Your child has grown out of the training stages but still wets the bed from time to time, and you’re wondering how to dry or clean a mattress after bedwetting? Or maybe they’ve been climbing into your bed at night and you’ve realized, a little too late, that they’ve had an accident all over your mattress.
Whether it was your not-so-potty trained toddler, a pet, or an adult who had an accident, we’re happy to tell you can dry and clean your mattress after an accident. That’s why we’ve prepared this guide to clean a bed (or any material furniture) after an accident.
Accidents happen! Not to worry, here's how to clean your mattress after a bedwetting accident and a few tips to prevent leaks in the future with mattress protecting pee pads (and no diapers!).
How to Clean Your Mattress After Your Child Wets the Bed
What you’ll need to clean urine out of your mattress:
- Cold Water
- Vinegar
- Baking Soda
- Laundry Detergent
- A Damp Towel
- A Vacuum Cleaner with a Hose Attachment
Step 1: Strip the bed
First, you’ll want to remove your sheets, comforter, and fitted sheet from the bed. Throw them in the wash on a regular cycle and get back to the accident as soon as you can. The faster you can clean it up, the more effective you’ll be.
Step 2: Create a cleaning agent with pantry items
Making a cleaning solution is easier than you might expect. The exact amount you’ll need depends on the size of the affected area, but here are some general guidelines:
- For every one cup of water, use one cup of vinegar and 1 tablespoon of laundry detergent.
- Use a spray bottle to mix the ingredients together and begin spraying the affected area. Spray it thoroughly and slightly beyond the wet spot.
Step 3: Use a damp towel to blot
After applying the vinegar and water solution, you'll want to dry the mattress. Blot the spot with a damp towel. Keep repeating this process until the colour is gone from your mattress.
Step 4. Apply baking soda
Sprinkle baking soda liberally over the entire area. This magical ingredient will start working immediately to absorb excess moisture and neutralize any lingering scents. Leave this on your mattress as long as you can – 8 to 10 hours is ideal. The longer you leave it on, the better it will work to eliminate odours.
Make sure you’re using a new box of baking soda, rather than one that’s been open in the fridge or freezer – you want it to remove the odour, not add new food odours to the mattress!
Step 5. Vacuum
After you’ve waited for 8 to 10 hours, use a vacuum to remove the baking soda and remake the bed using fresh linens.
Step 6. Get an absorbent pee pad
Now that you’ve run into this new parenting challenge, you might want to arm yourself with a more straightforward solution. We created the PeapodMat because we know just how much work it is to clean up after a nighttime accident.
This mat is designed to hold up to 6 cups of liquid, whereas the average urine output is 1 cup. The mat quickly absorbs and holds the urine, which prevents it from transferring onto bedding or clothing. In addition, our mats are machine washable, dryer safe, and leakproof for up to 500 washes!
With PeapodMats, you won't be scrambling to figure out how to dry a mattress after bedwetting because the mattress and bedding will stay dry! Our POD-TEX™ technology is a unique triple-layer design to create a fully leakproof bedwetting and incontinence mat that saves you the hassle.
If you’ve ever tried a bedwetting mat before, you might remember the unpleasant sticky adhesive, the unsuccessful attempt at tucking the mat under the mattress, or the uncomfortable crinkly feeling from the mat’s plastic or vinyl.
If that’s the case, the PeapodMat might be a breath of fresh air for you. Our mats are made with a soft terry cotton top, so it’s comfortable to lay on. The PeapodMat also grips to the mattress nicely, so you can just lay it flat, and it won’t bunch or move. They’re a comfortable, effective solution to bedwetting and make cleaning up way easier on you.
An Honest Talk About Bedwetting
It’s normal for kids to wet the bed, even after they’re fully potty trained. However, if you notice the sudden occurrence of bedwetting after they’ve been dry for at least 6 months, it’s a good idea to talk to their doctor. Sometimes this can happen in response to new changes or stressful events in your child’s life, and more rarely, bedwetting might be linked to a medical condition. Regardless of why this is happening, remember to approach the situation delicately with your child – they aren’t intending to wet the bed, and they might be embarrassed about it.
Once in a while, adults can wet the bed too. If that’s your situation, don’t be ashamed, but do talk to your doctor if it happens more than once. Sometimes alcohol can prevent us from waking up when we have the urge to go, occasionally deep sleeping is the cause, and sometimes it’s a medical condition, in which case you’ll want to have it assessed as soon as you can.
Regardless of what’s brought you here today, you’re not alone! Healthy children and adults wet the bed from time to time. It’s nothing to be embarrassed by. And, if this happens more than once, then the PeapodMat has got you covered!