How to get the smell of urine out of sheets and clothing?

Um. Don't shoot me; but throw them out and buy disposable ones?

Not with my mother's things but with my previous dog's bedding once she (the dog, that is, name of Cindy) became 'unreliable' - feeling there wasn't much to lose, I ignored all rules and put them through a boil wash with good stout biological detergent and some disinfectant. They (an old New Zealand tartan wool blanket, a cellular cotton blanket and a synthetic filling old quilt) survived. The quilt was bit lumpy.

So... I'd do that: try the hottest wash you dare, preferably with a prewash, and don't spare the horses when it comes to adding detergent. You can always give them an extra rinse if you're worried about detergent residue.

One I only just bought, I use the disposables when I think we may need extra protection but....
I was thinking of some advice I read in my grandmother's big black book of helpful hints for the home and farm from back at the turn of the last century, put the item in a pillowcase and bury it for a week LOL

I read that hydrogen peroxide works wonders or OXI-clean if bleaching is an issue. Another poster offered lukewarm water, liquid hand dishwashing detergent and ammonia.

Do you have a product called Vanish in the States? It's an enzyme-based booster that you can also use for soaking. If you haven't got that, I'm sure there'll be something similar.

Anyway. Put your pads with a scoop of Vanish in a diaper bucket. Leave for the prescribed time (not sure if there is a maximum - if not, leave them overnight). Put them un-rinsed into your washing machine. Put them through a maximum wash at maximum temperature with biological detergent. Give them an extra rinse. Dry in the open air, if possible.

If, after that, the odour is still there then throw them away. Because even if it does eventually fade your nostrils will still suspect it's there and you'll have no peace.

Because I am ancient I remember real terry towelling diapers (nappies to us in the UK). Now they could smell pretty foul as we all know BUT a soak in a nappy solution certainly left them smelling sweet once washed. If your sheets are flowered or coloured in anyway it could well remove or lighten the fabric but if white no problem.

In the UK it is called Napisan and it really does work. Best to have sheets that you can HOT wash (over 60C)

I have tried home remedies and I have to say they aren't as effective although probably a lot greener in environmental terms.

CMs idea works too but I still think Napisan is better but I do use cotton sheets not polyester ones (despite hating ironing them). When Mum had a period of really bad incontinence through absolutely everything including her diaper, I used what we call a draw sheet...not sure if you have them over them but let me explain just in case you aren't familiar with them.

It is a half sheet, made of paper with a plastic backing and goes across the full width of the bed at the relevant point. Be warned it does crackle when you move on it but it did save a lot. When the kids were small we used to use a rubber draw sheet over which we put a small sheet so although we still had the washing to contend with the size of the sheet was only half what it would have been otherwise.

As for the mattress from which the smell could be emanating into the sheets, I threw Mums out and bought a hospital style sealed mattress. I know Norix make them in the USA but there will be others and they can be steam cleaned bleached and even run over by a car (preferably without loved one being on it at the time!) So it might be worth having a look and as CM said starting from scratch with all the accoutrements in place

White vinegar works wonders on urine stains and smell

I purchased 2 products that have helped.
One is for general odors it is OdorBan it is a Disinfectant, Fabric and air freshener. The scent I have is Eucalyptus. It is their original scent. It is a multi purpose cleaner and "kills 99.99% of germs".
The other product I got is by Clorox it is Urine Remover for stains and odors. and it does a good job. This product works on hard and soft surfaces
You also may want to place an Under Pad or "chuck" on top of the sheet directly under her, that will catch and absorb much of the urine before it gets to the sheets and under padding.
And is your Mom using an absorbent undergarment at night? A pull up brief or tab type might help as well.
And although it disrupts the sleep have you tried getting her up to go to the bathroom? You could try getting her up a few hours after she has gone to bed, if she goes to bed a 8 and you go to bed a 11 get her up just before you go to bed.

Thanks Grandma1954, She does sleep with a pad underneath her and sometimes goes right through it, and the Depends as well. Where can I find the OdorBan or the other one by Clorox you mentioned? I haven't tried getting her up during the night. It's the only quiet time I get if you know what I mean! Sometimes it's worth the cleanup!! Thanks for your suggestions. Susan

I purchased the OdorBan at Sam's Club and the Clorox product in the same place.
If I recall they were both under $9.00 for a gallon as well as a spray bottle to use to dilute the product.
I know what you mean, soaking through. My husband can soak through the under pads and ..are you ready..keep the brief dry. I think I have figured out that the urine flows over the crease in his hip area and never hits the absorbent padding. I might try putting him to sleep on his side for a few hours.
And I know what you mean about the only quiet time! My husband is not verbal, has not been for about 5 years but he moans and makes other noises. When he is asleep that is the only time I get a break.
Stay strong!

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.

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!!!!!!

Wont Betadine stain the clothes?

Won't Betadine stain the clothes in the wash?

No, betadine will not stain in the wash, because it combines with the ammonia in urine and turns clear. Ammonium iodide=clear iodine tincture.

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)

You can buy both in the laundry isle at Wall Mart. It's even cheap

I think you mean washing soda Katiekate, it is a great booster if you have hard water, and the borax makes a good pre soak!
I had good results with the oxyclean type boosters you add by the scoop in the wash or use for a pre soak for urine odours, but I have discovered the liquid non chlorine bleach does a better job for poopy messes.

Oops...yeah.

No..I meant to get out odors.

That combination takes care of every odor I have every run up against. Cat urine, horse sweat, you name it....one scoop of that combination...ta da. Odor gone

I have found that Apple Cider Vinegar works better than White Vinegar.

We use Odoban, eucalyptus scent, The nursing home uses it by us. It works fabulous, you can get the spray one at Walmart, and the gallon size at Sams club. It smells wonderful, and fresh. I put a half cup in the laundry, and we spray it on the furniture and on her mattress. It is a deodorizer and disinfectant. I love this product.

I used cloth diapers in the early 70s and after rinsing off the poop dropped them straight into a bucket of water with bleach. When the bucket was full I emptied the whole thing into the washer and ran a spin cycle then a rinse and finally a hot wash and not having a dryer hung them out to air dry. I only used disposables when traveling - too cheap to buy them but 3 dozen cloth diapers saw me through three babies. Much cheaper to raise a baby in those days!!!!!!!!

really glad i found this page. I too have started taking care of an aging parent with incontince issues as well as issues of using a bed urinal and possibly spilling the urine on self. One pair of short pants smelled after three washes with vinegar and soap and oxyclean, i finally just put the bundle of urine smell clothes in a laundry bag and soaked over night in our pool. Smell gone.

WONT ACCEPT MY UK POST CODE SO I WAS NOT ABLE TO JOIN

I use a few drops of tea tree oil at the beginning of wash. A few drops takes care of a large load. Hot water if possible.

I use vinegar in cold water for 3 cycles. It's such a hassle but it works. My FIL has a in-dwelling catheter and that smell gets on EVERYTHING that he wears/uses.

I have heard putting baking soda in the wash and also vinegar helps. And you probably will have to wash at least twice - in very hot water. Good luck.

I would definitely pitch them if you can't get the smell out despite repeated washing. Have you tried washing them by themselves in a separate cycle in a solution of bleach water? Bleach has always been my go to for nearly everything. You can usually get cheat sheets at your local Goodwill or other thrift shop. Do you also want to look for sheets in bags of clothing. I would be surprised if nearly everyone if not everyone has been gifted a bag of clothing at sometime in their lives maybe even on multiple occasions. You never know when you'll find useful linens in there or even receive them for Christmas or even your birthday. You can also check local charities to see how they may be able to help or best yet your local counsel on aging. I wouldn't worry about pitching and replacing sheets if you can get them pretty cheap. Our local Goodwill always has them, so definitely keep your eyes open and don't spend much on sheets in this type of case you're in. If the person insists on always wetting the bed, I wouldn't spend nothing on sheets for them because you'll probably have to end up replacing them pretty often if you can't get the urine smell out

My mother is using adult diapers - she liked the generic ones sold at Sam's club. That isn't enough now. We tried several kinds. The ones that fit best and the ones that keeps her from having accidents, we get them from North Shore through Amazon. They are called Wellness Absorbent Underwear. They are expensive but she uses fewer of them. And there are no accidents so far. I wash the sheets in Tide and Boraxo. Sometimes, bleach. If there is a bad stain, I sometimes use Natures Miracle (Petsmart) in the wash water.
I spray the bedding, sheets, pads, blankets, pillows with Febreze when I change the sheets. And I wash all the bedding every two weeks whether there is any stains or not. The odors stay in the bedding. We have almost completely eliminated any odors. I wash all of her clothing, all of the time in detergent and Borax (Walmart / Smiths) . We use disposable pads (Sam's Clubs are good quality and cheap) under the sheets and a water resistant mattress pad (also washed every other week). It seems like a lot of work, but we have it down to a system now. It isn't too bad. And nothing smells.

I swear by using liquid detergent (was Wisk before they discontinued it, now using the Tide "Sports" formula) and the Odor Defense pods by Tide. Sorry if this sounds like a promo for Tide but using these two in combination with a warm water has been the ONLY thing I've found to get the "baked in" urine smell out of cotton garments.

Women wear slacks a lot, they get a slight smell from urine drops...hand wash crotch area with anykind of soap,rinse and hang to dry...In the washing machine,1/2 cup of borax and spray crotch area with Bac -Out. Lightly worn slacks, treat crotch with vinegar, rinse that area and hang to dry with pants hangers..get a few wearings before tossing in the automatic clothes washer.Keep the vinegar under the sink forconvenience. Its a pain but what are you going to do..Tighter pands for a good look and fit, do not help women out very much.