How to Get Cat Urine Smell Out of Clothes and Bedding

To get cat urine smell out of clothes, rinse the spot under cool running water, soak or pretreat it with an enzymatic cleaner made for urine, then wash it (UGA Extension; American Cleaning Institute). Air-dry it if you can, and if any smell is left, wash it again with the enzyme cleaner; keep it out of the dryer until the stain and smell are gone (Humane World for Animals; American Cleaning Institute).

The mistake to avoid is chlorine bleach. Urine contains ammonia, and bleach mixed with ammonia releases toxic chloramine gas (Washington State Department of Health). On anything a cat has soiled, skip ammonia and vinegar cleaners too: Cornell Feline Health Center says they smell like urine.

Key takeaways

Rinse urine out under cool water first; hot water and dryer heat can set it.
Treat it with an enzymatic cleaner made for urine for at least 10 to 15 minutes, or as long as its label says.
Wash warm with detergent plus a 1-pound box of baking soda, air-dry, and rewash with the enzyme cleaner if any smell is left.
Never put chlorine bleach on urine; skip ammonia and vinegar on anything a cat has soiled.
Comforters too big for your washer need a large-capacity machine: more than 4,000 laundromats in the LaundroMaps directory list one (October 2026).

How do you get cat urine smell out of clothes?

Rinse, enzyme-treat, wash, then sniff before any heat:

Rinse cool, right away. Run cool water through the spot in a sink, then soak the item in cool water with a heavy-duty liquid detergent (UGA Extension). Hot water used first can cook the protein into the fibers (Iowa State University Extension).
Treat it with an enzymatic cleaner. Use one made for urine, test it on a hidden spot, and leave it at least 10 to 15 minutes, longer for tough stains (American Cleaning Institute).
Wash it warm, in its own load, if the care label allows (Iowa State University Extension), with your regular detergent plus a 1-pound box of baking soda (Humane World for Animals).
Sniff it wet. Drying can permanently set stains, so check before the dryer (American Cleaning Institute).
Air-dry, or repeat. If you can still see or smell the urine, wash it again with the enzyme cleaner (Humane World for Animals).

Why warm: the Iowa State University Extension guide washes treated protein stains such as urine in warm, not hot, water, and notes that hot water inactivates enzymes. More in our wash temperature guide.

Can you just put cat-pee clothes in the washing machine?

Not straight from the hamper: rinse it and pretreat it with an enzyme product first (UGA Extension; American Cleaning Institute), because a plain wash may leave the smell behind (Humane World for Animals). Then wash it as its own load, since lightly soiled laundry can pick up soil from the wash water (American Cleaning Institute).

What about shoes, backpacks and stuffed animals?

Cats often target items with new smells, such as backpacks and shoes (Feline Veterinary Medical Association). Give washable ones the same rinse and enzyme treatment, then follow our guides for sneakers, backpacks, stuffed animals and small rugs. Leave suede, leather and fur to a professional (Iowa State University Extension).

What if the label says dry clean only?

Take it to a professional dry cleaner within 24 to 48 hours and say the stain is urine (Iowa State University Extension). The Drycleaning & Laundry Institute says that after one week, 20% of stains may not come out completely.

Why does cat pee smell linger after a normal wash?

A wash doesn't always get all of the urine out: if you can still smell it, Humane World for Animals says to wash again with an enzymatic cleaner. Cat urine contains a sulfur molecule, and the Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute says it is broken down by enzymatic action specific to its molecular structure.

The "catty" smell comes from sulfurous odorants such as 3-mercapto-3-methyl-1-butanol, made from felinine in cat urine (Suka et al., 2025; Miyazaki et al., 2006). Cornell Feline Health Center says urine odor must be neutralized, not just deodorized. If it smells musty rather than like urine, see our guide to mildew smell in clothes.

Will cat pee smell ever go away?

Yes, once the residue is broken down and rinsed out. Covering it doesn't count: bleach only masks pet smells (Missouri Poison Center). Any trace matters, because cats re-soil and spray areas marked with their scent (Cornell Feline Health Center).

Does cat pee stain?

It can. Urine, or the products used to remove it, may affect a fabric's dyes or finishes, says the Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute, so test any remover on a small area first. If a mark is left after the enzyme soak, launder it with oxygen bleach, which stain guides list for that wash (American Cleaning Institute; K-State Research and Extension). Not every stain comes out of every fabric (Cornell Cooperative Extension).

What kills cat pee smell on fabric?

An enzymatic cleaner made for urine. Enzymes break down organic residues, which makes them effective on pet accidents (American Cleaning Institute). To spot an enzyme detergent, look for ingredients ending in -ase, such as protease, or the words "enzyme" or "protein stain remover" on the label (American Cleaning Institute; Cornell Cooperative Extension).

How the common options compare:

Option	What it does	Use it on	Watch out for
Enzymatic cleaner	Breaks stains into pieces that wash away (American Cleaning Institute)	Every accident, fresh or dried	Pretest; give it 10 to 15 minutes or more (American Cleaning Institute)
Oxygen bleach	Peroxygen bleach, such as sodium percarbonate or hydrogen peroxide; gentler than chlorine bleach (American Cleaning Institute)	The wash after an enzyme soak (American Cleaning Institute; K-State Research and Extension)	Check the care label; OxiClean keeps its powders off wool, silk and leather (OxiClean)
Vinegar or ammonia	Smells like urine (Cornell Feline Health Center)	Not on cat-soiled items; save vinegar for everyday laundry	Toxic gas with chlorine bleach (Washington State Department of Health)
Chlorine bleach	Doesn't remove urine odor on its own (Clorox)	Not on urine	Releases chloramine gas with urine (Tennessee Poison Center)

Will OxiClean get rid of cat pee?

It can help as the oxygen bleach step after the enzyme treatment. Its maker says its Versatile Stain Remover powder works on pet messes: fill the scoop to line 2 to 4 per gallon of water, soak 1 to 6 hours in an open container, and don't mix it with chlorine bleach or other household chemicals, apart from your regular detergent in the wash. Test it for colorfastness first (OxiClean).

Will hydrogen peroxide neutralize cat urine?

None of the current extension or humane-society guides we read recommend it for urine odor. It's an oxygen bleach (American Cleaning Institute), and stain guides list oxygen bleach for the wash after an enzyme soak (Nebraska Extension; K-State Research and Extension). If you use it, choose the 3% drugstore strength, not hair-bleaching solution (Cornell Cooperative Extension), and test it on an inside seam or hem first (NMSU Extension).

Does Dawn soap get rid of cat urine?

Dish soap can lift a fresh spot, but it doesn't break urine down: its surfactants loosen soil so it rinses away (American Cleaning Institute), while enzymes cut the residue itself into pieces (American Cleaning Institute). For a hand pretreat, Cornell Cooperative Extension mixes 1 teaspoon of mild liquid dish detergent in 1 cup of warm water. Keep it out of the washing machine (American Cleaning Institute).

Is it dangerous to use bleach on cat urine?

Yes. Urine contains ammonia, and bleach mixed with ammonia, including animal or human urine, creates chloramine gas (Tennessee Poison Center). Clorox, the bleach maker, says bleach doesn't remove urine odors on its own and shouldn't be used until the urine is completely cleaned away.

The American Cleaning Institute and K-State Research and Extension list chlorine bleach, if the fabric allows, or oxygen bleach for the wash after an enzyme soak. We'd pick oxygen bleach.

Never combine these (Washington State Department of Health; Missouri Poison Center):

Chlorine bleach and ammonia or urine: chloramine gas.
Chlorine bleach and vinegar or other acids: chlorine gas.
Chlorine bleach and hydrogen peroxide: they react.
Vinegar and hydrogen peroxide in one container: peracetic acid, which at high concentrations is corrosive and can irritate skin, eyes and airways. Many OxiClean products contain hydrogen peroxide.

If you breathe the fumes, get fresh air: most people recover in 1 to 2 hours; call 911 if breathing symptoms persist or worsen (Tennessee Poison Center). Poison Help is 1-800-222-1222, free, 24 hours a day (Poison Control).

How do you get old, dried urine smell out of clothes?

Re-wet it and repeat the enzyme treatment with a longer soak (American Cleaning Institute): old stains call for an enzyme pretreat or soak before laundering (American Cleaning Institute).

Find every spot by smell or with a black light; old urine can dry invisibly (Humane World for Animals).
Rinse out other cleaners first. An enzyme cleaner will break down an old cleaner instead of the urine (Nebraska Humane Society).
Soak it in cold water with detergent, or in an enzyme presoak at the water temperature its label gives (Iowa State University Extension; K-State Research and Extension). Wash it warm, and soak it another 30 minutes if the stain remains (Iowa State University Extension).
Repeat before drying. Removing every trace of a stain may take 5 to 7 reapplications of the same treatment (Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute).

What if it's already been through the dryer?

Run the old-stain steps above and expect more rounds: drying can permanently set stains (American Cleaning Institute; Iowa State University Extension), and old stains may be impossible to remove (Texas A&M Extension; Cornell Cooperative Extension). For other set-in stains, see our stain-by-stain guide.

Is there a natural home remedy for old cat urine odor?

Baking soda. Add a 1-pound box to the wash (Humane World for Animals), or soak the item in baking soda and water and rewash it, as a 1988 Texas A&M Extension bulletin does for odors that persist (Texas A&M Extension). Skip vinegar: to a cat it smells like urine (Cornell Feline Health Center).

How do you get urine smell out of sheets, blankets and comforters?

Strip the bed right away, rinse the wet areas cool, enzyme-treat them, and wash the bedding as its own load (American Cleaning Institute).

Sheets: the Heavy Duty cycle (American Cleaning Institute).
Blankets, comforters and mattress pads: a gentle cycle, at a laundromat if the load is too big for your washer (American Cleaning Institute). For bulky or filled items, see our weighted blanket and pillow guides.
The fit test: if the comforter sits loosely in the empty washer with the top row of tub holes visible, it's safe to wash; if not, use a commercial washer (American Cleaning Institute).
Drying: only once the smell is gone; stop a few times to fluff it, with a wet towel in the drum (American Cleaning Institute).

More than 4,000 laundromats in the LaundroMaps directory list large-capacity machines, as of October 2026 (LaundroMaps directory data). Find a laundromat with large-capacity washers and follow our steps for washing a comforter at a laundromat. If you'd rather hand it off, use a wash-and-fold service and tell the staff it's urine, as the Drycleaning & Laundry Institute advises for any spill.

How do you get urine smell out of a mattress?

A mattress can't go in the washer, so treat it in place:

Blot with paper towels topped with newspaper, pressing about a minute at a time until it's barely damp (Humane World for Animals).
Sponge with a detergent solution (Iowa State University Extension), then rinse with clean, cool water and blot dry (Humane World for Animals).
Treat with an enzymatic cleaner made for urine (ASPCA). Skip vinegar on a pet accident: to a cat it smells like urine (Cornell Feline Health Center).
Air-dry it, without a steam cleaner: steam heat permanently sets urine stain and odor in upholstery (Humane World for Animals). If odor remains once dry, sprinkle baking soda, wait 1 day and vacuum (Iowa State University Extension; Texas A&M Extension).

Next time, a plastic cover under the sheets protects it (American Academy of Pediatrics).

Is dog pee or human urine any different to wash out?

No. The same method works for pets, children and adults: UGA Extension gives one method for human and animal urine, and the bleach warning applies to any urine (Tennessee Poison Center).

Dogs. The San Francisco SPCA says to clean anything a dog has marked with an enzymatic cleaner, so no urine smell draws it back, and to wash fabrics with detergent plus baking soda. For fur on the same clothes, see how to remove pet hair in the wash.

Children. About 1 in 6 children wet the bed at age 5 and 1 in 10 at age 7, says NIDDK. Its laundry tips (NIDDK):

Layer waterproof pads and fitted sheets, so wet bedding pulls off fast.
Leave out dry pajamas and towels.
Let your child help with the laundry, but never as a punishment.

If a child fully toilet trained for 6 months or more suddenly starts wetting the bed, the American Academy of Pediatrics says to talk with their doctor.

How do you stop a cat from peeing on your clothes again?

See the vet first, then fix the litter box and clean every soiled item. At least 10% of cats develop elimination problems (ASPCA), and a cat doesn't do it out of spite (Feline Veterinary Medical Association).

Vet check: urinary tract inflammation and other illnesses can cause it, and sick cats don't always act sick (Cornell Feline Health Center).
Boxes: one per cat, plus one (Cornell Feline Health Center; ASPCA).
Cleaning: scoop at least daily, and wash the box every 1 to 4 weeks with soap and hot water (Feline Veterinary Medical Association).
Hamper: keep laundry shut away; a house-soiling cat may pick beds or clothing (Cornell Feline Health Center).
Never punish: it can cause fear-related aggression and push marking to hidden spots (Feline Veterinary Medical Association).

Frequently asked questions

What is the most powerful urine odor eliminator?

An enzymatic cleaner made for urine: enzymes break the residue down instead of covering it. Leave it on at least 10 to 15 minutes, or as its label says, and repeat until no smell is left.

What kills cat urine smell permanently?

Breaking the residue down with enzymes and rinsing it out, repeated until a sniff test while wet finds no smell. Bleach only masks the smell, and a trace a cat can detect may draw it back.

What laundry detergent gets out cat urine?

One with enzymes: look for ingredients ending in -ase, such as protease, or the words enzyme or protein stain remover on the label. Use it as a soak or pretreat before the wash.

How we researched this

On October 14, 2026 we read pet-care, veterinary, extension, cleaning-industry, poison-center and pediatric guidance, two peer-reviewed abstracts and makers' own directions, and cited 35 of them plus LaundroMaps directory counts. Where sources disagreed (chlorine bleach, ammonia and vinegar, wash temperature), we gave the safer method. We did not lab-test any method, and we don't cover carpets, furniture or floors.

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