I just got a second hand firetruck bed. It smells like cat pee from time to time. The smell is actually not cat pee...the people I got it from did not have cats (or any pets). After I received it, I washed it (in pieces) in the tub with bleach. All of the water never came out, and I think the smell is actually mildew on the plastic or stagnant water. I cannot get all of the water out of all of the pieces. Le t me know what works, please.
Thanks so much!
Thanks to everyone who answered! There were some great suggestions given. I tried alchohol. I tried vinegar. We decided to just get rid of it. The smell was the actual plastic, not inside. This was a great deal (got it as a hand-me-down) but as it is, the bed is about 10 years old, so not sure what kind of plastics were used then, and if they should even last this long before the composition starts breaking down. We figured to err on the side of caution. Afterall, this is my little boy's health we are ultimately dealing with. While trying so hard to recycle/reuse, we figure in this matter, the powers that be (ecologically speaking, of course) will forgive us for trashing this item. I think 10 plus years is a good amount of recycling.
Thanks all!!
hi L....my best advice would be to get rid of it and buy a new toddler matress...just to be safe! -M.
can you pour some rubbing alcohol in there too? it should disinfect in there and mix with the water and make it evaporate.
Keep in mind that mold never actually dies. Anytime the weather gets hot and damp, the mold will bloom again. If it is really bad, your only choice will be to get rid of the bed. Drilling holes to let the water out is a great idea. You probably should follow that up by placing the bed outside on a sunny day to allow it to fully dry out. The sunlight will also make the mold go dormant. You can try putting a sillica gell dessicant in interior areas of the bed to absorb moisture. Just make sure that baby can't get at the stuff and that you can remove it and replace it now and then. Also keep in mind that plastics contain lots of harmful chemicals and hormones particularly estrogen. Personally, I am keeping all plastic as far away from my daughter as possible. I certainly would not put her in a plastic bed.
Have you tried driving a little hole into places that are kinda hidden? That might drain the water. I'd probably flush it with some bleach water again to get rid of any mold. Then let it dry.
I would definitely try the cleaning suggestions given, but if it doesn't work you may want to consider getting rid of the bed. If it is mildew, your child is breathing it in. This can be very dangerous to them and can cause some serious respiratory problems.
Good luck!
drill a small hole in the plastic pieces so the water can drain or dry out...
Personally, I would get rid of it. So not worth it. Smell would drive me
crazy, not to mention letting a child sleep in it.
I had a simular situation with a play set that we got for my little girl..it was mostly used ouside from the prior owner..i wanted to use it inside..its winter time..something new to play with..when i washed every thing as you did..the same thing happened...so i got a small drill and put a few small holes in the bottom to allow the water to drain out...the one hole was for the air vent the other allowed the water to drain out...try it....rosie
not sure why you cant get all of the water out - did u try leaving some of the pieces oside in the sun all day?
A sure odor eliminator that I use in my daily laundry to get rid of the pee in my 3 yr old sons underwear (still being pottytrined) is white vinegar. Its cheap and gets rid of all smells. Just make sure that the type of plastic is okay - not very old and giving off toxicx fumes - sometimes its worth spending a few extra dollars to buy something that yu know is safe and know where its been.
Try a dehumidfier next to the bed.
Dear L., I think you have to take it apart and do your best to dry it out. I do not know what it looks like but can you use a hair dryer on it? Or dry out the room with a heater? Mold and mildew can only grow in damp and dark. I am sure you will get some other ideas, these moms are great! Grandma Mary
