This is probably the 5th time my son has peed on the couch, he's potty training. He'll be 3 soon so he's ready for me to at least start trying with him. Everytime he does it, I make a mixture of baking soda, peroxide and dish soap and soak the cushion and then clean it with a BIssel. I then sit it out in the sun to dry, only problem is now it's 30 degrees out. I'm tired of this. I don't remember having to ever do this with my first son. I'm feeling like at this point the couch is unsanitary, but it makes no sense to buy a new one and have him ruin it. What do I do, what can I do...I'm losing my mind over this.
Unless, I was just thinking, do they make a couch with a material that is resistant to liquids soaking into the cushion? That may be worth investing in.
When my son was potty training I put a waterproof pad on a couch cushion. It was a pad meant for a crib mattress, so it was the perfect size. He just learned for a while...that was "his spot". It kept the couch clean, washed easily in the washer and I could remove it when we had company coming over. We also got into the habit of reminding him to potty before getting on the couch.
Buy him a bean bag chair. They have them at Walmart for $15. They're vinyl and wipe off easy...and that will keep him off your couch.
Or, get one of these: http://bedwettingstore.com/reusable-waterproof-overlays.html and tuck it in where he sits.
Best of luck!
♥
C. Lee
Read on here the other day someone gets a bath mat/rug (the kind with the rubbery bottom) that they place on the couch and that is the designated are that her child is permitted to sit on. But i also agree with Julie G. too!
I would just put beach towels on the couch :)
Don't let him sit on the couch. Tell him he can only sit on it after he has just gone in the potty. My kids rarely sat on my couches when they were potty training.
You can get one of those old fashioned plastic slip covers. But I would try keeping your child off the couch instead.
ETA: It worked much better for me to tell my son it was time to go to the bathroom than to ask him whether he needed to go. He NEVER needed to go - right up to that last second before he peed.
I just finished potty training my third. I always put layers of towels down on the couches and carpet when potty training. I also put the plastic training pants over their underwear to minimize the mess from the accident.
If he's leading out of his pull up that often you need to make sure he goes and sits on the potty more often.
This is the main reason mom's put pull ups on the kiddo's. They pull up and down just like real undies and they catch the messes so mom's don't have to spend all that time on their hands and knees cleaning up pee and pooh. That's also very unsanitary.
But some pull ups and make life easier for him and for you.
If its any consolation, urine is sterile. I potty trained my son while on vacation for a week. That way I could make sure he is being brought into the bathroom frequently. DO NOT rely on his answer. My son has been trained for about 3 months now and still says no whenever asked. Just get him in there.
Cover the couch with an old blanket until he is done potty training. Our couch has seen its share of pee. We cleaned it the best we could. Sounds like you are cleaning it enough for the time being with the little ones... wait until they get a little older then get a new couch. Good Luck!
