Clean Potty Accidents Naturally

Nighttime potty accidents can happen at any time, even when your child is fully potty trained. If have already invested in a mattress protector, then clean-up is as simple as tossing the wet bedding and clothes into the washer. If not, you may find yourself facing a smelly yellow stain on your child's mattress.

Luckily, cleaning this type of stain usually doesn't require any harsh chemicals or commercial cleaners. With just a few natural, household ingredients, you can thoroughly clean your child's mattress and eliminate any lingering odor.

What you will need:

• Clean, dry rags or towels
• Baking powder
• Vinegar
• Spray bottle
• Vacuum              

Steps: 

1. After removing all bedding, use the towel or rags to blot the entire area, pressing down firmly. As the towel or rag soak up the urine, move to a clean area of the towel or use a new rag to prevent from spreading the stain.
2. Using the spray bottle, moisten the entire area with vinegar and blot with a clean cloth, pressing firmly again to help the vinegar work down into the mattress.
3. Sprinkle the baking powder over the entire damp area and leave it for about an hour. The baking powder will soak up the moisture and help to eliminate the smell of the vinegar and urine.
4. Once completely dry, vacuum the baking soda with a wet/dry vacuum or handheld attachment on your household vacuum.

Helpful Tips:

• If any unpleasant smell remains, you may repeat steps 2-4.
• Vinegar also works great to neutralize the smell of urine on bedding and clothing. Soak and pre-wash with ½ cup in place of laundry detergent, wash as usual, then follow up with another ½ cup in place of fabric softener. Your child's sheets and clothing will be left smelling fresh and clean.
• If all else fails, contact a green carpet cleaning company such as Chem-Dry of Fort Myers. In addition to offering natural, environmentally friendly carpet cleaning solutions, green carpet cleaners also may offer cleaning services for furniture and mattresses.
• To protect and preserve your child's mattress from future nighttime accidents, purchase a waterproof mattress cover made from organic materials. These covers fit between the mattress and fitted bottom sheet.
• For fast bedding changes during the night, layer a mattress protector, fitted sheet, another mattress protector, and then another fitted sheet on top. This allows you to quickly remove the top two layers (fitted sheet and mattress protector) while a clean sheet and mattress protector wait underneath. This is especially helpful during potty training, when nighttime accidents are a frequent occurrence.