Need to know how to get pee out of car seats? Follow these 6 easy steps and get the pee, and the smell, out of your car.
The process varies for different types of car seat material, so we’ll address each of them individually:
How to Get Pee Out of Cloth Car Seats
How to Get Pee Out of Leather Car Seats
How to Get Pee Out of Children’s Car Seats & Straps
How to Get Pee Out of Cloth Car Seats
Tools and Products Needed:
- Latex or rubber gloves
- Paper towels
- Upholstery cleaner or white vinegar & dish soap
- Spray bottle
- Microfiber towels
- Carpet & upholstery extractor
- Baking Soda
Steps:
- Blot and press with paper towels immediately
- Spray with upholstery cleaner
- Blot and press again with paper towels
- Clean the area with a carpet & upholstery extractor
- Let dry overnight with windows open
- Sprinkle baking soda on dry seats overnight. Vacuum up.
Step 1: Blot and press with paper towels immediately
Using papers towels, wipe up excess urine from the seats. Then, with fresh papers towels, press into the seat to get as much moisture out and into the paper towels as possible. The faster you act, the better. The longer you wait, the deeper the urine will penetrate into the seat cushion.
Do this until the paper towels come back dry.
Step 2: Spray with upholstery cleaner
Spray upholstery cleaner directly onto the soiled area. Follow the directions on the cleaner container for best results.
If you don’t have upholstery cleaner, you can make a homemade solution. Gently mix the following ingredients in a spray bottle:
- 2 cups of water
- 1 tablespoon of white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap
Vinegar will break down the uric acid found in urine, and the dish soap removes dirt and oil. It also leaves a nice scent.
Apply the solution to the soiled area.
Step 3: Blot and press again with paper towels
Blot the wet area with paper towels again to remove excess solution. Then press new dry paper towels into the seat cushion to pull moisture out and into the paper towels. Do this until the paper towels come up dry.
Step 4: Clean the area with a carpet & upholstery extractor
Run the extractor over the area to pull as much moisture up and out of the seat as possible. Once it’s no longer pulling up moisture, rinse the area with warm water, and extract again.
The goal is to pull the urine up and out of the seat. If the urine is not in the seat, the seat won’t smell.
Repeat as needed. Be sure to pull as much moisture out of the seat as you can.
Step 5: Let dry overnight with windows down / open
Pull your vehicle into a garage and park it with the windows down. Let the seats completely dry overnight.
If a garage is not available, park with windows down just a little to allow moisture to escape.
Step 6: Sprinkle baking soda on the dry seats and let sit overnight. Vacuum up.
Baking soda absorbs odors. This step takes care of any lingering odors that might still be in your seats.
Sprinkle baking soda on the seat. Leave the baking soda on the seat overnight, then vacuum it up.
You’re done!
How to Get Pee Out of Leather Car Seats
Tools and Products Needed:
- Latex or rubber gloves
- Paper towels
- Leather cleaner
- Soft bristle leather brush
- Microfiber towels
- Baking soda
- Leather conditioner
Steps:
- Blot and wipe with paper towels immediately
- Spray with leather cleaner and scrub with soft bristle leather brush
- Wipe away with a microfiber towel
- Let dry overnight with windows open
- Sprinkle baking soda on dry seats overnight. Vacuum up.
- Apply leather conditioner
Step 1: Blot and wipe with paper towels immediately
Blot quickly to avoid the urine from soaking into the leather and into the seams and stitching. Leather is water resistant but it is not waterproof. Using paper towels, blot and wipe the excess urine away. The more quickly you act after the “incident” the better.
Step 2: Spray with leather cleaner
Use proper leather cleaner. Spray it onto a soft bristle leather brush and onto the leather directly. Gently scrub the soiled area. Be sure to thoroughly scrub the seams and threading as that is where the urine will likely collect and soak in.
Step 3: Wipe away with a microfiber towel
After a thorough scrubbing, wipe away excess lather with a microfiber towel. This will lift the urine, dirt, and oils off of the leather. If you see remnants of the urine spot, repeat step 2 as needed.
Step 4: Let dry overnight
Allow the freshly cleaned area to dry overnight with all of the windows open. Since the windows will be open, it’s best to park the vehicle inside of a garage. If no garage is available, only the open the windows a crack. The important part is to provide the interior with fresh air and adequate ventilation. Do not apply leather conditioner yet, as that will seal in smells. Instead let it dry completely overnight before applying any further treatment to the area.
Step 5: Sprinkle baking soda on dry seats overnight. Vacuum up
If there is any urine smell that remains after cleaning and drying, sprinkle baking soda onto the dry seats. Baking soda is effective at absorbing odors. Leave the baking soda on the leather seats overnight, then vacuum up.
Step 6: Apply leather conditioner
Leather cleaner is formulated to remove dirt and oils from the leather seats. It will also remove leather conditioners and protectants. It’s important to reapply conditioners and protectants to keep your leather seats looking good for years to come. Follow the directions on the bottle.
Buff excess conditioner away. You’re done!
How to Get Pee Out of Children’s Car Seats & Straps
Tools & Products Needed:
- All purpose cleaner
- Microfiber towels
- Household washing machine and dryer
Steps:
- Remove the car seat from the vehicle
- Separate the car seat cover from the frame
- Wash and dry car the car seat cover
- Clean the car seat frame
- Reassemble the car seat and reinstall in the vehicle
Step 1: Remove the car seat from the vehicle
Disconnect anchors and straps and remove the car seat from the vehicle. Do this as quickly as you can after the “incident” to avoid urine from dripping down onto the seats in the car. If it has, follow the steps above for remove urine from cloth or leather seats.
Step 2: Separate the car seat cover from the frame
Children’s car seats are made in a way that allows for the removal and washing of the car seat cover. Remove the cover from the car seat. Normally this requires you to find the fabric loops and anchor points and remove them. You will also need to disconnect the restraint straps in the back. Remember the disassembly steps so you can reassemble later.
Step 3: Wash and dry the car seat cover
The car seat cover will have washing instructions on them. Locate that tag, and follow the instructions. If it allows, the easiest method is to wash it in a household washing machine, and dry in your dryer. If hand washing is required, do that. Fill your sink or a bucket with water and detergent. Gently wash the car seat cover and hang to air dry.
Step 4: Clean the car seat frame
With the cover off, clean the car seat frame with all-purpose cleaner and a microfiber towel. Weather permitting, rinse the car seat frame outside with water from a garden hose. Dry with a microfiber towel.
Step 5: Reassemble the car seat and reinstall in the vehicle
Place the clean car seat cover back on the clean car seat frame. Be sure to properly reconnect the safety restraint straps in the back. Once reassembled, place it back in the vehicle and reattach and tighten anchors.
You’re done!
How to Eliminate Stubborn Urine Smell from Car Seats & Carpet
Sometimes even after a thorough cleaning, the smell of urine still remains. Here are the most effective solutions for removing urine smell from your vehicle:
- Baking Soda: Baking soda is effective at absorbing odors. Sprinkle baking soda onto dry car seats or carpet. Leave it overnight and vacuum it up.
- Enzyme Cleaner: As the name indicates, enzyme cleaners contain natural enzymes that feed on ammonia crystals and organic matter until they are eliminated. These solutions are very effective.
- Activated Charcoal: Charcoal is very effective at removing odors and moisture from small spaces. Be careful when using activated charcoal as it will stain your car seats. Only use charcoal air purifying bags that keep the charcoal from coming in contact with your fabric or leather seats.
- White Vinegar + Rubbing Alcohol + Water: To make your own deodorizer, mix 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol, and 1 cup of water. Spray on the surface. The vinegar and rubbing alcohol will kill odor causing bacteria. You can also add a few drops of your favorite essential oils for a fresher scent. I don’t recommend using this solution on leather seats.
- Ozone Generator Air Purifier: Ozone generators are widely used by professional detailers and automotive dealerships to remove smells. Ozone generators intake O2 and output O3. O3 particles latch on to organic particles in the air in order to transition back to O2. This process speeds up oxidization, and in the process, eliminates odors.
FAQs
Is it safe to use vinegar on leather car seats?
Yes, it is safe to use vinegar on leather car seats when diluted with water. a 50/50 mixture is safe. Vinegar will dry out the leather, so apply leather conditioner to the leather seats after use.
Is it safe to use hydrogen peroxide on fabric car seats?
No. Hydrogen peroxide is safe to use on most natural fibers, but car seat fabric is not always made of 100% natural fibers. Hydrogen peroxide can discolor your fabric. Avoid using hydrogen peroxide on your fabric car seats.
Does urine soak into leather?
Yes. Urine will soak into leather seats. Leather is moisture resistant, but it is not moisture proof. When left on the surface, urine will slowly soak into your leather car seats. Remove urine quickly when possible.
How do you remove dried urine stains?
Dried urine stains require you to re-moisturize the soiled area and extract the urine with an extractor. Apply upholstery cleaner to the area and let it stand for 10-15 mins. Wipe away excess with a microfiber towel. Wipe from the outside edge of the stain towards the middle to avoid spreading the stain. Apply warm water to the soiled area and quickly extract with an upholstery extractor tool. Repeat until the stain is gone.
Are urine stains permanent?
No. Urine stains can be removed following the steps detailed above.
Summary
To get pee out of car seats, quickly blot with paper towels, apply upholstery or leather cleaner, extract, and let dry.
Urine odors are removed with baking soda, enzyme cleaners, activated charcoal, vinegar / rubbing alcohol solution, or an ozone generator.
Apply leather conditioner to clean, dry leather seats after treatment.
What Next?
Now that your vehicle is clean and fresh again, improve another part of your car’s interior. Explore our other interior detail guides.
