How to Remove Urine Smell from Clothes

Urine stains can leave their mark on various garments long after you wash them. Although the smell might seem like a permanent addition to the clothing, there are plenty of natural and chemical options to get each item smelling new and fresh again. If you’re dealing with a smelly piece of clothing that’s already been washed and dried, consider soaking it bleach or washing it with an enzymatic detergent. If the garment is freshly soiled and especially smelly, try washing or soaking it with vinegar instead.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Soaking with Bleach

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1
Combine chlorinated bleach with tap water to soak white clothes. Pour 0.25 cups (59 mL) of chlorinated bleach into a large bucket or basin filled with 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water. Stir them together until the bleach is thoroughly mixed into the water. Use the same ratio with colored clothes, but use nonchlorine bleach instead.^{[1]XResearch source}
- Consider putting rubber gloves on whenever you work with bleach.
- Before you add any smelly garments, check to make sure that the bleach contains chlorine.
- It’s important to use nonchlorine bleach whenever you wash colored clothing, as it prevents your garments from fading.
2
Let the smelly clothing soak in the bucket for 3-4 hours to overnight. Place your clothing items into the bleach solution and submerge them completely. If you’re working with white clothing, allow the garments to soak overnight. For colored clothing, wait at least 3 hours before removing the soaked clothing from the mixture.^{[2]XResearch source}
- Try to keep the bleach solution in a place where pets or small children can’t get to it.
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3
Wash white clothes with detergent and bleach. Place the soaked clothing into the washing machine and add 1 cup (240 mL) of detergent and 1 cup (240 mL) of bleach. Set the cycle to a normal spin speed with the water temperature of your choice. After that, let the bleach do the rest of the work!
- Make sure that colored clothing is washed with nonchlorine bleach.
4
Allow the garments to air-dry or place them in the sun. Remove the clothing from the washing machine after the cycle is complete. After the load is completed, hang up each article of clothing in an open space. Hang up especially large items on a clothesline.^{[3]XResearch source}
- Repeat this method as necessary, or until the smell of urine is gone.
- Be careful when hanging brightly colored garments outside, as they might fade in direct sunlight.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Enzyme-Based Detergent

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1
Purchase an enzymatic detergent that works on protein-based stains. Check online or in the cleaning section of a grocery store to find an enzyme-based detergent. Double check to make sure the product works on protein-based stains, like urine, blood, and fecal matter. It doesn’t matter if you get a liquid or powder detergent, as long as you’re able to use it in your washing machine.
- Since you’re likely dealing with garments that you’ve already washed, detergent is the best way to handle old smells.
2
Measure the enzymatic detergent into your washer. Check the detergent label to determine how much product to add to a single load of wash. If you’ve washed the smelly clothing before, wash it by itself or with other clothing. However, keep in mind that all of the clothes in the load will be cleaned with the enzymatic detergent.^{[4]XTrustworthy SourceThe Humane Society of the United StatesNational organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfareGo to source}
- If you’re using powder detergent, make sure that you’re placing it in the right compartment.
3
Wash the clothing in a normal cycle with hot water. Set the washing machine to run at normal spin speed, with the water set to a hot temperature. Make sure that the washer settings fall in line with your clothing’s care label beforehand. If the garment is labeled for cold water only, then use that temperature instead.^{[5]XResearch source}
- Repeat this process until the scent is gone.
Hang up the wet clothing items in your laundry room, or another open area of your home. Wait a day or so, checking periodically to see if the garments have dried. If it’s easier, hang your wet clothing up outside instead.^{[6]XTrustworthy SourceThe Humane Society of the United StatesNational organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfareGo to source}

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Washing with Vinegar

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1
Place stained clothes in the wash with white vinegar. Put the smelly articles of clothing into the washing machine. Once you’ve placed all of the items in, pour 1 cup (240 mL) of white vinegar into the detergent compartment of the machine.^{[7]XExpert SourceSusan Stocker
Cleaning GuruExpert Interview. 8 November 2019.} Since you’re using vinegar for the whole cycle, only wash items that need to be deodorized.^{[8]XResearch source}
- Vinegar naturally helps remove any lingering uric acid from the fabric, which creates the foul smell.
Set the wash cycle to a normal spin speed with the water temperature set to hot. Don’t worry about choosing a fancy cycle option for this part. What matters most is that the clothing gets thoroughly soaked with vinegar.^{[9]XResearch source}
3
Soak dried stains overnight with water and white vinegar. Add 1 cup (240 mL) of white vinegar into a bucket of tap water. Once the vinegar is mixed into the water, place smelly garments that you’ve previously washed into the bucket. Make sure that each garment is completely drenched, and leave them to soak in the vinegar solution for the night.^{[10]XResearch source}
- If you need to wash a lot of clothing, consider using a large basin instead.
Let each item of clothing air-dry in an open space for a day. Once the clothing has dried completely, see if you can detect any bad odors in the clothing. If the smell of urine remains, try washing and soaking the items again.^{[11]XResearch source}

Expert Q&A

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Question
How do you neutralize the smell of urine?
Susan Stocker
Green Cleaning Expert
Susan Stocker runs and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, the #1 Green Cleaning Company in Seattle. She is well known in the region for outstanding customer service protocols — winning the 2017 Better Business Torch Award for Ethics & Integrity —and her energetic support of green cleaning practices.
Susan Stocker
Green Cleaning Expert
Expert Answer
There are many ways, but vinegar is a great option. The vinegar naturally helps remove any lingering uric acid from the fabric, which creates a foul smell. Baking soda is another fantastic urine neutralizer. Put some baking soda in warm water and soak the item in the mixture. You can also buy a product that contains enzymes that break urine down, such as Nature's Miracle or Uri-Kleen.
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Question
What laundry detergent is best for urine odor?
Susan Stocker
Green Cleaning Expert
Susan Stocker runs and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, the #1 Green Cleaning Company in Seattle. She is well known in the region for outstanding customer service protocols — winning the 2017 Better Business Torch Award for Ethics & Integrity —and her energetic support of green cleaning practices.
Susan Stocker
Green Cleaning Expert
Expert Answer
Use an enzymatic detergent. Double-check to make sure the product works on protein-based stains, like urine, blood, and fecal matter.
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Question
How do you remove odors from clothes?
Susan Stocker
Green Cleaning Expert
Susan Stocker runs and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, the #1 Green Cleaning Company in Seattle. She is well known in the region for outstanding customer service protocols — winning the 2017 Better Business Torch Award for Ethics & Integrity —and her energetic support of green cleaning practices.
Susan Stocker
Green Cleaning Expert
Expert Answer
Both vinegar and baking soda are great for neutralizing odors. Or, you can use bleach. However, it’s important to use nonchlorine bleach whenever you wash colored clothing, as it prevents your garments from fading.
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