How to get pee smell out of clothes (stain and smell)
To remove pee smell from clothes, soak them in cool water, rub liquid detergent into the wet areas, and wash in cool or warm water. If any smell or yellow mark remains, soak in an enzyme presoak and wash again warm, then air-dry and sniff before using the dryer. The smell comes from bacteria turning urea in urine into ammonia, so it lingers until the residue is washed out; fragrance and fabric softener only cover it.
- Best method
- Cool soak, detergent wash, enzyme presoak if needed, air-dry
- Time
- 15 minutes of work plus a soak and one or two washes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Stain type
- Protein
You will need
- Liquid laundry detergent
- Enzyme presoak or enzyme detergent
- Oxygen bleach, or chlorine bleach for colorfast whites
- Baking soda, for leftover odor
- A basin or the washer's soak cycle
How to remove urine from clothes
- 1
Rinse or soak in cool water
As soon as you can, rinse the wet areas under cool water or soak the clothes in a basin of cool water. Wear gloves if the clothes aren't yours.
Why: Urine is treated as a protein stain, and cool water dissolves it without setting it. Rinsing early leaves less for bacteria to turn into ammonia.
- 2
Rub in liquid detergent
Work liquid laundry detergent into the stained areas and leave it for a few minutes.
Why: Detergent loosens and lifts the urine residue from the fibers.
- 3
Wash in cool or warm water
Wash in cool or warm water, not hot, with a full dose of detergent. Skip fabric softener for now.
Why: Warm water helps dissolve uric acid salts, which dissolve poorly in cold water, but hot water can set protein. Softener coats fibers and masks odor rather than removing it.
- 4
Sniff before you dry
Smell the damp clothes closely, especially seams and waistbands. If there's any urine odor or yellow mark, don't dry them yet.
Why: Dryer heat sets remaining stain and odor, and a smell that's faint when wet gets harder to remove once baked in.
- 5
Enzyme soak and rewash if needed
Soak the clothes in water with an enzyme presoak or enzyme detergent as its label directs, then wash warm again. Add oxygen bleach for colors, or chlorine bleach on whites whose label allows it.
Why: Enzymes break down the organic residue that bacteria feed on, which is what keeps producing the smell. Bleach oxidizes leftover color and odor compounds.
- 6
Air-dry, outdoors if possible
Hang the clothes to dry, in fresh air if you can, and check the smell again once dry.
Why: Air-drying lets you check for any remaining odor before heat can set it.
Why clothes smell of pee even after washing
Fresh urine from a healthy person has only a mild smell. The sharp stale-urine smell develops afterward, as bacteria break down urea (more than half of urine's dissolved solids) into ammonia. Urine also contains uric acid and its salts, which dissolve poorly in water. If a wash doesn't remove all of that residue, bacteria keep making ammonia, and the smell comes back when the fabric gets warm or damp.
That's why fragrance, scent boosters and fabric softener don't solve it: they sit on top of the residue. Urine is a protein stain, so the fix is a cool start, detergent, and an enzyme cleaner for whatever a normal wash leaves behind.
By situation
Bedwetting and children's clothes
Rinse pajamas, underwear and sheets in cool water as soon as possible and wash them soon, rather than leaving them to dry in a pile. Wash bedding and clothes together with an enzyme detergent and air-dry if the smell lingers.
Incontinence laundry
Frequent urine exposure builds up residue. Rinse items in cool water promptly, use an enzyme detergent in every wash, and add oxygen bleach regularly. If clothes still smell, give them a dedicated enzyme presoak before washing.
Old urine smell that survived the dryer
Heat may have set some odor. Soak in an enzyme presoak, wash warm, and air-dry; repeat a few times. For a stubborn smell, Texas A&M and Kentucky suggest a soak in baking soda and water, then another wash.
The color of the fabric changed
Urine can shift some dyes. A historical USDA bulletin restored the color with dilute ammonia on fresh stains or vinegar on old ones, which is a traditional method with weak evidence. Test on a seam and never use either with chlorine bleach.
Silk, wool and dry-clean-only items
No enzyme presoaks on silk or wool, since enzymes digest protein fibers, and no chlorine bleach. Rinse with cool water and take the item to a dry cleaner, telling them what it is.
Pet urine on clothes
Cat urine has its own sulfur-smelling compounds and needs an enzymatic pet cleaner. See the cat pee on clothes guide.
What not to do
- Don't start with hot water. Hot water coagulates the protein in urine between the fibers and sets the stain.
- Don't put the clothes in the dryer until they smell clean. Heat sets remaining stain and odor.
- Don't mask the smell with softener or scent boosters. They add fragrance on top of the residue, and the urine smell returns.
- Don't mix ammonia or vinegar with chlorine bleach. Bleach plus ammonia releases chloramine gas, and bleach plus vinegar releases chlorine gas. Rinse between treatments.
Other methods that work
Baking soda soak
For odor that survives washing, Texas A&M and Kentucky suggest soaking the clothes in baking soda and water, then washing again.
Caution: It deodorizes but doesn't break down residue; use it after the enzyme step.
White vinegar rinse
A cup of white vinegar in the rinse is a common tip for lingering odors. It's traditional, with weak evidence for urine.
Caution: Never in the same load as chlorine bleach. Test on colored fabric.
Stain still there?
The smell comes back when the clothes are worn
Body heat is releasing odor from residue still in the fibers. Give them a longer enzyme presoak, wash warm and air-dry.
A yellow stain remains after washing
Soak in an enzyme presoak, then wash with oxygen bleach, or chlorine bleach on whites whose label allows it. Air-dry and check.
Safety
- Wear gloves when handling someone else's urine-soaked clothes and wash your hands afterward.
- Never mix chlorine bleach with ammonia or vinegar.
- A strong or unusual urine odor can signal dehydration, diabetes or a urinary tract infection; persistent changes are worth raising with a doctor.
Never mix cleaning products; see chemicals you must never combine.
Questions
Why do my clothes still smell like pee after washing?
Urine residue is still in the fibers, and bacteria keep turning its urea into ammonia. An enzyme presoak and a warm rewash usually remove it.
Does vinegar get urine smell out of clothes?
It can help as an extra rinse, but the better-supported method is an enzyme presoak and a warm wash. Never combine vinegar with chlorine bleach.
Should I wash pee-stained clothes in hot or cold water?
Start with cool water to avoid setting the protein, then wash in cool or warm water. Avoid hot water until the stain is gone.
Does baking soda remove urine smell from clothes?
A baking soda soak helps with leftover odor after washing. It doesn't break down urine residue, so use it after detergent and an enzyme presoak.
Urine on other surfaces
Other stains on clothes
Sources
- Removing Stains from Washable Fabrics, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
- Stain Removal for Washable Fabrics (HE 2-840), University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service
- Stain Removal Guide, American Cleaning Institute
- Stain Removal from Fabrics: Home Methods (Farmers' Bulletin 1474, rev. 1951; historical), U.S. Department of Agriculture (digitized by Project Gutenberg)
- Urine, Wikipedia
- Chlorine gas: What happens if you mix bleach and other cleaners, Poison Control (National Capital Poison Center)
Last updated . Methods are drawn from the sources above; how we research and check our guides.