Getting Pee Smell Out of Pjs

Updated on February 02, 2008
L.H. asks from San Antonio, TX
39 answers

Hi Everyone,
Some nights my son's pull-up isn't sufficient to contain the pee. His sheets clean up just fine with no lingering pee smell, but I can't get the smell out of his PJs. I've tried Tide and soaking in vinegar water first, but neither worked.

Any suggestions?

2 moms found this helpful

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

So What Happened?

Well, I think the smell is gone. I tried the stripping the clothes trick of washing it in hot water and the smell appears to have disappeared. I'm waiting for the weather to get chilly again so he can wear them so that I can find out if it worked for good. Thanks for all the advice. If the stripping didn't work, I'll try something else and let you know.

Featured Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.N.

answers from Dallas on

I have used solumel...works wonders! www.melaleuca.com type solumel in the search box.

To get more info on how melalueca works click on the link below.
http://www.themomteam.com/KimNeel

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

G.S.

answers from Austin on

When my son drooled so much that his shirts smelled of mildew, the things that sort of worked were baking soda or OxyClean in the wash and/or an overnight stint in the freezer. Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.R.

answers from Dallas on

HI L.,

It seems all little boys have problems with pull-ups leaking!

I use regular liquid laundry soap with some color safe bleach.
You might also want to try a liquid laundry softner, I use the downy ball you throw in the washer.

Best of Luck!

C. Roeschen
The Trinity Group
Keller Williams
###-###-#### Direct
____@____.com
www.TheTrinityGroup.org

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.T.

answers from Corpus Christi on

You should try stripping them. I use cloth diapers and every now and then I need to strip them. Soap residue and buildup on the fabric will cause a lingering urine smell. You will want to wash his pjs on HOT water and instead of your detergent get Dawn ORIGINAL dish soap. A small squirt of this into the washer is all you need. After the wash cycle is over run the washer on a RINSE cycle with warm water. While it is rinsing check for soap bubbles. Rinse until there are no more soap bubbles in the water, dry as usual. That should do the trick for you!

1 mom found this helpful

A.G.

answers from Houston on

hydrogen peroxide in the wash

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.D.

answers from Austin on

Try Nature's Miracle or Petastic - these products use enzymes to actually destroy the proteins that cause the staining and smell in urine, blood, etc.

We had a laundry hamper accident with one of our cats and I tried using Nature's Miracle as a spot treatment before washing and it got the stain and smell right out. I'm sure it would do the same for the PJs.

Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.R.

answers from Houston on

There is a Lysol concentrate that you can find on the cleaning isle at Wal-Mart that works great! It is a small, brownish colored bottle that is sometimes hard to find. It even gets out the moldy smell from wet towels and various other things that "stink".

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

H.P.

answers from Dallas on

Try Borax, it gets most every yucky smell out:)

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.S.

answers from Dallas on

You've gotten so many responses, LOL, I guess we all tackle this problem at some point or another.

Walmart sells a product called Kids 'n Pets, its in the cleaning aisle by the carpet cleaners. White bottle, blue squeezy top, has a golden retriever pictured on the label. You can add some to your directly to your wash.

The label says it removes the stain and ODORS of blood, feces, urine, milk, vomit, and a rather extensive list of every other nasty substance our children and animals can create. :)

Good luck.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.P.

answers from Wichita Falls on

I like adding arm and hammer laundry booster to the wash. It seems to neutralize tough odors just like it does in the refrigerator and kitty box. It's cheap and works great with out leaving potentially dangerous chemicals in your kids' night clothes.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.K.

answers from Dallas on

I'm not sure how to get the smell out but when my son was in Pull ups, I used the Huggies Overnights at night. Now I use them with my girls instead of reg. diapers. They aren't ready for the Pull ups yet, unfortunately. I get them at Walmart.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.M.

answers from Dallas on

Have you tried soaking them in oxyclean powder with water? I find this helps a lot of baby stains, pee, and poop. Also, are you using the nighttime pullups? We have to get them for my son as the day ones just are not enough. Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.S.

answers from Dallas on

Wash in baking soda. I have also used oxyclean, that works pretty well also.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.D.

answers from Dallas on

I learned this trick from the moms on the t-ball field last year. Add BIZ and Clorox 2 along with your regular laundry soap....soak and the items will be like new. For bad stains mix BIZ into a paste and just follow the directions on the box, no stains left!!!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.C.

answers from Austin on

ODO BAN - sold at Sam's Club. All natural and an anti-microbial, not just anti-bacterial. Kills fungus too. Great for "sour" laundry, etc.. Soak 'em overnight if needed.

If that's not enough, Drs. Foster & Smith make a great pet urine product that I also used in the kids laundry during potty training called StainAway. Soak 'em in that too. It's also all natural with enzymes and was designed to eliminate old as well as fresh stains. You can find it here: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pc...

(They've made a new product called CleanAway, but I've never tried it. Supposedly it's even better.)

These two products have saved my sanity over and over again over the years. Especially during those smellier laundry years with poop and pee accidents and in places where bleach can't be used!

I should also note that both these natural products are designed for laundry as well as anything else. Just follow the instructions.

Good Luck and Blessings....

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.S.

answers from Wichita Falls on

I add Ammonia to my wash, in hot water, along with detergent. As long as it hasn't had weeks to ferment, I've been able to get out pet urine smells too.

S.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

Y.B.

answers from Dallas on

The smell may not come out because of the type material the clothes are in addition to you drying and locking in the smell.
You can try a spray stain removal. If not, you may need to by 2-3 pajamas and spray them with a stain removal and wash 2-3x's per week.
You can also try to soaking clothes in baking soda which is also good with odors.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.L.

answers from Austin on

I use Sol-U-Mel from Melaleuca, Inc. (www.melaleuca.com). I have an older son who is in and out of pullups/underwear and he has even pooped his pants. I add this to the wash load along with the laundry detergent, MelaPower (only 1 oz.) and stains and all come right out. If you want more information about these products (yes, they cost less per use), just let me know at ____@____.com. I don't have to use hot water either, because this laundry detergent works in cold and warm without ruining your clothes. They stay looking newer longer.

Good luck.

J.
www.workathomeunited.com/janislanz

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.H.

answers from San Antonio on

Hi,

you can try to add one cup of white vinegar to the wash.

Good luck.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.H.

answers from Houston on

You didn't mention how old he is. Sometimes the older they are, the more bacteria is in their urine. Also, they have medicine to help problem wetting for older kids now. My girl's leaks on occasion and we had the problem with the smell sometimes too. I have found that limiting their liquid intake to just water, except at breakfast and the occasional treat drink at resturaunts ans stuff greatly reduced the smell. As for the current PJ's, I would suggest using a different soap(we use Arm and Hammer, always known for oder control) and liquid softner. Also, the morning after it happens, spray them with peroxide where the wetness is. It kills the bacteria that create some of the smell(incidentally, this works great for period leaks as well). We have recently put her on a med(similar to Detrol) that helps her hold it better at night. And the accidents are a lot fewer. There may also be underlying reasons why he is still bed-wetting as he gets older. Your doctor can help you find a solution. Hope thse tips help and good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.G.

answers from San Antonio on

I agree with Melanie. Borax is super and it's cheap-less than $3 for the large box. I soak my cloth diapers in it overnight. It performs wonders! ~C.

Oh, and you can find diaper doublers on-line. IMO if he's wetting so much that his pull-up doesn't hold the pee, he needs more absorbency at night.

LMK if you are interested in trying out cloth diapers (not the ones from Target or Walmart-you'll be discouraged) and I can help you out.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

B.P.

answers from Houston on

Yes, I have the same delima and have solved it this way: Use dreft, mountain fresh (green lid) downy, one scoop of oxy clean and febreeze for laundry. Problem solved. My issue is that my 2 babies spill over in the night and the smell WAS hard to get out. I tried this combination and it does work.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.O.

answers from Dallas on

I use Solumel for a deodorizer & it works great for me!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.L.

answers from Dallas on

Borax works well for eliminating odors. You can get a box on the laundry isle.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.F.

answers from Killeen on

Try amonia -

It doesnt fade colours and it works great on my daughters clothes - not to mention it also gets the moldy smell out of laundry. I am famous for throwing in a load of wash and disappearing for the weekend so I wash almost everything with a cup of amonia... lol

Oh the joys of simgle parenthood and always being on the go!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.J.

answers from Dallas on

Have you tried Huggies Overnights? They work great to contain pee for most kids I know. The pull ups just don't seem to work so well at night. As for the smell, I use a little bleach. You can get one for colors, and have not had a problem.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.S.

answers from Dallas on

There is a product that Whole Foods carries made by BioKleen, it is in the cleaning section. I highly recommend this product. Keep the reciept, as Whole Foods will refund your money if you do not like it for any reason.
~K.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.G.

answers from San Antonio on

You might try baking soda and water or just sprinkling it on the pj's and letting it sit for a while before washing. I'm not sure if it will take the smell out but baking soda is known for absorbing odors.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R.M.

answers from Houston on

Liquid concentrate Lysol, place a cap full in wash.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R.M.

answers from Houston on

We have the same problem here. I wash with my normal detergent, plus add 1 cup of baking soda. You can get really big bags of baking soda at Costco or Sam's, or just buy lots of boxes at the grocery store.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.P.

answers from Dallas on

try washing clothes with baking soda (1/2 cup) and once the washer is full of water (before the spin cycle) turn the washer off and let the clothes soak in the water/soda for a few hours, then turn it back on to finish, then rewash with regular detergent. our towels spelled weird (kind of sour) and i did this, and it worked 100%! good luck :)

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.R.

answers from Dallas on

I've also found that pull-ups don't contain the pee at night very well. Since I still have disposable diapers on hand, I use those at night.

I put a scoop of oxyclean in with the laundry detergent and set my washer for a 15 or 30 min. soak cycle before washing. That's always worked for me.

Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

T.B.

answers from San Antonio on

soak it in warm water with borax and for like 10 min and then ring out and throw in the washer

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.P.

answers from Killeen on

I know it isn't the same thing, but I get our new puppy's pee smell out of her bedding by using Simple Pleasures, Vanilla/lavender. I know it isn't the most wholesome thing but the smell is truly gone, even after the bedding sits on the shelf for a few days - it doesn't come back. Perhaps this will help you. Good Luck. K.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.

answers from Dallas on

I always run a cold rinse on my kids laundry before washing it in hot water. Works for me. Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.W.

answers from Austin on

Febreze and Urinegone work well for this. . . Spray on liberally and let stand for 20-30 minutes before washing.
Urinegone can be found at Walgreens in the cleaning supplies section.

Hope this helps :)

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.T.

answers from Houston on

I've never had success with pullups at nap and overnight. You might want to get some cloth training pants (like at motherease.com) or some snap or velcro covers to put over the disposables the help contain the pee. You can add a sanitary pad or a cloth diaper liner (you can see some at that site, I like the dry weave) for added absorbancy.

As for washing, you could try Borax- I cold soak my cloth diapers in borax and then add more Borax to the wash with the detergent. I add vinegar to the rinse cycle to help remove soap buildup in the diapers (which holds in the urine smell.)
Are you using too much detergent?

S., mom to three in diapers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.L.

answers from Austin on

oxyclean works wonders!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.D.

answers from Houston on

From "Hints from Heloise":
Soak the stain in an enzyme presoak product with just a little bleach (not enough to change the color of the clothing).

Also - soaking in baking soda and water overnight before washing could help.

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions