How to Get Urine Out of a Mattress
Updated July 2026
The short answer
A mattress cannot be rinsed or machine washed, so the goal is to lift the urine out — never to soak more liquid in. Blot up as much as possible first, then apply enzyme cleaner in controlled amounts and let it work. Enzyme cleaner matters because urine leaves proteins and uric acid compounds in the foam that regular cleaners and deodorizers only mask. The enzymes break them down, which is what actually stops the smell. Dry the mattress thoroughly afterward — airflow, a fan, sunlight if possible. A damp mattress interior invites mildew, which is a worse problem than the stain.
Before you start
You need: clean towels or paper towels, an enzyme cleaner (one labeled for urine), a spray bottle or careful pouring hand, a fan for drying. Optional: baking soda for residual odor absorption, a waterproof mattress protector for afterward.
Strip the bedding immediately and wash it separately — sheets and pajamas are machine-washable and straightforward.
The rule for everything that follows: use the least liquid that does the job. Urine soaks downward; flooding the area with cleaner pushes it deeper and extends drying from hours to days.
This page covers human urine — bedwetting, accidents, incontinence. Cat urine on a mattress is a different problem (the odor compounds are different and more persistent) and has its own guide.
Steps
For a fresh accident:
- 1Blot hard, immediately. Press dry towels into the wet area with real pressure — stand on them if needed. Keep swapping to dry towels until almost nothing transfers.
- 2Apply enzyme cleaner to the stained area. Dampen the area thoroughly but do not flood it. The cleaner needs to reach as deep as the urine did, and blotting first is what makes that possible.
- 3Let it work for the time on the product label — usually 10–15 minutes minimum. Do not blot during the dwell time.
- 4Blot up the excess , then leave the area to air dry with a fan pointed at it. Sunlight helps with both drying and odor.
- 5Check for odor once fully dry. If any smell remains, repeat the enzyme treatment — one more round is normal for a large accident.
For dried urine or old stains:
- 1Apply enzyme cleaner to rehydrate the stain — the enzymes only work on what they can reach in liquid form. Dampen thoroughly, cover the area loosely with plastic wrap to slow evaporation, and give it 1–2 hours.
- 2Blot, dry with a fan, and repeat. Old stains usually need two or three cycles. Yellowed discoloration may remain even after the odor is gone.
- 3Finish with baking soda if odor lingers. Sprinkle over the dry area, leave for several hours, then vacuum.
What not to do
- Do not flood the mattress with water or cleaner — liquid drives urine deeper and a soaked mattress core can take days to dry.
- Do not use heat (hair dryer on hot, steam) — heat sets protein stains and can damage foam.
- Do not just spray deodorizer or febreze-style products — masking the smell leaves the uric acid in place and the odor returns with humidity.
- Do not use chlorine bleach on a mattress — it damages foam, leaves fumes in something you sleep on, and does not remove the odor source.
- Do not remake the bed before the mattress is fully dry inside — trapped moisture leads to mildew.
- Do not skip the mattress protector afterward if accidents may recur — cleanup drops from an hour to five minutes.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get dried urine stains out of a mattress?
Rehydrate the stain with enzyme cleaner — dampen it thoroughly, cover loosely with plastic wrap to slow evaporation, and give it one to two hours before blotting and fan-drying. Old stains usually need two or three cycles. The odor responds better than the yellow discoloration, which may partially remain.
Does baking soda get urine smell out of a mattress?
Baking soda absorbs residual odor from the surface, but it does not break down the uric acid causing the smell — enzyme cleaner does that. Use baking soda as a finishing step on the dry mattress after enzyme treatment, not as the main fix.
Is human urine on a mattress treated the same as cat urine?
The method is similar — blot, enzyme cleaner, thorough drying — but cat urine is harder. It contains felinine, a compound that produces a much more persistent odor and usually needs repeat treatments with a cleaner labeled for pet urine. This page covers human accidents; the cat version has its own guide.
How long does a mattress take to dry after cleaning?
With a fan on the spot and good airflow, a properly-blotted area dries in 4–8 hours. A soaked area can take days — which is why the technique uses the least liquid possible. Do not put sheets back on until the spot feels dry and smells neutral.
Can a urine-stained mattress be saved, or should I replace it?
Most single accidents clean up fully with enzyme treatment. Consider replacement (or at least professional cleaning) when urine has soaked deep repeatedly, when odor persists after several enzyme rounds, or when the mattress has absorbed accidents for years. A waterproof protector afterward prevents the question from coming up again.
Dealing with a different surface or not sure how old the stain is? Use the Stain Rescue Tool to get a step-by-step plan for your exact situation.
Use the Stain Rescue Tool