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How to Clean Dog Pee from a Mattress Download ArticleExplore this Article IN THIS ARTICLE 1 Remove any bedding from the mattress. 2 Blot up wet urine with a paper towel. 3 Combine warm water and vinegar to make a cleaning solution. 4 Spray the area with your cleaning solution. 5 Blot the area again with a paper towel. 6 Reapply the vinegar-water cleaner if you need to. 7 Sprinkle baking soda over the wet spot. 8 Vacuum the mattress after 8 hours. 9 Let the mattress air dry for 24 hours. 10 Use an enzymatic cleaner on urine stains. 11 Protect your mattress with a mattress cover. + Show 8 more... - Show less... Other Sections Video Tips and Warnings Related Articles Expert Interview References Co-authored by Laura Smith and Hannah Madden
Last Updated: February 4, 2025 Fact Checked
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This article was co-authored by Laura Smith and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden. Laura Smith is a House Cleaning Specialist and the Owner of All Star Cleaning Services. With over 16 years of experience, her team specializes in providing natural and eco-friendly house cleaning services. All Star Cleaning Services has earned the Association of Residential Cleaning Services International’s (ARCSI) Seal of Approval and maintained an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 109,929 times.
Your dog might be your best friend, but when they potty on your bed, you might not be feeling very warm and fuzzy about them. Fortunately, there’s no need to run out and buy a brand new mattress—cleaning up dog pee, even off of a mattress, is easier than you might think. In this article, we’ll tell you the step by step process for tackling fresh urine, tough stains, and odors so you can sleep peacefully again.
Steps
1
Remove any bedding from the mattress.
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Strip the bed right away and wash your bedding in hot water. Take off any blankets, comforters, and sheets, and throw them into the wash. Wash your bedding right away to avoid any stains from the urine.[1]X Trustworthy Source Cleveland ClinicEducational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
If the urine is old, treat your bedding with a stain remover before putting it in the wash.
Wash your bedding in hot or warm water to sanitize it and clean it completely.
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Blot up wet urine with a paper towel.
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Get as much moisture up as you can so it doesn’t soak into your mattress. If the urine is fresh, grab a paper towel and gently blot the urine up. Don’t rub or scrub the urine, since that can push it further into the fibers of your mattress. Keep blotting until the majority of the wetness is off of your mattress.[2]X Expert Source Laura SmithHouse Cleaning SpecialistExpert Interview [3]XResearch source
If you’re worried about getting urine on your hands, wear disposable gloves.[4]X Expert Source James SearsHouse Cleaning ProfessionalExpert Interview
3
Combine warm water and vinegar to make a cleaning solution.
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A vinegar-water cleaning solution quickly gets rid of urine odor. Fill a spray bottle 2/3 of the way full with warm water, then fill the rest up with white vinegar.[5]X Expert Source James SearsHouse Cleaning ProfessionalExpert Interview Vinegar is a natural deodorizer and disinfectant, so it’s a great way to get urine out of a mattress.[6]XResearch source
Don’t have white vinegar? Use apple cider vinegar instead.
You can also add 1 to 2 drops of lavender or citrus essential oil to make your cleaning solution smell great.
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Spray the area with your cleaning solution.
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Douse the entire area with the cleaner and let it sit for 5 minutes. Grab your spray bottle and spray a liberal amount of cleaner over the entire urine spot. Let it sit for about 5 minutes to give your cleaning spray a chance to work.[7]XResearch source
5
Blot the area again with a paper towel.
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The towel soaks up the cleaner and removes most of the urine. Grab another clean paper towel and gently blot the wet spot. Again, try not to rub or scrub the urine, since that could drive it further into your mattress fibers.[8]X Trustworthy Source The Humane Society of the United StatesNational organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare Go to source
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Reapply the vinegar-water cleaner if you need to.
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You may have to do multiple rounds of cleaning to get rid of urine. If your mattress still smells a little funny or has a dark spot, do the same thing again: spray it with cleaner, let it sit for 5 minutes, then blot it with a paper towel.[9]XResearch source
7
Sprinkle baking soda over the wet spot.
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Baking soda is a natural deodorizer, which is perfect for urine spots. Grab your baking soda and sprinkle a thick layer onto your mattress, covering the entire wet spot. You can’t put too much baking soda onto your mattress, so in this case, the more, the better.[10]X Trustworthy Source American Kennel ClubThe American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show. Go to source
Baking soda is also naturally absorbent, so it will help soak up any urine that has penetrated deep into the fibers of your mattress.
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Vacuum the mattress after 8 hours.
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Let the baking soda sit overnight to get rid of urine odor. In the morning, grab a vacuum and carefully vacuum up all of the baking soda. When the baking soda is gone, most of the urine and the cleaner you used should be gone, too.[11]XResearch source
Be sure to empty the vacuum out after you’re done to avoid clogging your vacuum’s filter.
9
Let the mattress air dry for 24 hours.
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Sleeping on a wet mattress can lead to mold or mildew. After you’ve cleaned your mattress, don’t put the sheets back on it just yet. Leave it uncovered to dry in the sun for about 24 hours to avoid any moisture problems in the future.[12]X Expert Source Laura SmithHouse Cleaning SpecialistExpert Interview [13]XResearch source
Even if your mattress doesn’t look wet, it could still be moist on the inside.
Advertisement 10
Use an enzymatic cleaner on urine stains.
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Enzymatic cleaners are great for odors and tough stains. If your mattress still smells like urine or has a dark spot on it, buy an enzymatic cleaner that’s made specifically for pet stains. Spray a liberal amount on the urine spot on the mattress, then wait the recommended amount of time on the bottle (usually 10 to 20 minutes). Blot the cleaner up with a paper towel, then let your mattress air dry again.[14]X Expert Source Laura SmithHouse Cleaning SpecialistExpert Interview [15]X Trustworthy Source The Humane Society of the United StatesNational organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare Go to source
It’s important to remove the urine smell completely from your mattress. If your dog can still smell their pee on the bed, they might think that it’s a potty spot, and continue to have accidents on it in the future.
11
Protect your mattress with a mattress cover.
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Mattress covers protect your mattress from future pet accidents. When you have pets or little kids around, accidents happen—it’s just a fact of life. If you want to avoid cleaning urine off your mattress in the future, invest in a mattress cover. These thin plastic covers protect the outside of your mattress, and they’re comfortable to sleep on, too.[16]XResearch source
Be sure you’re buying a mattress cover that fits your specific bed size.
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Tips
Encourage your dog to pee outside (and not on your bed) by immediately bringing them outside if they urinate inside the house.[17]X Expert Source Beverly UlbrichDog Behaviorist & TrainerExpert InterviewThanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Tips from our Readers
The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
It's essential not to use any harsh chemical cleaners like hydrogen peroxide to clean up pet stains because they could be toxic to your pets. Make sure any cleaner you use is labeled as "non-hazardous."
Keep your pets off your bed by spritzing your mattress with a mix of equal parts water and white vinegar along with a few drops of citrus essential oil.
Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement
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Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about cleaning up after your pets, check out our in-depth interview with James Sears.
↑ Beverly Ulbrich. Dog Behaviorist & Trainer. Expert Interview
About This Article
Co-authored by: Laura Smith House Cleaning Specialist This article was co-authored by Laura Smith and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden. Laura Smith is a House Cleaning Specialist and the Owner of All Star Cleaning Services. With over 16 years of experience, her team specializes in providing natural and eco-friendly house cleaning services. All Star Cleaning Services has earned the Association of Residential Cleaning Services International’s (ARCSI) Seal of Approval and maintained an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. This article has been viewed 109,929 times. 21 votes - 95% Co-authors: 7Updated: February 4, 2025 Views: 109,929 Categories: Dogs | Cleaning In other languages Portuguese Dutch Spanish German Japanese
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Yes No Advertisement If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Laura Smith House Cleaning Specialist Co-authors: 7Updated: February 4, 2025 Views: 109,92995% of readers found this article helpful. 21 votes - 95% Click a star to add your vote
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Download Article Explore this Article IN THIS ARTICLE 1 Remove any bedding from the mattress. 2 Blot up wet urine with a paper towel. 3 Combine warm water and vinegar to make a cleaning solution. 4 Spray the area with your cleaning solution. 5 Blot the area again with a paper towel. 6 Reapply the vinegar-water cleaner if you need to. 7 Sprinkle baking soda over the wet spot. 8 Vacuum the mattress after 8 hours. 9 Let the mattress air dry for 24 hours. 10 Use an enzymatic cleaner on urine stains. 11 Protect your mattress with a mattress cover. + Show 8 more... - Show less... Other Sections Video Tips and Warnings Related Articles Expert Interview References Co-authored by Laura Smith and Hannah Madden 
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Co-authored by: Laura Smith House Cleaning Specialist This article was co-authored by Laura Smith and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden. Laura Smith is a House Cleaning Specialist and the Owner of All Star Cleaning Services. With over 16 years of experience, her team specializes in providing natural and eco-friendly house cleaning services. All Star Cleaning Services has earned the Association of Residential Cleaning Services International’s (ARCSI) Seal of Approval and maintained an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. This article has been viewed 109,929 times. 21 votes - 95% Co-authors: 7 Updated: February 4, 2025 Views: 109,929 Categories: Dogs | Cleaning In other languages Portuguese Dutch Spanish German Japanese 
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Strip the bed right away and wash your bedding in hot water. Take off any blankets, comforters, and sheets, and throw them into the wash. Wash your bedding right away to avoid any stains from the urine.[1] 
Get as much moisture up as you can so it doesn’t soak into your mattress. If the urine is fresh, grab a paper towel and gently blot the urine up. Don’t rub or scrub the urine, since that can push it further into the fibers of your mattress. Keep blotting until the majority of the wetness is off of your mattress.[2] [3] 
A vinegar-water cleaning solution quickly gets rid of urine odor. Fill a spray bottle 2/3 of the way full with warm water, then fill the rest up with white vinegar.[5] Vinegar is a natural deodorizer and disinfectant, so it’s a great way to get urine out of a mattress.[6] 
Douse the entire area with the cleaner and let it sit for 5 minutes. Grab your spray bottle and spray a liberal amount of cleaner over the entire urine spot. Let it sit for about 5 minutes to give your cleaning spray a chance to work.[7] 
The towel soaks up the cleaner and removes most of the urine. Grab another clean paper towel and gently blot the wet spot. Again, try not to rub or scrub the urine, since that could drive it further into your mattress fibers.[8] Advertisement 
You may have to do multiple rounds of cleaning to get rid of urine. If your mattress still smells a little funny or has a dark spot, do the same thing again: spray it with cleaner, let it sit for 5 minutes, then blot it with a paper towel.[9] 
Baking soda is a natural deodorizer, which is perfect for urine spots. Grab your baking soda and sprinkle a thick layer onto your mattress, covering the entire wet spot. You can’t put too much baking soda onto your mattress, so in this case, the more, the better.[10] 
Let the baking soda sit overnight to get rid of urine odor. In the morning, grab a vacuum and carefully vacuum up all of the baking soda. When the baking soda is gone, most of the urine and the cleaner you used should be gone, too.[11] 
Sleeping on a wet mattress can lead to mold or mildew. After you’ve cleaned your mattress, don’t put the sheets back on it just yet. Leave it uncovered to dry in the sun for about 24 hours to avoid any moisture problems in the future.[12] [13] 
Enzymatic cleaners are great for odors and tough stains. If your mattress still smells like urine or has a dark spot on it, buy an enzymatic cleaner that’s made specifically for pet stains. Spray a liberal amount on the urine spot on the mattress, then wait the recommended amount of time on the bottle (usually 10 to 20 minutes). Blot the cleaner up with a paper towel, then let your mattress air dry again.[14] [15] 
Mattress covers protect your mattress from future pet accidents. When you have pets or little kids around, accidents happen—it’s just a fact of life. If you want to avoid cleaning urine off your mattress in the future, invest in a mattress cover. These thin plastic covers protect the outside of your mattress, and they’re comfortable to sleep on, too.[16] 
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