Accidents happen, and when you have little ones, they might happen a lot. Bedwetting and diaper leaks are not uncommon, so it's good to have a strategy for dealing with them. And while cleaning your child's pee and poop out of a mattress probably won't ever be fun, these tips may make it ever so slightly easier — or at least more bearable.
Pee and poop cleaning 101
Once the cover is off, follow the care instructions for washing it. If it's a material that can be laundered in a machine with detergent, consider pretreating any soiled areas before putting it through a normal cycle. Both pee and poop are protein stains, so enzymatic stain removers such as Zout or Puracy should help to break them down. (Just don't use enzyme cleaners on wool or silk.) Jolie Kerr, author of the book My Boyfriend Barfed in My Handbag … and Other Things You Can't Ask Martha, also recommends rinsing urine stains with Dr. Bronner's castile soap, because — as she explained in her Ask a Clean Person advice column — "it's so good at eliminating strong odors."
Again, though, it's important to check the care label. Some waterproof mattress covers, for example, may not be able to tolerate more than water and something like mild dish soap. Others need to be wiped clean with a sponge rather than washed in a machine.
Three words: waterproof mattress cover
As for the actual mattress: If you have a waterproof cover that protects against leaks and stains, you may not have to do anything to it. And if you don't have such a cover, you might want to consider getting one. Take it from Erin Kravitz, who has never had to deal with pee or poop stains on her toddler's interior mattress. "We have a good mattress cover to avoid accidents," she told Mom.com.
Cleaning the mattress
In cases where the mattress itself needs to be cleaned, follow the manufacturer's care instructions. More often than not, you'll have to just spot-clean stains. What you use to do that will depend on what your specific mattress can handle. WebMD suggests treating urine stains with hydrogen peroxide, blotting the area dry, and then sprinkling baking soda over the stain to absorb any lingering odors. Once you let that stand for several hours, you can vacuum up the baking soda.
Whatever products you use, keep in mind that your baby will be exposed to them, so harsh chemicals or strong smells may not be ideal. (Also: Never mix products containing bleach with ammonia or vinegar — the resulting fumes are toxic.)
Finally, make sure you give the mattress time to air out. "The biggest thing to remember when treating stains on a mattress is to use as little liquid as possible — if you saturate it, it will take forever to dry," Kerr noted in one of her columns.
That's another reason protective covers are beneficial. Wet mattresses aren't just uncomfortable; they're also unhygienic, because the moisture encourages growth of bacteria, mold, and mildew. With removable pads, you can replace a soiled one with a spare while you do the wash.
