How to Clean Urine from Memory Foam

Miss Jennifer said, “I have a memory foam mattress that I have had an accident on and so had my 4 year old daughter. Can you please help me how to clean this as basic as possible? x”

You Will Need:

• Paper towels
• A diaper
• Books
• Water
• Pet enzyme cleaner or
• A homemade solution:
  • 1 quart hydrogen peroxide
  • 1/4 cup baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon liquid dishwashing soap
• A vacuum

Steps to Remove the Stain:

1. For fresh stains, blot the area with paper towels to remove as much urine as possible. Firmly press the paper towels into the area to help soak up any urine that has seeped into the foam.¹ Alternatively, you can lay a Pampers diaper over the area and lay a few books over the diaper, leaving that in place for an hour to soak up the moisture. The diaper works well because it contains super-absorbent flakes.²
2. For older stains, blot the stain with a damp paper towel or cloth to remove as much urine residue as possible.¹
3. To use a pet enzyme cleaner, look for one in the pet aisle of most supermarkets. Some good choices are Nature’s Miracle Urine Destroyer, Nature’s Miracle Stain and Odor Remover or Kids ‘N’ Pets Stain and Odor Remover.¹ Follow the instructions on the label of your selected cleaner. The usual directions will be to pour it onto the stain and let it soak deep into the foam. The rule of thumb is to use a little more enzyme cleaner than there was urine so that it will soak in equally as deep as the urine did.¹
4. To use a homemade solution, mix peroxide, baking soda, and dishwashing liquid using the measurements listed above. Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle, then spray the urine stained area. You will need to spray more for urine that has soaked into the foam, less for surface stains. Try to only use as much moisture as necessary. Press down on the foam on the wet spot to distribute the liquid better into the foam for a more thorough cleaning.
5. Let the mattress dry. For memory foam, this may take several hours or even several days. Pointing a fan onto the area can help to speed drying time, however, the enzyme cleaner needs time to work, so wait a while before using the fan.
6. Vacuum the area to remove any residue from the cleaner.
7. This process can be repeated as many times as needed. A repeat of the process is most likely to be needed in areas that have dry climates because the cleaner doesn’t have enough time to work. If you live in a dry climate, covering the area with plastic wrap can help to hold in the moisture for longer.¹
8. If any smell remains once the area has dried, sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda over the area and let it sit for several hours or overnight before vacuuming it up.

• Do not clean the area with any chemical before using the enzyme cleaner as it will make the enzyme cleaner less effective.³
• If you need to use the mattress before the enzyme cleaner has fully dried, put a folded bath towel over the spot, then put the mattress pad and sheets over the towel.
• Peroxide may cause some discoloration of the foam, so if using the homemade solution and a discoloration would bother you, test the solution on a small hidden area first.
• A plastic mattress cover can prevent the urine from soaking into the mattress, requiring less clean-up when accidents happen.⁴
• If you don’t have a plastic mattress cover, several cut-open trash bags can work, or a plastic painter’s drop cloth which is available for a couple dollars at most supermarkets and hardware stores.
• If bed-wetting is a consistent problem, try using a bed-wetting alarm.⁴

1. Pet Clean-Up Made Easy by Don Aslett
2. Joey Green’s Cleaning Magic by Joey Green
3. Don Aslett’s Stainbuster’s Bible by Don Aslett
4. 1,801 Home Remedies by Reader’s Digest