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4Grandys Asked July 2014

What is the best laundry detergent to get the smell of urine out?

Sometimes I have to run the load twice and I still smell the pee. I can't bleach everything.

ArleneCarr Aug 2017
I've tried adding borax to my Tide detergent but would often have to re-wash. I found a new product called "Lysol Laundry Sanitizer" that gets the smell out the first try. It has no bleach so it is safe to use on colored fabrics. Also, the instructions on the bottle state that if you soak the fabrics for around 15 minutes, then it kills 99% of bacteria, which would be especially helpful when washing clothes soiled from bowel incontinence.

KYGranny Aug 2017
My mother has dementia and was constantly having accidents!
20 Mule Team Borax works SOMEWHAT for whites, but it WILL BLEACH color clothing and it doesn't remove all of the odor.
"Febreeze Odor Eliminator" found in the detergent & fabric softener isles at Wal-Mart WORKS on ALL CLOHTING!!!
Sorry I couldn't get the picture to paste, but below is the link for viewing product container so you know what to look for:
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/711FJKCo3rL._SY550_.jpg

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Karen54 Feb 2017
I use distilled white vinegar in my wash. I just add it in with my laundry detergent, and it gets rid of any odors in your clothes.

Karen54 Feb 2017
To get the smell out use distilled white vinegar. It really works. I just pour the vinegar in with the laundry detergent. I now wash all my laundry this way.

Gbonnie Aug 2015
P.s. Try and give your person cranberry juice or the pills, may help. Increase fluids urine must be very concentrated..

Gbonnie Aug 2015
Washing there is a great technique, HOT WATER, 2 RINSE CYCLES. DETERGENTS I LIKE TIDE, I USE BAKING SODA FOR WHITES & WHEN I HAVE IT.. BORAX BOOST DETERGENT. YES, I gave put white vinegar in my rinse also. (I LIKE Liquid Fabric softeners, good brand Snuggles & faithful Downy. ) If you have the LUXURY OF A CLOTHES LINE, THAT'S WOULD BE AWESOME! ! HAPPY WASHING 😆😃😉

lifeexperiences Aug 2015
I put hand towels over my mothers diapers and a cotton button diaper over those! So in the morning...the towels are pretty saturated. I throw those outside in an open basket and every other day, I wash those with detergent on a longer cycle, add bleach, and softener...rinse cycle twice! Regular clothes that have pee on them...I "immediately" hand wash the section that has pee on it, let it dry and in the hamper with other clothes. Never have pee smells and I wash a lot of clothes.

Emmy667 Aug 2015
Use baking soda in your washes.

Doodlebug Aug 2015
This may sound counter-intuitive but we used a cup of ammonia in the wash. Believe me it works! My sister who has been a private care giver for 20 years learned this "trick" from our aunt who worked as an aide in the nursing home. Our mother had dementia and was incontinent when she slept. I washed sheets twice a day....this was the only thing that worked for us. There are a lot of good ideas here. Even though my mom has passed on to her glory as has my MIL I still come to this site. So much great advice and situations I may encounter in the future. I want to be as prepared as possible. Thank you to everyone!

pamzimmrrt Jan 2015
Having good luck with the Scent enhacers by the fabric softner companys.. Snuggle packs are cheapest and do a good job.. you add them with the detergent, still use fabric softner...

nowmymomsmom Jan 2015
Look for Lysol liquid in the detergent section(small brown bottle) it is hospital grade add it to your regular detergent in the washer...also sounds weird but if you have a farm supply store near you or online they have a cleaner/deodorizer for horse urine that ought do it! Both worked for me and didn't ruin the clothes or sheets like bleach or peroxide.

MK Dec 2014
Get the urine/smell out before you start the laundry. Use a product exclusively for that purpose, even pet products work great. Or peroxide if it doesn't damage an inconspicuous area of the item. Be sure to rinse out Peroxide. Then use Borateam, BIZ, etc. in the laundry.

MK Dec 2014
I happened to try some special liquid made especially for doggie accidents when I ran out of prewash for the laundry. My spouse is paralyzed and incontinent at times, so there would be times I needed a good product for this. I haven't found anything better. It doesn't bleach or ruin nice fabrics, and, it was made just for this! I know peroxide works great on whites and other sturdy fabrics, but pet urine and stain products do a great job on everything, including spills on bibs and blankets. It's sold by many names, and AMazon has big jugs for cheap. (Nature's Miracle, Simple Solution, Petzyme, etc.). I find these products to be cheaper and better than laundry prewashes or additives on the laundry aisle. As with Biz, I think most contain enzymes, which are exactly what's needed on all types of organic matter.

SharonB Jul 2014
Baking soda, Fab, and fabric softner.

surprise Jul 2014
I used cloth diapers with my 6 children - same things work now. Baking soda comes in 10 lb bags in pool supplies at WalMart; Borax works; Vinegar in the last rinse works. Main thing is to make the load smaller than usual so that everything is well rinsed.

4Grandys Jul 2014
I bought and used Borax.....finally, no urine smell. Thanks.

Milindar Jul 2014
I always wash her things with regular detergent, and add about 1/2 cup vinegar in the wash. Her clothes never smell afterwards!

BarbBrooklyn Jul 2014
There is stuff they sell in pet store, an enzyme product, that has always worked wonders for us.

4Grandys Jul 2014
Happy Fourth of July, sweethearts!

kazzaa Jul 2014
Yes good old Pam! baking soda is great too! I also use a machine cleaner once a month which is great you just put it in an empty cycle!!

Chicago1954 Jul 2014
My mother's NH must have the answer, because there are no smells there.

4Grandys Jul 2014
Thanks, everyone!

geewiz Jul 2014
try vinegar in the rinse cycle

kathyt1 Jul 2014
Tide, Clorax 2, and Downy fabric softener, works for me.

pamstegma Jul 2014
The only way to neutralize the ammonia is with chlorine bleach or iodine. Betadine solution or Betadine scrub. Borax is somewhat effective and so is baking soda & peroxide.

freqflyer Jul 2014
I read where some people use "20 Mule Team Borax" to their detergent. It is sold here in the States, not sure if it sold worldwide.

kazzaa Jul 2014
Yes i had same problem! I got fed up too with the "lingering smell"! I am now using an anitbacterial liquid which should be in your supermarket alot of products now are antibacterial. this seems to work and i wash at 50o!

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