How to Get Puke Smell Out of Mattress? Easy Steps!

Learning how to get puke smell out of mattress is essential – you never know when you’ll need it!

Last year, I had friends over for an event. We had a couple of beers and things got out of hand and suddenly, my couch was ruined.

So, I did what I could and tried looking for the best way to get the bad and unpleasant smell of puke out of a mattress.

You can eradicate the smell of puke or vomit off a mattress by removing the bedding and cleaning up debris and residue. After that, clean the spot where the solid waste of puke is to remove the odor and disinfect the furniture entirely.

Before you clean and get rid of the smell of puke lingering in your home, it’s important that you know the materials and things needed to successfully do it.

What Do You Need to Get the Vomit Smell Out of Your Mattress? 

Whether it’s on your bed, your sofa, or any other mattress you have at home, you’ll need the correct materials to remove the smell of puke or vomit.

NOTE: Not all detergents can successfully remove the smell of puke. Yes, they can clean, but the stench could remain as not all detergents are effective deodorizers.

Multi-Purpose Sprays

You’ll find a myriad of multi-purpose mattresses and bed sprays in the market, some of which contain natural deodorizing powers.

You can use this to get rid of the unpleasant smell of vomit off your furniture.

NOTE: Double-check the ingredients, as well as the reviews, though. Not all multi-purpose sprays are deodorizers, and while some claim they are, they might not be effective.

Mild Detergent

You’ll need to use a mild detergent to clean any dirt, and grease, as well as remove all residue that could’ve stuck to the bedding and mattress.

Don’t be confused, mild detergent isn’t used as a deodorizing agent, but instead, just for cleaning and removing dirt, grease, or any other mucus-like content left by the vomit.

Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol, of course, is the primary ingredient you need for disinfection and eradication of germs and bacteria.

A generous amount of rubbing alcohol is enough to get rid of bacteria and germs that could be lurking because of the vomit.

White Vinegar

White vinegar is a household material that is effectively used for cleaning, disinfecting, and even deodorizing.

Yes, it leaves a trace of a strong, pungent, and sour smell, but when that passes, all odors and stains will be gone.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is one of the best, simplest, but most effective deodorizing agents out there.

Most probably, you’ll have them in your pantry or your kitchen, so you don’t need to stress out about where you can get them!

Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is a compound that’s used for treating skin wounds, bleeding, as well as killing germs. But did you know that it’s also an effective ingredient in disinfecting and deodorizing?

Yes, hydrogen peroxide is just like vinegar but without a strong and pungent odor.

Personally, I lean more toward using household materials because they’re safe and non-toxic; you don’t need to step foot outside the house to get them.

So, if you have all these prepared, let me now give you the best, fastest, and most effective way how to get the smell of puke out of a mattress.

How to Get Puke Smell Out of Mattress Completely?

Thanks to the internet, I was able to find a lot of processes for removing the stench from your mattress.

What I did was I stitched all of them up together, and the results? – They’ve been phenomenal. 

It has been the method for deodorizing I used since then and it never failed! Every time I do it, all my mattresses, couches, and carpets that were ruined the previous night smell like they were brand new!

Step #1: Remove Vomit Debris and Residue

Before you worry about the smell and odor, think about the residue and remaining solids first.

Get rid of the vomit or puke debris by picking them up with wet wipes and placing them in a plastic bag.

Take out all solids to make sure that the liquids will be cleaned properly.

These solid particles wouldn’t dissolve. When you wipe them, they’ll just move around and leave traces of dirt.

You don’t want that to happen, do you?

Step #2: Remove the Cover or Protector and Wash Separately

Then, the next step is to remove the cover or the mattress protector. Vomit is a mixture of solid and liquid – and because of that, the liquid particles could have penetrated deeper than the cover.

What you want to do is wash the cover or protector separately. Clean it like how you do laundry regularly.

NOTE: Only do this when you’ve successfully removed the solid particles of puke or vomit.

Step #3: Clean the Remaining Liquid on the Mattress

Then, clean and get rid of the liquid droppings of the puke or vomit on the mattress using mild detergent and warm water.

Mix about 2 parts of detergent with 5 parts of water. To clean it, damp a clean sponge or cloth on the mixture, and then gently dab it on the spots that have the puke liquid.

When done, dab it with your vinegar mixture to cleanse, disinfect, and initially deodorize it.

The vinegar mixture is simple, you just need to mix 3 parts of warm water with 1 part of vinegar, and 5 drops of the essential oil if your choice.

NOTE: Avoid overdoing it to refrain from damaging the foam or the internals of your mattress.

Step #4: Deodorize the Mattress

The next step is to deodorize the mattress. As I said above, you can use artificial over-the-counter deodorizers for your furniture.

But, of course, find one that works for sure. Some products would seem fine until the time you finally use them for their very purpose.

As a homemade solution, you can use white vinegar or hydrogen peroxide. Both these compounds are effective in cleaning, disinfecting, and deodorizing your furniture.

Simply dab on the affected spots and areas gently and carefully, but, again, do not overdo it.

Step #5: Disinfect

Once you’re done with the cleaning and deodorizing, it’s now time to get rid of the germs, bacteria, or microscopic content left on the surface by disinfecting it.

Normally, the cleaning part would already be enough even for disinfecting it, especially if you used household staples like white vinegar or hydrogen peroxide.

Personally, though, I still like to go the long mile of disinfecting it by dabbing rubbing alcohol on the affected parts and areas.

I make sure to use rubbing alcohol that is at least 70% for a better and more efficient effect.

Once done, remove the furniture from being completely soaked in liquid by using a hairdryer.

Hold the hairdryer at least 12 inches from the surface so that it does not get affected by too much heat.

Step #6: Sprinkle Baking Soda and Dry

For the last and final step, you’ll need to use baking soda. This kitchen staple is more than just for pastry – it’s an effective deodorizing agent, too!

All you need to do is sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on the affected areas, as well as those around them. T

hen, leave it in a well-ventilated area to air dry. Usually, 1 to 2 days of complete isolation is enough for it to dry out and be ready for use completely.

NOTE: Keep the baking soda drenched on the mattress. You can clean and vacuum it after about 72 hours or when you change the sheets.

That’s just about it! That is, based on my findings, the best, and most effective way to get rid of the smell of puke or vomit out of your mattress or your couch.

It’s actually not as complicated as you thought it would be, and to be honest, I felt the same!

Can I Add Scent to the Mattress?

Yes, you can add essential oils to the sprays you’ll use to clean your mattress. You can apply it during the deodorizing step or during disinfection.

I usually add it during deodorizing or when it’s time to use white vinegar or hydrogen peroxide. It’s helpful in masking the pungent smell of vinegar, too!

You can use whatever essential oil you want, but I would recommend using peppermint, lavender, and citrus because they can help you in relaxing!

I’ve always used peppermint and it’s cozy whenever I lie down!

Say Goodbye to the Lingering Vomit Smell!

Learning how to get puke smell out of mattress is not that difficult. When you’re equipped with the right materials, and if you know the process thoroughly, it will be a walk in the park.

All these things and information matched with proper timing and perseverance should be enough for you not to be bothered by puke any longer!

Keep this tab saved in case you need it – and as I said, you’ll never know when!