How to get rid of grandad's urine smell with one wash, easily? Stubborn grandma...

I have a suggestion that we used for a client who was bed-ridden. On the nights that she would require 2 total bed changes( including waterproofpads, the disp. pads, her clothing,etc) we decided to try some of the Nature's Miracle (enzyme cleaner) that we used for her cats 'accidents'. It definitely makes huge difference after we allowed laundry to soak for an hour before running full cycle. Even using it in a hand spay bottle as a pre-wash treatment. I hope it helps you through your situation. Regards, Liz

Sneak some 20 Team Mule Borax (found in Wal Mart detergent aisle) into washing machine. Depending on machine it may "disappear" underneath washer basin and she will do laundry as normal using her own detergent without a clue. And it has no smell. The Borax is an additive to normal washing detergent to remove odors and boost cleaning. Or simply put it in after washer begins without her knowing. Many nursing homes use it. I know families that do their loved one's laundry themselves. They leave a covered pail with water and Borax to soak soiled clothes in between visits. As a mother of a totally disabled adult living with me since birth- I have found Borax to be the best (myself). We also own a large indoor dog who gets doggy smells and Borax is great for that also. I use Borax to help clean floors, dog bed, etc. It is gritty but warm or hot water dissolves it. Hope this or at least something posted by others help. Best wishes for a fresh smelling and happy life!

Borax works like a charm for me, I was really pleased.  I tried Vinegar first and ended up with stuff that smelled like urine and vinegar.  Then I tried Borax as a laundry additive and it takes the smell out the first time.  The instructions suggest 1/2 cup of Borax with your regular detergent but I use a full cup and toss it in with a laundry pod.  It takes the urine smell out of my mom's nightgowns, the sheets, the protective underpads (with handles, another godsend), blankets, and pillows.

My adult daughter is a quadriplegic with an indwelling catheter which frequently clogs so she bypasses. What I have found works the best is to rinse the clothes and or towels and linens in a cold water rinse and add abiut a cup of Listerine (arctic mint i find the best) and some arm and hammer liquid laundry soap it has the nicest fragrance then put them through a full wash after with a bit of bleach and some more arm and hammer. I also keep a spray bottle with half water half Listerine mixed to spray on her bed and just in general around the house like I'll spray down her wheelchair etc too. I also put a capful in her basin for washup of the lower regions as she has predominantly bed baths!! Works amazing and no it doesn't harm her skin!! The reason for the cold water wash/ rinse is because bodily fluids don't do great when washed with hot water it tends to cook the smell and stain right into the fabric making it extremely hard to get rid of!! So always rinse in cold first!! Hope it helps and as others have said I never wash her stuff with anything else all the household clothes towels and bedding is always separate.

I use Tide Pods with Oxy. Sometimes I use 2 instead of one. I also noticed mom’s polyester pants seem to be harder to rid the smell. It comes back in the dryer. I buy slacks from goodwill if I can find a good ones, that way they are cheap and if I have too, I throw them out. Mom has Alzheimer’s, it’s such a heart breaking disease. Hope the Tide works for you.

I would do white vinegar wash first. And there is a product called Folex which is for pet stains which I swear by. Lowes, home depot bbb.
It works.

The problem is going to be getting rid of the odors with out washing multiple times since it's been allowed to accumulate, as it were.

My dad had terrible smelling laundry when he came, I used baking soda with my detergent and then vinegar in the rinse, but some things took multiple washes to get rid of the build up.

Someone on here recommended using ammonia and said one wash.

You will have to do some tests to see what works best for your situation.

Could you get mom to soak stuff at least? Or let you do your own laundry?

What ever you end up doing, vinegar will help freshen everything, it kills the enzymes that cause the odor.

I used to soak my dads clothes in a vinegar water bath. Then when it came time to do the wash, I would use:
-arm & hammer powder
-Cup of vinegar
-Twice the amount of laundry soap recommended
-Downy softener
-A laundry smell booster like downy (they are smell good beads you put IN the washer with the clothes
-and if I could get away with it, a small amount of bleach.

Then I would set it on regular wash but with an hour "soak" in the cycle.

Sometimes the pee would stink my washer up so I would follow up the next load of wash with something I needed a crap ton of bleach to wash. Like the dogs beds and blankets. That usually helped get rid of any pee odor.

Hope this helps!

Buy your own soaps and pay the water bill. Then you can wash your own things. She can wash hers if she feels it is a job she is supposed to do. Many older people were raised with rules of creating very little waste. You'll never change that mindset. You might buy a gallon of odorban..or odoban...at Sam's. It works pretty good with all odors. Add it to the wash. Also, tell her that everything smells like pee. She may not be able to smell it anymore, but probably wouldn't want others to smell it on her when she's out.

Keep your laundry separate, buy your own detergent, etc. and do your own laundry. Don’t let your clothes, towels, etc. be combined with their’s. Go to the laundromat if you need to. If Grandpa is marinating in pee, do they understand that it can cause infections? Do they know how unsanitary and toxic it can be especially if there are children in the house? Maybe it’s time to find your own place?