First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Lift solids with a rounded spoon without pushing them into the mattress, then blot liquids with white paper towels.
- Press a stack of paper towels onto urine until they stop coming up damp, then switch to fresh towels.
- Don't rub; work from the edges toward the center so the stain doesn't spread.
- Once the towels come up barely damp, the spot is ready for the steps below.
Old or dried pet stains on a mattress sink into the padding and foam underneath, so the mark you see is only part of the problem. Urine smell builds while the area stays wet, and memory foam can break down if it stays soaked, so drying all the way through matters as much as the cleaning. Recent urine responds well to a light treatment, while getting cat urine stains out of an older mattress spot takes extra patience.
Skip the soaking, since too much liquid is what pushes urine deeper into the foam. Before trying any new cleaner on this mattress, test a hidden corner first. If cat urine stains still smell after drying, a pet enzyme cleaner is the product to reach for.
Before you start
What mattress can take
Use with care4
- Water
- Oxygen bleach
- Enzyme cleaners
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
Avoid4
- Hot water
- Soaking
- Chlorine bleach
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
7 items
What you'll need
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- Upholstery vacuum attachmentLifts loose dirt and soil before any liquid goes on. (opens Amazon)
- Rounded spoonLifts solids without pushing them into the mattress.
- White paper towels or a clothBlots liquid up without spreading it. (opens Amazon)
- Pet urine removerUse a pet urine remover in a light spray, since mattresses take water with care. (opens Amazon)
- Clean cotton washclothRinses the cleaner out of the stain.
- Clean waterDampens the washcloth for the rinse.
- ChalkMarks old spots you find by smell or with a black light.
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5 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 5
Strip the bedding first
Take off the sheets and the mattress pad and set them aside to machine wash. For stains that remain on the bedding, the Sheets, Towels & Table Linens guide covers them. Leave the bare mattress exposed so you can reach the whole stained area.
Careful. Keep the sheets out of the dryer until both the stain and the odor are gone, since heat makes lingering odor harder to remove.
Step 2 of 5
Vacuum the loose dirt
Run the upholstery attachment over the stain and the area around it to pick up loose dirt and soil. Do this before any liquid goes on, so the cleaner works on the stain rather than the grit.
Step 3 of 53 minutes
Spray and let it stand
Spray a little urine remover directly onto the stain until it's completely covered. Let it stand for 3 minutes so it can work on the stain before you blot.
Careful. Spray only enough to cover the stain, since extra liquid lengthens drying time.
Step 4 of 5
Blot the cleaner out
Dampen a clean cotton washcloth with clean water and blot the treated area to rinse the cleaner out. Turn to a clean section of the cloth as it picks up the cleaner, so you don't push it back in.
Careful. Wring the washcloth out well so it's only damp, because extra water is more moisture the mattress has to dry.
Step 5 of 5
Let the mattress dry fully
Air dry the mattress completely after treating the stain, and keep the room airy so air can move across the surface. Check the middle of the spot by touch, not just the top, before you call it dry.
Careful. Dry it all the way through, since moisture left inside can let the mattress mildew.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for pet stains on mattress
Choose an enzyme-based pet cleaner, the type made for urine and other biological stains. Skip general spot removers, which aren't safe for a mattress.
Nature’s Miracle Dog Stain & Odor Remover, Enzymatic Cleaner, 32 oz
Nature’s Miracle Advanced Dog Stain & Odor Eliminator, Severe Mess
OdoBan Odor Eliminator & Disinfectant Concentrate
Rug Doctor Spot & Upholstery Cleaner
Utopia Kitchen White Flour Sack Towels
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on mattress, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light before using any heat. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
Each pass should pull less color onto the washcloth, and the spot should dry to the same shade as the mattress around it. A stain that has set looks the same after every round, and the smell still shows up once the area is fully dry and aired out, which means it has moved deeper into the padding.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your mattress
Memory foam mattress
Excess moisture can break down memory foam, so the light approach matters even more here. Spray only enough to cover the stain, and keep the blotting cloth just damp.
Give the foam time to dry all the way through before anyone sleeps on it again. Check the middle of the spot by touch rather than trusting the surface.
Cat urine
Cat urine follows the same steps, and the smell matters as much as the stain, since any pet can keep returning to a spot it can still smell. Give the drying stage extra attention, and don't assume the smell is gone just because the stain has faded.
Once the mattress is fully dry, check the spot with your nose again. If you still notice the scent, repeat the light treatment before the bed is made up.
Vomit or feces
The solids change the order: scrape them up first with a rounded spoon, then blot any liquid before starting the steps. Vomit can leave a wet, strong-smelling mark, so the steps below still apply once the area is clear.
When the solids are gone, treat the spot the same way as urine. Use the same light amounts and full drying time.
Box spring or foundation
Liquid can pass through the mattress into the foundation underneath, so check that surface as well. Use the same light treatment there, and keep it as dry as you'd keep the mattress.
Let the foundation dry completely before you put the mattress back on it. Then check the area for any lingering smell before the bed goes back together.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Old pet stains are often found by smell, so check the mattress in a dim room or with a black light if you have one, and lightly outline the spot with chalk. Then spray enough urine remover to cover the stain and a little of the area around it, let it stand 3 minutes, and blot it with a clean damp cloth.
A stain that has dried needs the same light treatment, repeated, and the mattress has to dry completely between rounds. Keep each round light, because the mattress can't take much moisture.
Realistically, an old spot may fade and lose most of its smell rather than vanish completely. If it still shows after the rounds are done, the vinegar backup comes next, and an upholstery cleaner is the final step if the stain persists.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on pet stains on mattress?
Many home remedies are made for other stains or other surfaces. Mattresses can't take hot water, soaking or chlorine bleach, so most home remedies are a poor fit and only a few work as a backup.
Helps1Skip4Avoid1
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't use an ammonia-based cleaner
Its smell resembles urine, and it can draw the pet back to the same spot. Stick with the urine remover from the steps, and keep ammonia products out of the room altogether.
Don't steam the mattress
Heat permanently sets urine stains and odor by bonding the protein into man-made fibers. Steam also kills the enzymes and bacteria that the cleaner depends on.
Don't leave the spot sitting
Bacteria break down urea while the spot stays damp, and that is what produces the odor. Treat it as soon as you find it, even if the visible mark looks small.
Don't skip the vacuum before you spray
Loose dirt and hair mixed with liquid can smear the stain and push it further into the fabric. Run the upholstery attachment over the spot first, then treat only the area you can see.
Don't leave the bedding on while you treat it
Sheets and pads soak up the urine you're lifting, and their moisture can keep the stain wet. Strip the bed first and put the bedding in the wash by itself.
Don't drown the spot in cleaner
Enough product to cover the stain is all you need, and extra liquid only stretches out the drying time. Spray a little, let it stand for the full three minutes, then blot.
When to call a professional
If the smell returns after the mattress has dried all the way through, the urine has probably reached the inner layers, and that's when a specialist is worth calling. Give them the mattress material, how old the accident is, and the products you've already used.
Questions
Which product should I use for pet stains on a mattress?
Pick a pet cleaner that is enzyme-based, since that is the kind built for urine. Pet stain erasers are fine only if they're that enzyme type, and general spot removers are off-limits on a mattress.
Why does my pet keep going back to the same spot?
Usually because the smell is still there. As long as a pet can smell its own scent on the mattress, it may keep returning, so the odor has to go along with the stain.
Does urine stain a mattress permanently?
Fresh urine is much easier to remove than urine that has dried into the fibers. Once it has dried and set, it may not come out fully, and the set-in approach is the best you can do.
Can I leave a towel on the spot to keep it wet overnight?
No. A mattress can't take a long, damp treatment, so the spot should be blotted and left to dry instead.
Should I test the cleaner on a hidden spot first?
Yes, it's a good idea. Try it on a hidden corner of the mattress, and check that the fabric doesn't change color or feel before you treat the stain.
What if I'm not sure what the stain is?
Use the steps here, which are light and don't call for heat. If the mark looks like something other than a pet accident, like oil or a dye, stop and check with a professional before you treat it.
How long until the sheets can go back on?
Not until the spot is dry all the way through, which can take a day or two because the inside of a mattress dries much more slowly than the surface. Keep a window open, leave the bedding off, and check by pressing a dry cloth into the spot. Anything still damp after 24 to 48 hours needs more airflow to keep mold from starting.
Can I wash the mattress cover after a pet accident?
Only if the cover is made to come off, and you should check the care tag before you try. Taking off a cover that wasn't built for it can void the warranty, so look at the maker's instructions first.
What helps once a urine spot on a mattress is completely dry?
After the spot is fully dry, give a stronger odor more time to fade, since a longer rest suits it better. Vacuum it off with the upholstery attachment once it's had time to work.
Pet Stains on other materials
Other stains on mattress
Start from the bigger picture
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.