The best cleaning tips for faeces and urine leaks

Accidents happen. That’s just the way it goes if you have a leaky bladder, urinary or fecal incontinence. But, don’t beat yourself up about it, cleaning up after incontinence doesn’t need to be stressful. Cleaning products exist for a reason, and if you’re well prepared, you’ll cut the anxiety of an accident in half. If you’re wondering how to clean up any pesky leaks, we’re here to help. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at some top tips for cleaning up any incontinence-related mess. We’ll also be recommending some fantastic products to help get the job done quickly and easily. We’re incontinence experts, it’s what we do. There’s no topic too squeamish or off-limits for us, we just want to help you feel confident. 

Act quickly to get the best results

Use gloves if you can

Strip the bedding

If you’ve leaked onto your bedsheets and/or duvet, get it stripped from the bed as soon as you can. If you catch it quick enough it might not have leaked through to the mattress. If it has, don’t despair as this can be easily solved (we’ll talk more about that a bit later on). 

Once the bedding is off, get it into the washing machine as soon as you can. We don’t want those bad smells hanging around, do we? 

Use the right cleaning products

Cleaning products are an essential part of the cleaning process. There are some amazing cleaning products on the market and to be honest, we stock most of them. If you’re going to do a job, you’ve got to do it right. With our range of cleaning products for incontinence, you can remove any trace of an accident. No stains, no nasty smells. 

Purchase a mattress deodoriser spray

Many people who experience urinary incontinence have a condition known as Enuresis, which is characterised as emptying the bladder at night. Even if you wear an incontinence pad, the fact that you could pass a lot of urine during the night can lead to spillages. While you can dry the mattress with relative ease, the distinct odour of urine can linger. Nobody wants a mattress that smells of wee. 

A reliable mattress deodoriser spray should be on your list of essential incontinence items. The mattress cleaning spray neutralises odours while simultaneously killing the bacteria, meaning the odours are eradicated rather than simply masked. Once it's dried, the mattress will feel as good as new, making it perfect for cleaning up after incontinence.

Get a mattress stain remover

Nobody likes having yellow stains on their mattress. But, what products can you use to get rid of them? Lots of people swear by natural solutions like baking soda, but they don’t always get the job done and they need a bit of manual labour to put together. Not good for someone looking for something simple and effective. 

Vivactive 4-in-1 super absorbent clean-up powder

This is a heavy-duty cleaning solution for big messes. Make clean-ups effortless with Vivactive 4-in-1 Super Absorbent Clean-Up Powder. This versatile powder not only absorbs leaks and spills but also neutralises, deodorises, and solidifies them, making the clean-up process much easier. 

This product has been designed specifically to tackle the toughest messes, the special formula means it can absorb up to 400 times its weight. Perfect for dealing with urine, vomit, faeces, blood, and even food & drink spills. It’s not just for home use, it’s easy-to-use and fast-acting nature means it's a solid choice for all kinds of environments. Care homes, schools, hospitals, workplaces, it’s a must-have clean-up product for anywhere.

It not only handles the spill, but where it solidifies liquids, it significantly reduces the spread of airborne germs. Its fast-action absorption prevents liquids from being absorbed further into the affected area, ensuring a cleaner, safer environment. Within just 90 seconds, the powder turns spills into a gel-like substance, making clean-up a breeze. Simply scoop or sweep up the gel for easy disposal. The subtle floral scent ensures no lingering unpleasant odours, leaving your space fresh and clean.

Vivactive Urine Odour Air Freshener

Say goodbye to stubborn odours with the Vivactive Urine Odour Air Freshener, specially formulated with natural bacteria to tackle unpleasant smells more effectively than some other leading brands. No need for repeat cleaning or long waits—just a quick spray and unwanted odours are gone. Some other odour eliminators say that they eliminate them, but, really,  they just mask smells. This is a short-term solution. If the bacteria remains, the smell won’t go away. Our air freshener chemically alters odours to remove them completely. 

Vivactive Mattress Stain Remover

The Vivactive Mattress Stain Remover is a fantastic choice for anyone trying to get those hard-to-remove stains out of their mattress. It contains hydrogen peroxide, which is a mild antiseptic and a powerful disinfectant that can brighten dull and stained surfaces. Hydrogen peroxide is also much gentler than bleach, so there is no risk of causing damage or discolouration to the bedding. 

Not only will it remove stains, but it also leaves a light and refreshing scent. The last thing you want is a mattress that stinks of bleach. No thanks. 

Our Vivactive Mattress Stain Remover is also very easy to use, you don’t even need to rub it into the stained area. Gone are the days of rolling your sleeves up and putting in a lot of elbow grease, you simply spray onto the stain and leave it for half an hour. Step 1, spray onto the area. Step 2, make a nice cup of tea and put the TV on. Step 3, the stain is gone. 

I’ve referred specifically to mattresses, but actually you can also use this stain remover on other furnishings, such as rugs, carpets and chairs. 

Vivactive Mattress Deodoriser Spray

Some deodorisers will simply mask the smell. This is only a short-term fix, if you don’t neutralise the bacteria at the source, it’ll just keep coming back. You need a solution that will kill the bacteria, and the odour, properly. That’s where Vivactive Mattress Deodoriser comes in. Rather than just covering it up, our spray will neutralise the odour, so you can rest easy knowing your furniture is free from urine smells!

Although it’s a mattress deodoriser by name, you can actually use this on all kinds of surfaces, beds, bedding, furniture and even rugs.

Vivactive 3-in-1 Urine Cleaner

Keep hard surfaces clean and hygienic with Vivactive 3-in-1 Urine Cleaner. This powerful, all-natural solution uses friendly bacteria and enzymes to eliminate harmful bacteria and odours at the source. It neutralises urine, deodorises, and cleans, leaving surfaces fresh and protected. The enzyme-powered formula penetrates deep, and the fast-acting cleaner kills bacteria in 30 seconds.

Disposable bed & chair pads

Disposable bed pads are thin sheets of absorbent material which you lie on top of. It sits above the mattress and the bedsheet so that liquids don’t soak through and ruin your bedsheets and duvet covers. If you have an accident, you simply pop the pad in the bin and replace it with a new one. 

Vivactive Bed Pads have been designed to deliver a combination of fantastic absorbency at a super-affordable price point. These bed pads absorb twice the amount of liquid compared to some other similar disposable bed pads. This is thanks to the long fibres in the "fluffy" part of the pad, which are three times longer than those in some other products. The enhanced fibre length means the pad can hold an extensive amount of urine.

Vivactive Maxi Bed Pads are chocked full of industry-leading incontinence tech, like channels that aid in the distribution of liquid. These channels provide faster absorption to keep you dry and comfortable. Once the liquid is absorbed, hydrophobic barriers along the edges prevent it from reaching your lovely bedsheets, while a waterproof backing makes sure there’s no leakage from the bottom.

In addition to their impressive absorbency and leak protection, they offer exceptional comfort. The super soft top layer provides a gentle surface against your skin.

Highly absorbent wearable incontinence products

If you’re experiencing big urine leaks, you need a pad that’s got the ability to soak it all up. For example, if you’re wearing incontinence pads that can only absorb 400ml of urine, but you’re leaking 600ml, what do you think’s going to happen? They’re going to fill up. With nowhere else to go, it starts to leak out into your clothes or furniture. Not cool. In this case, the best thing to do is get yourself into a pad with a higher absorbency. 

Most incontinence pad ranges come in all kinds of absorbency levels. You might find that in the supermarkets or pharmacies they simply don’t have the shelf space to stock every absorbency. If you’re frequently finding yourself scratching your head in the incontinence aisle, why not try buying online instead? Retailers like us have a huge range, with every absorbency level you can think of, in a bunch of different brands. Household names like TENA and Vivactive, we’ve got them all.