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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.
InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.
- Daniel Friedman, Publisher/Editor/Author - See WHO ARE WE?
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 -
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
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 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 Comments, Questions & Answers About The Article Above
Below you will find questions and answers previously posted on this page at its page bottom reader comment box.
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.
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In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.
A BRIEF GUIDE to MOLD, MOISTURE, and YOUR HOME, [PDF] U.S. Environmental Protection Agency US EPA - includes basic advice for building owners, occupants, and mold cleanup operations. See http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.htm
US EPA - Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Building [ copy on file as /sickhouse/EPA_Mold_Remediation_in_Schools.pdf ] - US EPA
"IgG Food Allergy Testing by ELISA/EIA, What do they really tell us?" Sheryl B. Miller, MT (ASCP), PhD, Clinical Laboratory Director, Bastyr University Natural Health Clinic - ELISA testing accuracy: Here is an example of Miller's critique of ELISA - www.betterhealthusa.com/public/282.cfm - Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients
The critique included in that article raises compelling questions about IgG testing assays, which prompts our interest in actually screening for the presence of high levels of particles that could carry allergens - dog dander or cat dander in the case at hand.
- www.tldp.com/issue/174/IgG%20Food%20Allergy.html - contains similar criticism in another venue but interestingly by the same author, Sheryl Miller. Sheryl Miller, MT (ASCP), PhD, is an Immunologist and Associate Professor of Basic and Medical Sciences at Bastyr University in Bothell, Washington. She is also the Laboratory Director of the Bastyr Natural Health Clinic Laboratory.
Allergens: Testing for the level of exposure to animal allergens is discussed at http://www.animalhealthchannel.com/animalallergy/diagnosis.shtml (lab animal exposure study is interesting because it involves a higher exposure level in some cases
Allergens: WebMD discusses allergy tests for humans at webmd.com/allergies/allergy-tests
Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
In addition to citations & references found in this article, see the research citations given at the end of the related articles found at our suggested
Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. Tel: (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 Email: info@carsondunlop.com. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
Carson Dunlop Associates provides extensive home inspection education and report writing material. In gratitude we provide links to tsome Carson Dunlop Associates products and services.