Whether going on holiday, or simply down to the local park with your dog or cat, they will most likely be stuck in the back seat of your car with nowhere appropriate to relieve themselves.
Car seats are often made of foam and if pet (or human) urine has penetrated the surface material of the seats, urine will often be absorbed by the foam to a certain depth depending on the amount of urine discharged.
The key to any successful remediation is that wherever the urine has gone urineFREE must go too. urineFREE must make contact with all the urine to be 100% effective. Sometimes only one application is required but more often on old urine deposits, several applications may be required.
Sometimes you think the urine is only in the seats but we have found if cats have been transported, especially males, cat urine can be sprayed into the panels and even down the air conditioning ducting. After treating a vehicle, turn on the air conditioning. If you can’t smell urine you’ve probably got it all. If you can still smell it, check out other areas you may suspect.
Please note: Some cars can be tricky to clean especially if they have leather upholstery as most cleaning products aren’t suitable for leather. urineFREE is a water based bio-enzymatic formula, however water is no friend of leather so we recommend that you test for colourfastness in an inconspicuous area before trying to treat urine stain or odour with urineFREE.
The sooner you clean up urine in the car, the better the chance of preventing odor, which can be overwhelming in a confined space. Blot the affected area with paper towels, then dilute and clean the upholstery with a mild dish soap solution and vinegar.
Act Fast
As soon as you notice the urine, blot the area with folded paper towels. Open the car windows to lessen the odor as you work. If the upholstery is leather or vinyl, wipe the urine up by wiping from the outside of the liquid toward the center. Blot areas where urine may have pooled, such as indentations along stitching and seams. Keep dabbing, wiping or blotting until the paper towels no longer pick up moisture.
Cleaning the Car Seat
White vinegar
Liquid dish soap
Bucket or bowl
Absorbent white cloths
Rubber gloves
Paper towels
Baking soda
Vacuum cleaner
Mix 2 cups of cold tap water with 1 tablespoon each of white vinegar and liquid dish soap. Mix the liquids in a small bucket or a bowl, whichever feels more convenient to you.
Dip an absorbent white cloth into the soapy liquid while wearing rubber gloves. Wring out much of the moisture.
Open several car doors or windows to avoid breathing in foul odors. Dab the wet cloth over the soiled area of the upholstery, blotting gently. If the affected area is relatively large, wipe it from the outside edges of the stain toward the center to avoid spreading the urine. Rinse the cloth regularly and continue dabbing the affected area of the upholstery.
- For leather or vinyl seats, straight vinegar may be used to clean the area instead. Use as little moisture as possible on real leather to avoid damaging it.
- A car-upholstery shampoo may be used in place of water, vinegar and dish soap for cloth upholstery.
- For foul-smelling problems such as cat urine, clean the upholstery with an enzymatic cleaner if unable to remove all of the odor with regular dish soap, water and vinegar. Follow the directions on the enzymatic cleaner package, as these may vary from product to product.
- If a pet has frequent accidents in the car, cover the seat with a rubber mat, placing a towel or pet blanket atop the mat. This helps prevent the seat from becoming soaked.
Blot the area again with a dry white cloth to absorb excess moisture. Rinse the cloth, wring it out, then blot the spot again to remove soap residue.
Pat the area dry again with a fresh white cloth or folded paper towels. Press down to help lift moisture embedded within the seat. Allow the seat to air-dry with the car door or windows open, if possible.
Sprinkle baking soda over the car seat once the seat feels dry to the touch if an odor is still noticeable. Allow the baking soda to sit for an hour or even overnight, then vacuum up the powder.
Test moisture-based cleaners on an inconspicuous area of the upholstery to ensure the upholstery does not stain.
The ammonia-like stench caused by urine is very irritating to ignore, especially in a confined space like a car. Children or favorite pet are the usual culprits of this dilemma so you struggle to remain calm. But do you know you can clean that car seat easily?
To quickly get urine out of your car seat, you need a dash of vinegar and liquid soap mix. In a spray bottle, mix in an equal part of soap and vinegar, and add a little water. Shake and spray the mix on the soiled surface. Scrub the car seat with a piece of cloth until it is clean. Finally, wipe with a damp cloth to get off the foam residue. That’s it!!
Easy right? The vinegar acts as a disinfectant to get rid of the nasty urine smell. Yes, vinegar works perfectly but do you know that there are different methods to clean your car seat? Discover those other efficient techniques in this article.
How to get Urine out of car seat
You can get urine off your car seat by using liquid soap and vinegar. But there are other methods below.
Vinegar And Liquid Soap Mix
The vinegar and liquid soap mix are very efficient for recent urine stains. Its procedure is easy to understand and follow. For this method, you will need;
- Vinegar
- Detergent
- Water
- Spray bottle
- Soft cloth
Procedure
- Dab the pool of urine off the seat if it’s still visible. Allow the cloth to soak off the urine without spreading it.
- In a bowl, pour a part of vinegar and liquid soap each. Add water but just sufficient to make the mix lather properly.
- Alternatively, make your mixture in a spray bottle.
- Spray the mixture on the dirty surface. Do not drench your car seat.
- Scrub on that area with the soft cloth.
- Continue until it’s clean.
- Using a damp cloth, wipe off the foam residue.
- Then, blot out the water with a dry cloth.
- Allow it to dry properly.
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Hydrogen Peroxide And Baking Soda Cleaner
The hydrogen peroxide and baking soda cleaner work perfectly for older, tougher urine stains. You know those old map-like stains that would not go away. For this method, get;
- 3percent concentration of Hydrogen Peroxide
- Baking Soda
- Liquid soap
- Water
- Spray bottle
Step 1
In a bottle, put in 3spoonful of baking soda, 10ounces of hydrogen peroxide, and three drops of liquid soap. Shake the mix until the baking soda melts into the mixture completely.
Step 2
Spray your DIY cleaner on the stain. Allow it to get into the surface properly.
Step 3
Leave the mixture on the car seat surface for an hour.
Step 4
Spray again if necessary until it is completely clean.
Step 5
Now your car seat is clean, wipe off the area using a soft, damp cloth. Hydrogen peroxide can spoil the car seat’s fabric if it is not properly cleaned. So wipe the seat thoroughly.
Step 6
Blot dry with a soft dry cloth as excessive moisture can cause the seat to produce an offensive odor. Drying with the cloth soaks off excess liquid and helps it dry faster.
Vodka
Vodka has a reasonable amount of alcohol to make it an ideal cleaner. It can easily lift the urine stench, but you have first to clean the seat.
To clean the seat, pour liquid soap in a bowl and add water. Mix both until it lathers. Use a cloth to rub the surface until it’s clean. Dab the car seat and remove the soap residue. Blot-dry the surface using a dry cloth. Now for the star of the cleaning process; yes, vodka.
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Put vodka in a spray bottle and add water. Make sure each portion is equal. Mix and spray.
The mixture emulates an air-freshner. The alcohol lifts the urine smells as it dries on the car seat’s surface. Crack open a window or two so the seats dry nicely.
You must open the windows and allow it dry because this cleaning hack can easily go south. You don’t want your seat smelling like a damp brewery as opposed to its former urine stench.
How Do I Get Rid Of Urine Smells From My Car Seat?
Before considering seeking professional help, try these DIY methods. To get rid of urine smells in the car, you can use;
- Enzyme cleaner
- Baking soda
- Bread
- Charcoal briquets
- White vinegar
- Essential oil
Enzyme cleaner
In this method, the enzyme cleaner is used to clean animal’s urine. It contains enzymes that destroy the bonds present in their pee. The cleaner gets rid of the nasty smells.
The enzyme cleaner practically ingests the pee stains and smells. You can use this method by;
- Dabbing off the urine for the car seat.
- Spray the surface with the cleaner
- Leave the cleaner for some time to work but do not allow it to get dried
- Rub the soiled surface with a sponge
- Wipe off residue.
- Leave the car seat to dry.
Baking soda
Sprinkle and cover your soiled car seat with baking soda. Allow it to stay through the night. The baking soda gets rid of the urine smells and leaves your car smelling clean. Repeat as often as you require.
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Bread
Yes, the same bread you eat can absorb stench. Put some slices of bread on your car seat and leave it for some time. It is an ideal method for mild smells.
Fun fact; the bread is still edible afterward. Keep it outsides for birds to snack on. It’s a win-win situation.
Charcoal
Charcoal is one of the old traditional methods of refreshing the smell of a room. It absorbs foul smells. Put some coal in a bowl and leave in the car overnight.By morning, you would notice the car seat smells better.
Vinegar
Vinegar remains the housewife’s favorite cleaner because of its versatility. It’s non-toxic and efficient. You can use this in your car to refresh the air.
Pour some vinegar and water in a bottle, mix and spray lightly. Allow it dry and repeat if necessary.
Essential oil
Make a mix of baking soda, vinegar, essential oil, and hydrogen peroxide. Spray it on the surface and allow it to dry. Wipe off any residue, and repeat if necessary.
What Are The Things To Consider When Cleaning Urine From A Car Seat?
No matter the culprit of the urine stains and smells, the situation remains a sanitation hazard. Here are some considerations to make your cleaning process easier.
- Your hygiene is your key focus. Washing your hands after cleaning.
- Wipe off the soiled area as soon as you notice with a cloth or paper towel. It will reduce how much of the pee your car seat absorbs.
- Washing the soiled car seat is necessary because it cleans the seat and makes it sanitary to sit on. Wash with liquid soap and water or any mild cleanser.
Conclusion
Urine stench and stains are unpleasant. You can clean it using DIY mix or store-bought products. Dried urine stain may take longer cleaning time. Maintain good hygiene during your cleaning process. If you are looking to get gum out of car seat or clean a britax car seat, there are other ways to clean those.