How can I get the smell of urine out of my towels?

Question

We have a puppy, and my kids have a habit of grabbing a dirty towel to wipe up puddles.
I wash them in warm water with liquid Tide and use liquid downy+febreze. I've tried soaking them overnight, i've tried nature's miracle, and added a cup of baking soda to the machine. I tried vinegar, and then I had pee + vinegar scented towels....very lovely.
Is there anything else I can do besides toss em? We're talking 14 towels.....7 people's worth, so it won't be cheap to replace them.

My towels are dark, I can't bleach them.

Answer 1

Whether you’re cleaning up after a pet, child or incontinent adult, it can be difficult to remove urine stains and odors. Any type of urine from mammals, whether it is human or pet urine, contains uric acid crystals, which can only be removed by using an enzyme based cleaning product.

Traditional products involving soap and strong chemicals aren’t able to work because they do not break down the uric acid crystals. The only permanent method of removing urine odor and stains is by using products specifically designed to bind with and destroy the uric acid. These are enzyme cleaners. You can find some in pet stores but I sometimes question their strength. Instead seek out a medical supply store and look for something like Urine-Erase or OdorZyme.

Answer 2

Have you tried bleach? If the towels are new and colored, try this stuff called Simple Solution

http://www.jbpet.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=515_642&products_id=278&src=Google30c1&gclid=COSH3trywZACFTyKOAodDCYSZg

I use it on many things including tile and found in many applications works better than bleach. I use it on cat urine which is very strong and it works very well. It takes the odor out of plastic litter boxes and plastic litter storage bins. It probably would work well on diaper genies too.

Answer 3

Warm wash/Cold rinse
Arm Hammer powder/liquid laundry detergent
Clorox Two liquid/powder oxygen bleach

Answer 4

Add one cup of ammonia to the regular detergent in your wash load... use the hottest water setting.... rinse twice.

That will do it.... do not try to mask the smell with fabric softener... you can't.

You really shouldn't ever use fabric softener on towels anyway....

Answer 5

Wipe up the urine with the puppy itself. That'll teach him.

Answer 6

Amonia. works well.
just its really strong.
and does the trick.
then re-wash with your soap.

Answer 7

bleach