Easily Remove Urine Smells From Clothes With A Common Pantry Staple

Accidents happen. That's just the reality of living, whether you've got a new puppy on the loose, a toddler being potty trained, or any of other life's tricky phases going on, you may end up with urine on clothing. Unfortunately, tossing urine-stained clothes in the washer with regular detergent doesn't always solve the problem entirely — even if the washer gets rid of the appearance of the stain, the pungent odor can remain. To effectively eliminate urine smells from clothes, you only need one ingredient from your kitchen cupboard: baking soda. 

Baking soda has countless uses, including ways you have never thought of, but one of the best is neutralizing odors. When in contact with urine, baking soda's alkalinity reacts with uric acid's stinky-carrying molecules, chemically altering and neutralizing the scent; that's why baking soda is often prescribed for absorbing bad odors in the home. It also absorbs moisture, stopping the urine from spreading and setting in the fabric's fibers. And thankfully, baking soda is generally safe for most fabrics, but always check care instructions before treating. We'll walk you through how to use baking soda to eliminate smells from urine accidents. 

The moment you notice a wet, urine-stained piece of fabric, try to apply baking soda as soon as possible to pull up any moisture before washing. Simply sprinkle enough baking soda to cover the stain, then allow it to sit for several minutes before shaking off the baking soda into the trash. If it's a particularly large or fresh stain, you may need to repeat this. With the excess liquid removed, we recommend pre-soaking the garment in a baking soda and water solution so the detergent doesn't have to do as much work when you toss the clothing item in the washer. This is especially key if the urine stain has had time to dry and set, as the baking soda will be more effective on a wet stain. 

Just combine a few tablespoons of baking soda with warm water in a bucket or sink, then submerge the stained clothes in the solution, ensuring the entire garment is saturated. Allow it to sit for 15 minutes, which gives the baking soda time to do its magic and break down the uric acid. Remove the clothing from the water and ring it out before promptly washing it with your go-to detergent — preferably an enzyme-based cleaner, as they are uniquely formulated to break down urine stains. You can also add baking soda to the washing machine cycle for additional deodorizing and cleaning capabilities.