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How to Get Dog Vomit Out of a Mattress: Step by Step Guide

Chelsie Fraser

By Chelsie Fraser

cleaning mattress

If your dog has tummy troubles, you never know where the mess might turn up. That’s especially true if your dog vomits. If you’re lucky, your dog might vomit outside, or at least on something you can throw in the washing machine. But some places need a little more work to get clean, including mattresses. If your dog vomits on a mattress, don’t worry—it might take some time, but you can usually get your mattress looking like new.

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Before You Start

When you smell vomit, you might want to rush to clean it up before it dries. But before you grab a spray bottle, take a second to check out your dog first. Make sure that he doesn’t have any difficulty breathing or signs of serious sickness. If there’s blood in the vomit, contact your vet right away. Vomiting can come from many different causes, and even though it’s usually not life-threatening, you should always check that your dog is safe before you do anything else. Then, put your dog somewhere where he can rest and be safely away from the mess while you clean.

As soon as your dog is safe, you can get started on prepping for cleanup. Get together your materials and change into something you can get dirty. Clear the space of anything that might get in the way. You might want to wear rubber gloves to make sure your hands stay clean.

  • Trash bag
  • Vinegar
  • Water
  • Laundry detergent
  • Enzyme cleaner (optional)
  • Spray Bottle
  • Cleaning Rags
  • Baking Soda
  • Vacuum

The 7 Steps to Get Dog Vomit Out of a Mattress

1. Strip the Bed

person covering mattress with protector
Photo Credit: nito, Shutterstock

Once you’re ready to start cleaning, the first thing to do is strip the bed. Remove all blankets, sheets, and mattress pads, and sort out anything that is still clean into one pile and anything that’s dirty into another pile. You can rinse off the worst of the vomit before throwing any dirty bedding into the wash. Normal laundry detergent is usually sufficient to get fresh stains out, but a stain treatment or a soak in vinegar and detergent can help older dried stains.


2. Wipe Away Excess Vomit

Once you’re down to the mattress, take a minute to assess the stain. If you’re lucky, it won’t have reached the mattress itself, and you can call it good. But if there’s vomit on the mattress, start by clearing any chunks away into a trash bag and mopping up excess liquid. Don’t scrub or rub at the stain—you don’t want to work it deeper into the mattress.


3. Soak with Vinegar Solution

vinegar
Photo Credit: NatureFriend, Pixabay

Mix a solution of vinegar and water in a spray bottle—we recommend equal parts of both. If you are working on a dried stain, adding a teaspoon or two of laundry detergent can help loosen stains. Once your solution is finished, spray it liberally over the stain.


4. Wait, Blot, and Repeat

Let the vinegar soak into the stain for 2-3 minutes. Then remove the vinegar and vomit by blotting up the vinegar. Don’t scrub with your rag, as that will push the stain deeper into the carpet. Instead, you should lift moisture with your rag, blotting out the vinegar and the stain. It might take several blottings to lift the vinegar and stain from your mattress. Repeat as needed.


5. Spread Baking Soda

baking soda into the bowl with wooden spoon
Image Credit: al1962, Shutterstock

Vinegar is great for breaking down vomit, but baking soda is important for neutralizing scents and making your mattress like new. Once you can’t see any discoloration from the stain, sprinkle baking soda over the area you’ve been cleaning. If your area is dry, add a little water to the baking soda and make a paste. Work the baking soda into your mattress and leave it to dry for a few hours or overnight. (If you’re in a hurry, fifteen or twenty minutes is better than nothing.)


6. Come Back for Vacuuming

Once the soda is dry, you can use your vacuum hose to clean up the powdery baking soda. Work carefully to get everything out of your mattress. The last of the scent should go with the soda, leaving your mattress like new again.


7. Know When to Use a Stronger Cleaner

You can usually get far with a few basic household cleaners, but some bad stains might need something a little stronger. If you want the stain gone in minutes or if vinegar and baking soda aren’t cutting it, consider switching to an enzyme cleaner. These cleaners break down biological matter like vomit, blood, and urine without damaging anything else. They are a little more expensive, but the results are usually worth it.

Our favorite enzyme cleaner is the Hepper Advanced Bio-Enzyme Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator Spray. It's our product, and we love it so much, we just have to share. It permanently removes the very worst smells and stains (yes, everything you can imagine!), and we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee! 

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Conclusion

We hope that these steps will help get dog vomit removed from your mattress. There is nothing worse than having your mattress ruined by a smelly substance. But since we know that your dog did not do it in malice (we hope!), the mess can get cleaned up effectively. Good luck!

See Also:


Featured Image Credit: Olga Aniven, Shutterstock

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