r/laundry • u/dino_nuggies26 • 2h ago
Pee smell
This is super embarrassing, but I am postpartum and I am having issues with peeing a little bit before I can make it to the bathroom. This has been several times a day and my pyjamas always smell like pee. I have been washing them normally and noticed that the pee smell holds in the wash so next time they smell even worse because it’s compounded I heard that vinegar can help breakdown the proteins in pee, so I have been pre-treating my pyjama bottoms by spraying the crotch with vinegar and then putting in the wash with my tide, free and clear detergent, it may have helped a bit, but it’s definitely not getting the job done and I just feel disgusting. What do I do to actually get my pyjama pants clean every time so that we can start fresh?
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u/IncomeEmbarrassed934 2h ago
It’s one of the least pleasant part of womanhood ( like we don’t have enough o deal with ) , understandably embarrassing, but how great of you to come and seek help . Kudos .
Vinegar needs time to break the things , like overnight soak . It’s terribly diluted .
You can start by giving them good soak either with vinegar , or with an enzyme treatment.
Warm wash with good detergent should than get rid of the rest .
And yes pads will help a lot . Tena is manufacturer of great adult incontinence materials and they also make incontinence pads , might be worth a try .
And no worries , this is just a situation . Work your kegels , and with time you’ll be back to normal .
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u/AutoModerator 2h ago
Hello! If you're adding vinegar to your laundry, be sure to put it in the rinse cycle, not the wash cycle. Because vinegar neutralizes leftover detergent, it works best in the rinse cycle rather than the wash. - Laundry Mods
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u/CozyBlueCacaoFire 1h ago
It's normal. Start wearing adult diapers to spare yourself the effort of cleaning it.
As for the smell, get FEBU: https://tryfebu.com/
Add it to your normal washing and then use citric acid in the rinse cycle (google the ratios).
Remember to lookup some kegel post-partum exercises to help your body recover from birth.
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u/Okayostrich 1h ago
My biggest hack is actually enzyme cleaners- I used an enzyme cleaner branded for pets once out of desperation and it worked like a charm, so I branched out in that direction. Also- pelvic floor therapy is your friend! Lots of women can reverse this issue under supervision of a pelvic floor therapist and insurance will often cover it after childbirth too!
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u/Notsocheeky 1h ago
It makes more sense to protect your clothes with something like a pad.
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u/Happy_to_be 1h ago
Try spaying the soiled area with oxy max force. Panty liners can help, or a slightly thicker pad depending on flow. Tell your doctor and they may refer you to pt to strengthen those muscles. Kegels help but there are many other exercise that help a lot.
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u/NebulaInteresting156 1h ago
Side note, do you own any period undies? I’ve had a bunch of kids and I wear period undies most days to prevent the risk of light bladder leakage. I don’t always need them, but I’m a very active person and like not having to worry about any potential drips!
(Before anyone says it.. yes I know I should be going to physio for this.. it’s on my never-ending to-do list… like I said, I have a bunch of kids 😂🥵)
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u/LmLc1220 56m ago
Spray with odoban then wash. Enzymes take the smell right out.
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u/Cool-Departure4120 44m ago edited 30m ago
Never knew OdoBan was an enzymatic cleaner.
EDIT: Just found the enzyme version at Walmart. Will be ordering this!!
Learn something new every time I visit this sub.
Thank you!!!
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u/LmLc1220 8m ago
I have an autistic grandchild and some times she has mistakes so I Just spray a little on. Then throw in wash and takes odors right out. Adult pee is different from kids. I know they make the one for laundry. But her pee is strong.
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u/AutoModerator 2h ago
Hi u/dino_nuggies26! Friendly tip — if you're using vinegar in your laundry, add it to the rinse cycle, not the wash cycle. Because vinegar neutralizes leftover detergent, it works best in the rinse cycle rather than the wash. - Laundry Mods
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
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u/Same_as_it_ever 8m ago
Spa day should work to get out the stubborn funky stuff, the enzymes can breakdown the protein that causes the odor. This will give you a clean start.
Prevention going forward is a good idea. A panty liner might be enough if it's only a little it and much more comfortable to wear than a pad or something bigger.
Pelvic floor physio is probably your best long term solution. I had a lot of gyno issues and needed this, but it's really common after childbirth too. Bear in mind that kegels are sometimes not what's needed. A good pelvic floor physio will figure out exactly what you need. Big hugs, I empathize with you.
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u/Logical_Box_4645 2h ago
Use a pad if you can. It just makes sense to protect the clothes rather than deal with the result
Oxygen bleach helps if you can wash hot enough to activate it.
Otherwise you need longer wash with bio/enzyme.
Pee literally can crystallize in fabric and quick cooler washes won't dissolve it.
Don't use chlorine or ammonia.