notice your mattress? Have they left a prominent mark? Is the smell too bad? Don't worry at all. Here are some simple ways to get rid of dry cat pee stains from your mattress and make them look as fresh as eve

Things Needed

  • Baking Soda
  • Vacuum Cleaner

How to Clean

  1. Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda all over your mattress, focusing primarily on the areas where the cat pee has left a mark.
  2. Use a vacuum cleaner to remove the dried baking soda powder from your mattress after about 10 hours. You will notice that your bed starts looking new and fresh now!
  3. However, if you still find traces of cat pee stains on it, you can repeat the process of soaking it with baking soda until you get rid of all the colors.

These are some of the simple and most effective steps to remove cat pee from your mattress. The best part of these techniques is that they are incredibly safe and can be tried with basic ingredients that you commonly find in your kitchen.

How Can You Keep Cats Away from Your Mattresses?

You had to try different tips and wait for long hours before seeing your mattresses fresh and good-smelling again after a rare bathroom incident with your cat. You would not want to go through the drill again, would you? So, here are some valuable ways you can try to keep your pets away from mattresses. After all, prevention is better than cure.

Using a Safe and Non-toxic Pet Repellent

Cats are very sensitive to certain smells. So, when you use these smells on your mattresses, you can keep the felines at bay. Here is a DIY method of making a pet repellent that you can use on your beds.

Things Needed

  • Essential Oil - about 20 drops (use any one of your choice, preferably the ones with strong smells like peppermint, eucalyptus, lemon, etc.)
  • Water - 1 to 2 cups (preferably cold)
  • White vinegar – 2 tablespoons

Mix these and spray a few drops on your mattresses every night. The pungent smell of these essential oils will repel your cats, and you will never have to smell cat pee on your beds again. Thanks to these basic but effective home remedies, you can enjoy a good night's sleep without worrying about dealing with cat pee on your mattresses again.

About the Author

Kirsten Heggarty
Website | + posts

Kirsten created The Pet Handbook with the aim of sharing her knowledge about pets, pet food, healthy habits, and more. All of her advice is based on years of her own experience with her pets, and feedback that she has received from grateful readers about her tips. If you want to know more please read the About Me page.