Urine odor removal from soft goods: this article provides suggestions for finding and removing animal odors from soft goods: cloths, bedding, towels, carpets.

This information is part of our odor removal guide for animal or human odor removal from building interiors, building exterior surfaces, from soils around buildings or from urine-odor smelly clothing, bedding, and other soft goods.

This article series focuses on removing pet or other animal odors from buildings due to pet urine, pet feces, wild animal urine, or even human urine on and around buildings or on clothing and othrer soft materials.

Remove Mold or Urine Odors: Animal, Pet, or Human Urine Odors from Fabrics

Enzymes, Detergents & Odor Removers

Question: what can I use other than bleach to remove urine odors from clothing?

I have just bought a house with a septic system (last year) and I don;t know much about them.

We have a special needs adult who lives with us  (whom we care for), who wets himself daily.

Because I can't use bleach in the washing machine his clothes always smell like urine even after they've been washed.

Can you make any suggestions as to how I might remedy this? Is there a product I can use to cut down on the odour on his garments? -- K.M.

Answer: Septic System Maintenance & urine odor removing products

Regarding use of bleach in homes served by a private onsite septic system, using normal amounts of household bleach is not a problem.

Page top photo - our grandson Chase P. flushed his training underpants down the toilet -

see WHAT CAN GO INTO TOILETS & DRAINS?

Where to Buy Products to Remove Mold or Urine Smell From Clothing, Diapers, Other Things That Can Be Laundered

People who have not had satisfactory urine-odor removal results from simple laundering of the clothing may want to try special laundry and cleaning products that combine a (friendly) bacterial odor remover and and enzyme with special enzymes.

Enzymes have been used in laundry detergents to improve their performance for a long time. Some bacteria and enzymes are particularly effective at removing urine odors.

Enzyme-based laundry detergents - these are readily available in grocery stores, drugstores, and from online retailers

• Dead Down Wind 32 oz. e1 ScentPrevent Laundry Detergent - used by hunters to remove "all human odors from clothing"
  
  - I'd try this one first.
  http://www.deaddownwind.com/ (store locator or online sales)
• Ultra Plus enzyme laundry detergent - sold only at Sears Roebuck stores
• dropps Laundry Detergent Scent Dye Enzyme Free, 20-load pouch 20 ea
• Tide Ultra-2 -US Chemical IND/COM Enzyme Laundry Detergent Powder 50 Pound
• Seventh Generation - 2x Laundry Liquid Detergent Blue Eucalyptus & Lavender - combination of plant-based surfactants and enzymes
• Biokleen Premium Plus Laundry Powder. Stain-lifting Enzyme Formula. |
  
  GrapefruitSeed and Orange Peel Extract Cleaning Power. 3x more concentrated. Phosphatefree. Chlorine-free bleach.
  
  Tough on Dirt, Gentle on the Earth. HighEfficiency. http://www.truefoodsmarket.com/product_info.php/products_id/3928
• Petastic™ Deodorizing Pet Laundry Detergent contains a unique formula specifically designed to clean and deodorize pet bedding, toys, clothes, and towels. Works on everyday laundry as well.
  http://cgi.ebay.com/

Other Laundry deodorizers people use to deal with mold or urine odors, including in infant diapers and clothing

• Vinegar (1/2 cup white vinegar per washing machine load or experiment)
• Pine Sol (1/2 cup per load )
  http://www.pinesol.com/
  (Strong, possibly irritating if not rinsed out - be sure to test first and to use extra rinse on laundry)
• Mean Green (1/2 capful per washing machine load) C.R. Brands, Inc., www.crbrandsinc.com/
  CR Brands, Inc. 9100 Centre Pointe Drive, Suite 200
  West Chester, OH 45069 United States Tel: 513-860-5039
  Sold at: http://doitbest.com/ - under $8. per gallon.
• Boraxo - 20-Mule Team Borax (laundry aisle of most grocery

To Return to Mold/IAQ Action Guide: What to do about mold, mildew, and other indoor allergens an environmental testing guidance website explaining what to do about mold, mildew, and other indoor allergens.

For people unfamiliar with septic system maintenance,

see Septic Guide for Home Buyers or Owners and be sure to

see SEPTIC TANK PUMPING SCHEDULE - pumping the septic tank on time is the most important step in preserving your drainfield life.

Also see TOILETS, DON'T FLUSH LIST things to avoid flushing into a septic system: a list of what's ok and what's not ok to put into septic tanks and building drains. If there's another reason for avoiding conventional bleach there are other similar result but chemically different products that might work

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Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

Question:

(Feb 21, 2015) wina chancellor said:

I've been washing our clothes and I put all the whites in the washer and washed them two or three times and put fabric softener twice and when I put the clothes in the dryer and when they're dry they still smell like urine.

What should I do to get rid of the smell without having to hurt our body?

Reply:

Sounds as if you need a different detergent. Some suggestions are in the article above.

...

Continue reading at ANIMAL or URINE ODOR REMOVAL or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• ANIMAL ALLERGENS / PET DANDER - home
• ANIMAL or URINE ODOR SOURCE DETECTION
• BLACK STAINS from ANIMALS
• CAT DANDER in BUILDINGS
• OZONE MOLD / ODOR TREATMENT WARNINGS
• PET ALLERGENS / PET DANDER
• PET STAINS & MARKS in BUILDINGS
• URINE / ANIMAL ODORS IN BUILDINGS - home
  • ANIMAL or URINE ODOR SOURCE DETECTION
  • ANIMAL ENTRY POINTS in BUILDINGS
  • ANIMAL NOISES in BUILDINGS
  • ANIMAL STAINS & MARKS in BUILDINGS
  • ANIMAL or URINE ODOR REMOVAL
  • ODOR REMOVING DETERGENTS
  • PET STAINS & MARKS in BUILDINGS
  • URINE ODOR REMOVAL at BUILDING EXTERIOR
  • URINE ODOR REMOVAL in CLOTHING
• UV LIGHT BLACK LIGHT USES

Suggested citation for this web page

ODOR REMOVING DETERGENTS at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to BUILDING ODOR DIAGNOSIS & CURE

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Citations & References

In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.

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