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Mum rarely makes it through the night without wetting the bed. Even though I have a quilted plastic bed pad and waterproof mattress cover on the bed, after washing the wet items, I can't seem to get the smell of urine out of them. Regular laundry detergent doesn't seem to get rid of the odor. My house is beginning to smell like a nursing home! Any suggestions?

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Iodine scrub will neutralize the smell in one washing. Use about 1 tbsp. in the washer.
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Where does one get iodine scrub? Never heard of it and my mom is incontinent too. It really is a problem!
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I put urine-soaked things in the washer on pre-soak and add a cup of vinegar, then wash as usual. The vinegar neutralizes the smell nicely.
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They make special products for that with enzymes, such as Urine-Kleen, or you can use something like Nature's Miracle that they sell in pet shops.
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It may not be just the sheets it could be where the person is sitting or on the floor, their shoes or not sure if they are hiding dirty clothes. Try adding baking soda to your wash also
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When I first took over the care of my mother in law, all her clothing smelled like urine. I washed in the hottest water I could, soaked in oxygen plus and baking soda and rinsed with vinegar. It took 2 to 3 washings but the smell all came out. Then continued with baking soda and oxygen plus as needed. Work great.
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Usually iodine (one brand name is Betadine) wash is in the first aid section of just about any drug store. It's dark red and the advertised use is to clean wounds.
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I was talking to my mothers friend about this problem - now its not a solution I would ever even contemplate but it did amuse me.

She said use a paste of bleach and soap powder on the area, then soak them in the bath in and then before you wash them tread them like you would grapes.

Now I have to say having that much bleach on your feet will be harmful and I said as much. Her reply - well at my age it doesn't matter much does it dear and beside which I wear wellies. I could just see her in her floral dress and wellies treading sheets!!!!!!
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About those pads, I wash mine in bleach anyway, even if it says not to, and they still work fine. I agree, that smell won't come out unless you use it. HE washers also make it very difficult to get the smell out of clothing, I've found. Until I had an HE washer it was easy to soak and get rid of it. Once I got an HE, I've found that I often have to wash them more than once which entirely defeats the purpose of an HE washer.
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Borax and laundry baking soda. 50/50 mix.

Works every time. For any kind of nasty odor.

I use it on my Dads bedding everyday. (Yeah, every morning the mess is just awful)
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