Dealing with Urine Smell
Urinary incontinence is known to be an emotionally stressful medical condition, whereby the individual is unable to control the release of urine from the bladder. It can happen to people of any age, but it is more common in older adults, women, and people who have other underlying medical conditions, such as weakened pelvic muscles and nerve damage.
By far the worst part of dealing with urinary incontinence can be the accidental events associated with it. It is likely for those individuals to experience feelings of rejection and social isolation, to the point where many don't seek help due to their embarrassment. This is due in large part to urinary leaks that may occur in social settings, that may stain furniture pieces or beddings, or let out an intense urine smell that the person may feel very self-conscious about.
If you read the above and relate to these issues, this article is for you. Below is our guide to decreasing the intensity of the smell, as well as getting rid of a strong urine odor that may have been caused by a small leak on furniture, bedding, or clothing.
Tips On Reducing the Odor of Your Urine
If urinary leaks can't be avoided, the good news is you can work on reducing the impact of the smell that exudes from these accidents. Here are a few tips:
1. Drink more water
Drinking plenty of water, around 8-10 glasses a day, will dilute your urine and reduce its odor. In fact, if your urine is a dark yellow color and has a stronger odor, it's a huge sign that you're probably dehydrated and should start drinking more water. This will lead to more clean urine, and less odor.
2. Change your diet
Certain foods are known to intensify the odor of your urine, so, if you can, avoid coffee, asparagus, garlic, and onions.
3. Drink cranberry juice
Cranberry juice increases the acidity of your urine, which in turn reduces the intensity of its odor. Fun fact: cranberry juice is great for urinary tract infections!
4. Rely on incontinence products
Keeping urinary incontinence products on hand is an absolute necessity! Choose the right absorbency level for you and find the quality products that will keep you dry and block out the urine odor. This could be anything from underpads to keep urine from a mattress overnight, to adult diapers, as long they fit right and are changed frequently. It can also be invaluable to keep an odor eliminator on hand, for those unforeseen incidents.
5. Rely on scented products
Invest in candles, aroma diffusers, and sprays to diffuse the urine odors and keep the area you're in smelling clean and mask the smell of the urine!
6. Practice good hygiene
Washing the genital area with mild soap and water can help reduce the growth of the bacteria that causes urine odors in the first place.
Tips On How to Get Ride of Urine Smell from Leaks
Let's say an incident occurs and urine stains your clothing and your couch, the smell can be persistent, and cleaning urine stains can be a big hassle. We've outlined the general tips and tricks for how to remove urine stains off common surfaces, as well as a few other bonus tips for more specific concerns below.
1. Blot the area
It's really important that you don't harshly scrub the area when the urine is still fresh, but rather use paper towels to blot the area so they soak up as much of the urine as possible.
2. Apply baking soda
Sprinkle a layer of baking soda over the affected area (no gaps!) and leave it for at least 15 minutes. Afterward, vacuum the surface.
3. Use an enzymatic cleaner
Try to find enzymatic cleaners, there are some on the market that are specifically designed as a cleaning solution for urine stains. Scrub the affected area as stated on the usage instructions included with the enzyme cleaner product.
4. Use a Vinegar solution
A vinegar solution can act as a stain remover for a multitude of stains and strong odors. Mix equal parts of white vinegar and water, apply the solution to the urine stain, then leave it for about 20 minutes, and blot it up with a clean, dry cloth.
After the area dries, you should be good to go! While these tips are generally good for any surface, here are other tips for specific stains:
Couch or Other Seat Furniture With Cloth
After doing all of the above, a good idea to tackle a stain on a couch is to steam clean it. This will help to deep clean the fibers of the couch and remove any lingering odors.
Bed Sheets
After blotting and applying a layer of baking soda or cleaning solution, soak the affected area of the sheets in cold water for at least an hour, which would dilute the urine to make it easier to remove, and reduce its smell. After doing so, you can wash your sheets in the machine, but also add a cup of white vinegar to the detergent you usually use, which is a natural deodorizer and neutralizes the pee smell.
Once the washing cycle is complete, dry the sheets on high heat. The high heat will help to kill any remaining bacteria in the urine.
Mattress
Mattress stains can be annoying and take time to clean and dry, unless you are able to move the mattress outdoors to a sunny spot, where it will not only dry quicker but also sunlight is a natural deodorizer that can help to eliminate the urine odor. You can also use a steam cleaner like with the couch.
Most importantly, remember to always test any cleaning product on an inconspicuous area of any of these surfaces first, to ensure that it doesn't damage the fabric! Also, it's recommended to wear disposable gloves during the whole process to keep your hands protected from harsh chemicals in the cleaners.
Shop Incontinence Supplies with WellBefore
WellBefore strives to make managing urinary incontinence simple in any way we can! Firstly, we know it can cause stress when it comes to the high costs of incontinence care, so we make sure to offer high-quality incontinence products at a price that is well suited to the average person's budget! Find products that are odor-reducing, leak-proof, and are also available in a range of sizes and absorbency levels, all available with fast and discreet shipping.