How to Remove Urine Stain and Smell from Car Seat | 7 Simple Ways

Removing urine stains and smells from a car seat can be tricky, but with these 7 simple methods, you can effectively eliminate the odor and stains. Follow these tips for a fresh-smelling car interior.

Remove Urine Stain and Smell from Car Seat

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Getting rid of urine stain and smell from a car seat can be a challenge. This is because urine contains Metal Compounds, and Organic Solutes such as Urea and Uric Acid are Resistant to most Cleaners.

As anyone who has ever had a pet knows, bathroom accidents happen, and thus urine stain is a common occurrence. The same applies to babies, meaning there is always the potential for urine stains and odors on your car seats.

If you’re faced with such a situation, don’t despair. There are several simple steps you can take to remove the stains and eliminate the smell.

While many products on the market claim to be able to remove these types of stains, most of them are only effective at masking the problem rather than actually solving it.

The best way to deal with urine stains and smells is to prevent them from happening in the first place. This can be done by using a seat cover or placing a towel over the seat, before allowing anyone to sit on it.

This article will discuss seven simple and effective methods to remove urine stains from your car seats, whether the seat cover is cloth or leather. Read on to learn more!

Therefore, we highly recommend you use the techniques discussed below.

7 Ways to Remove Urine Stain and Smell from Car Seat

In this section, we will go through seven techniques you can use to remove the stubborn urine stain and smell from your car seats, both cloth, and leather.

If the stain has already set in, however, there are a few things that can be done to remove it.

One option is to use a Handheld Pressurized Steam Cleaner, which will loosen the stain and allow it to be wiped away. Another option is to use a strong Enzymatic Cleaner, such as the Adam’s Enzymatic Cleaner  to break down the uric acid in the urine and remove the stain.

Either way, it is essential to act quickly when dealing with urine stains and smells, as they can quickly become embedded in the fabric of the car seat and be very difficult to remove.

It’s important to note that improper cleaning of Urine stains and smell makes things worse

1. White Vinegar (Best for Cloth Seats)

To remove urine from your car seat, you require a dash of white vinegar and liquid soap mix. Vinegar works perfectly as a disinfectant to remove the nasty urine smell.

Vinegar is an Excellent urine Stain remover; it breaks down the uric acid in urine and makes the stain easier to remove.

How To Use:

  • Create a vinegar and liquid soap mixture in a spray bottle. Add a small amount of water to make the mixture lather properly. Alternatively, use the 20% White Vinegar Sprayer available on Amazon.
  • Spray the mixture on the stained section and scrub it with a clean and soft piece of cloth. 
  • Continue scrubbing until the seat is clean. 
  • Finish by wiping the foam residue with a clean damp piece of cloth and leave the seat to dry.

2. Baking Soda (Best for Cloth Seats)

If you are dealing with old and stubborn stains, it is best to use baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. 

Because urine has a high pH and is naturally acidic, the low pH of Baking soda neutralize urine stain and smell, making it easy to clean off.

How To Use:

  • In a spray bottle, create a mixture of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and liquid soap. Shake the bottle a few times until the baking soda is dissolved in the mix. Alternatively, you can get the Arm & Hammer Pure Baking Soda shaker bottle.
  • Spray the mixture on the area you are working on and leave it to sit for a few minutes. 
  • After that, use a soft and damp cloth to clean and wipe off the residue. 
  • Ensure you wipe the seat thoroughly, as hydrogen peroxide can damage the fabric if left behind.

3. Leather-Specific Deep Cleaner (For Leather Seats)

For a leather car seat, you need to use a cleaning product that is specifically designed for leather seats. Otherwise, other products will damage the leather and leave the seat in a worse condition.

Leather cleaners with gentle formulas are very simple to use. They are also safe and ideal for use on virtually all types of stains, including pet and children’s urine stains. 

How To Use:

  • All you need to do is spray the leather cleaner on the stained section and then use a sponge or pad to clean the seat.
  • Afterwards, dry the seat with a clean microfiber towel.
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For this method, we highly recommend the Carfidant Ultimate Leather Cleaner. This is because its formulated explicitly without any extra chemicals or smells! 

It is fragrance-free and provides the best leather cleaning abilities without harming the surface or creating unwanted smells or fumes! It is great for automotive use, especially for car seats and interior leather; it also comes with a free Microfiber Towel.

4. Leather Cleaner and Conditioner Kit (For Leather Seats)

Another product you can use to clean and remove urine from your leather car seat is a quality Leather Cleaner and Conditioner Kit.

For this method, you will need soft or microfiber cloths, Leather cleaner, and a leather conditioner.

We recommend the Chemical Guys Leather Cleaner and Leather Conditioner Kit. This kit is 100% safe and effective and works on all things leather, including leather car seats, upholstery, and interiors.

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How To Use:

  • Moisten the soft cloth with the leather cleaner, rub it on the section you are working on, and leave it to sit for a few minutes to dissolve the urine stain and smell effectively.
  • After that, remove the cloth and use another clean cloth to remove the left residue.
  • Finish by cleaning the area you have been working on with a leather conditioner to keep the leather in the best shape, i.e., evenly colored and textured.

5. Absorbent Paper Towels (For Both Cloth and Leather Seats)

If you are dealing with fresh urine that hasn’t penetrated the interior surface of the car seat, you should use absorbent paper towels. 

This method is safe and effective for both cloth and leather seat.

How To Use:

  • On the area that is stained with urine, blot it out using some paper towel to remove as much pee as possible. 
  • Do it cautiously, so you don’t spread the urine to other parts of the seat. 
  • When blotting, make sure that you press the surface hard enough, so that all the urine is absorbed. 
  • Also, pay attention to the seams, dips, and indents and see if any urine might have pooled.
  • Finally, clean any remaining residue with a clean microfiber cloth and water.
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We highly recommend the Kleenex Hard Roll Paper Towels with Premium Absorbency Pockets, since it  absorb lots of water fast for superior hand drying performance.

However, for effective results you may need to use it in conjuction to a stain and odor remover, such as the Resolve Urine Destroyer Spray Stain & Odor Remover described below. 

6. Urine Stain and Odor Remover (For Both Cloth and Leather Seats)

A stain and odor remover is another product you can use to remove urine stain and odor from your car seat. Plenty of urine stain and odor removal products are available at local stores or online.

However, we highly recommend the Resolve Urine Destroyer Spray Stain & Odor Remover because of its pH balance and environmentally friendly formulation. It is also non-abrasive and Alcohol-free.

This is crucial when cleaning urine stain from cloth surfaces since the cloth seats are very sensitive to abrasive and alcohol-based cleaning products.

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How To Use:

  • Spray the urine stain and odor remover on the stained section and clean the seat.
  • You can start to scrub the stains immediately after you have put the stain remover or leave it to sit in for a few minutes according to the instructions provided by the manufacturer.
  • When all the stain is fully soaked, wipe the seat using a clean and soft cloth.
  • Finaly, rinse thoroughly with a clean cloth and water to remove any remaining smell or residue.

7. Enzymatic Cleaner (For Both Cloth and Leather Seats)

Enzymatic cleaner eliminates stains and odors from Bio-based messes, such as urine and poop stains.

Enzymatic cleaners contain Enzymes that emit beneficial Bacteria, which help to break down molecules found in organic material like urine, poop, and food stain.

Once the enzymes break the molecules down into smaller pieces, the bacteria swoop in to consume those molecules, leaving you with a clean, sparkling, pee-stain-free car seat.

We highly recommend the Adam’s Enzymatic Cleaner because of its non-toxic formulation and its all-purpose interior cleaning ability.

It’s also safe to use on your vehicle’s leather and cloth surfaces. What’s more impressive is that it contains 400 billion bacterial enzymes per gallon.

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How To Use:

  • Spray or soak the stained area with the enzymic cleaner.
    Allow 10-30 minutes of sit time for the cleaner to work effectively.
  • Use a high-quality microfiber towel such as Adam’s Single Soft Microfiber Towel to clean off the dissolved residue. Repeat if necessary.
  • You can also use a Handheld Pressurized Steam Cleaner, which will loosen the stain and allow it to be wiped off easily. 
  • Rinse off with clean water, and dry thoroughly with a microfibre towel.

How to Prevent Urine Stain and Smell on Car Seat

It’s never a good thing when you have to worry about urine stains on your car seat. However, if you’re a mom with a little one or you own a pet, this is a worry that you will likely face at some point.

Luckily, there are some things that you can do to prevent these stains from happening in the first place. Keep reading for our tips!

1. Tackle the urine as fast as possible

Whether you are dealing with pet or babys urine, the key to preventing stain and odor on your vehicle seat is to clean it immediately after you see the stain.

Doing so prevents it from soaking into the padding and fabric, which results in stain and smell formation.

2. Use waterproof seat covers

If you are having frequent urine accidents from your pets or children, you should invest in waterproof seat covers.

A seat cover will not only protect your car seat from urine stains and smells, but also save you time and effort on the cleanup.

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3. Use doggy potty training pads

Use doggy potty training pads to cover the car seats while traveling with your dog. This reduces the risk of staining the car seat when your pet relieves itself.

Potty training pads are highly absorbent, reasonably affordable, and easy to find at your local grocery store or online.

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4. Adequate Bathroom Breaks

Make sure you give your pet adequate time to relieve themselves before starting any journey.

If you are going for a long road trip, avoid giving them fluids to prevent the risk of an accident. This is also very healthy as its advocated for by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Therefore, It would be best if you also made multiple stops in the middle of the journey for them to relieve themselves.

Conclusion

There are a few viable solutions to car seat urine smell and stains. The best approach may be a combination of methods, as each person’s preference and whether the seat cover is cloth or leather will present different challenges.

Hopefully, this article has helped you identify your problem’s source and find a solution.

Have you tried any of these methods for removing urine smells and stains from car seats? Let us know in the comments!

Last update on 2025-01-11 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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