As discussed in our mattress stain cleaning article, any type of liquid damage can completely ruin your mattress! Just like carpets and rugs, mattresses may be home to many allergens and provide a habitat for mold to grow, especially when it remains dampened for a long period of time.
You may try to salvage a mattress that has suffered minimal clean water damage. Strip the bedding from the mattress. Soak up excess water. Press towels, sheets, or other fabric into the mattress to absorb as much water as possible out the bottom and sides too.
If you don't have vinegar available, baking soda and hydrogen peroxide can be a great swap for getting pee out of a mattress. You'll want to make a mixture of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and liquid detergent: 1 part baking soda. 5 parts hydrogen peroxide.
Potential Damage: Exposure to rain can damage a mattress, especially if it's prolonged. It can lead to issues like mold, mildew, and weakened structural integrity.
Mattresses aren't designed to get wet, particularly those made from especially memory foam. Your mattress won't dry quickly, and if it stays damp for too long because of your cleaning efforts it can start to smell or even develop mildew. That will be worse than the situation you're dealing with now!
Signs of mold on a mattress include visible mold spots or patches, a musty odor, increased allergy symptoms, and any recent moisture exposure that could foster mold growth. It's important to identify and address mold early to protect your health.
If you notice a urine smell or a dried pee stain on a mattress, there's no reason to panic. You can still nurse that mattress back to health in a few easy steps. First, as with a fresh stain, toss the bedding and the washable mattress protector in the washing machine.
Urine can dry fairly quickly. In fact, it may virtually disappear within about two to four hours. But even if the mattress is no longer damp, the odds are good that you'll still be able to smell the presence of urine.
“The smell gets more concentrated over time,” Dr. Kornreich says. Additionally, once a urine stain dries, you may no longer see it without using a black light. But you can still smell it, and so can your cat, which can lead them to pee in that area again.
Types of mattresses and their lifespan
Most experts say that the average lifespan of a mattress is 8 to 10 years. The issue is not all mattress are the same. Mattresses come in many different types and qualities.
In general, a mattress that is only slightly damp may dry in a few hours with good air circulation, while a mattress that is very wet may take a day or more to dry completely. It's important to be patient and allow the mattress to dry completely before using it again to avoid further damage or mold growth.
Perspiration and body oils can also make their way into the top layers of your mattress, causing an overgrowth of bacteria and even lingering odor if not dealt with early and often. The same goes for drinks — coffee, tea and even water spills are absorbed into deeper layers of foam, making them very difficult to clean.
Use a fan or open windows to promote air circulation. Use a dehumidifier to remove excess moisture from the air. Sprinkle baking soda on the wet area to absorb moisture and eliminate odours. Flip the mattress periodically to ensure both sides are drying evenly.
hydrogen peroxide, 3 teaspoons of baking soda, and 2-3 drops of dishwashing liquid (the kind for your sink, not a dishwasher) into a spray bottle. Spray a generous amount onto the stain and wait until it dries. Once dry, you'll see the baking soda residue on top. Just vacuum this up when you're done.
Cover the stain in baking soda
Cover your mattress with baking soda while the fresh urine is still soaking in. Don't worry about soaking up excess moisture with paper towels. Leave the baking soda for 5 to 10 hours to absorb the pet wee as well as its odour.
Keep checking the spot as it dries. If you leave it damp it will start to mould and the fibres may become warped and damaged.
Using a dry towel, press down repeatedly to soak up the urine. Be sure you blot instead of wiping. Wiping will just push the urine deeper into the mattress — and that will make clean up a lot tougher. Some people who have a wet/dry vacuum use it to suck out the moisture as well.
A water-damaged mattress that is not properly cleaned can also be a dangerous breeding ground for mold, mildew and bacteria. If a hurricane has hit your home, consider that floodwaters often contain toxins and sewage that your mattress and other upholstered furnishings can absorb.
However traditional Mattresses are easily damaged from moisture such as sweat or urine from bedwetting. These moistures help the mattress become breeding grounds for mold, germs and bedbugs. They can hide within the mattress core and cause serious health issues or make you sick.
Mold growths, or colonies, can start to grow on a damp surface within 24 to 48 hours. They reproduce by spores - tiny, lightweight “seeds”- that travel through the air. Molds digest organic material, eventually destroying the material they grow on, and then spread to destroy adjacent organic material.
Quality sleep is essential for our overall health, and a good mattress plays a crucial role in ensuring a good night's sleep. Experts recommend replacing your mattress every 6 to 8 years, but there are factors can influence this timeframe.