Yes, I have some great suggestions for this common problem. As you have noticed, urine odor is difficult to remove with typical household cleaners. The key to removing urine, whether it is human or pet, is to use an enzyme based product. The enzyme binds with the protein component of the urine so that it can be removed. Cleaners without this feature simply mask the odor but do not permanently remove it.

We carry two spray-on urine removal products, OdorZyme and the new DP. Lift up as much of the accident or stain as possible by wiping and blotting the affected area. Then saturate the affected area with OdorZyme or DP (de-pee) Stain & Odor Remover. Let it work for 5 to 10 minutes, then wipe away the accident or stain with a clean white cloth. OdorZyme can also be used as a laundry additive if urine smell remains in clothing. Presoaking in Odorzyme before doing regular laundry effectively rids clothing, bedding, and incontinence pads of urine stains and odor.

When using any urine removal product, remember to use as much of the product as the amount of urine that created the stain. If the mattress or carpet is affected, make sure the urine removal product reaches the source of the odor. A thick mattress or carpet with padding requires more product than a hard floor. Older stains may require the product to sit longer. The spray-on products also work well for cleaning vinyl mattress covers on a daily basis. Quickly spray the vinyl surface before remaking the bed with clean sheets.

For older, set-in stains on mattresses or floors, Urine Erase works well. Urine Erase is an enzyme based 2-step cleaner. The first step is to mix the enzyme packet with tepid water and saturate the stain for 8 hours. The second step is to use the special solution that comes in the bottle to saturate the stain and let air dry. The gallon size container can be used for large jobs, such as carpets or floors that pets have urinated on.

Once you get your mattress cleaned, be sure to protect it with a heavy duty 6 Gauge zippered vinyl mattress cover or a breathable Premium Mattress cover. These comfortable covers will protect your mattress from further wetting episodes as well as bed bugs and dust mites.

These waterproof sheets are superior for several reasons. First, they are comfortable and breathable. Unlike vinyl mattress covers, these sheets feature a polyurethane waterproof layer. That means that the heat that your body produces during the night will flow through the cover, and not be reflected back to the user. This feature allows the user to forget that there is a waterproof sheet under her. The terry cotton top layer is comfortable enough to be slept on directly, but most people choose to put a regular set of sheets over the top.

A second feature is the choice of styles, either fitted or zippered. If you expect to be washing the sheet very frequently, the “easy-on and off” fitted waterproof sheet is recommended. The zippered style is ideal for leaving in place to protect your mattress from occasional accidents. Both styles are simple to machine wash and dry, and can be laundered in the same load as your regular sheets. Because there is no cushioned or filled layer, the drying time is the same as a set of sheets.

The third reason that I recommend these is the durability. If you have used a vinyl cover in the past, you may have experienced a tear or crack that happens over time. Vinyl does lose it softness and becomes more brittle over time, making it necessary to replace frequently. The waterproof sheets (premium mattress covers) carry a 10 year warranty, which gives you an idea of how durable they are. The softness and comfort persist, even after being laundered many times. Although this product is initially more expensive than a vinyl cover, its durability ends up saving money in the long term.

Do yourself a favor and make clean-up in your bedroom easier. Using these waterproof sheets eliminates any worry you may have when unexpected accidents occur.

This is a very common concern of parents. The general consensus is that nighttime dryness can follow daytime dryness by months or even years. Here are 8 things that you can do to help with night time potty training:

1) Daytime dryness should be established first. Make sure she is reliably dry in the daytime, knows when she needs to use the bathroom and has soft, regular bowel movements.

2) Encourage drinking and frequent toileting during the daytime. Fluids after dinner should be water, not milk or juice, in a small quantity.

3) Double void before bed. This means making sure she tries to go potty 30 minutes before bedtime, then once more as lights go out.

4) Trial of no pull-ups. Especially if you have noticed that her pull-ups are less wet or dry in the morning, try having her wear underwear to bed. Protect the bed with a waterproof cover and protect her sheets with waterproof, washable overlay pads. The ones with the tuck-in sides are the best. If a couple weeks pass with no sign of progress toward dry nights, restart the pull-ups and know that there will be a better time to try this later on.

5) Don’t allow pull-ups to be worn while she is awake. Put it on last thing before lights out and take it off first thing in the morning. Some children will wet the pull-up as they are waking up in the morning, just because they know it is there.

6) Remind your daughter if she wakes up for any reason or if she comes to your room in the night, she should use the bathroom at this time, even if she doesn’t feel she needs to.

7) You can introduce a bedwetting alarm to help her speed up that brain-bladder connection if your daughter gets to 6 and is still having nighttime accidents.

8 ) Walking your daughter to the bathroom before you go to sleep probably does not speed up the development of dry nights but there is one less voiding in the bed.

In most cases, children do not have control over their nighttime wetting and this behavior is not reflective of your parenting skills. There is no need to feel parental guilt; being kind and supportive is much better. Punishment is not warranted and will not speed up the development of dry nights. Be patient and know that each child develops at a different rate.

It can certainly be frustrating when you’re spending all that money on pull-ups and you still have to do daily laundry.  Since your current product isn’t providing the absorbency that your son needs, let’s talk about some alternatives.

Diaper Booster Pads can double the absorbency of a disposable pull-up or diaper.  The thin disposable pad is worn inside the pull-up.  The polymers in these pads absorb and wick away moisture, just like the disposables do.  Your son’s pull-up will be much thicker in the morning so make sure you allow enough room for the booster pad to expand. The regular booster pad holds almost 11 oz.  A regular pull-up holds around 13 oz. so you can see that this almost doubles the absorbency.

Another option is to look at the sizing of the current pull-up.  If the pull-up fits too snuggly, the urine might leak over the top or from the leg openings.  We carry some disposables in larger sizes, such as the Tranquility All Through the Night in XS Adult or the Prevail Underwear in Youth/Small Adult. These provide more absorbency and many have found that correct sizing helps with the leaking problem.  Protective vinyl pants can also be worn over a pull-up to prevent leaking.  These soft pants feature a layer of vinyl sandwiched between two layers of cotton.  They are machine washable and dryable and add another layer of waterproof protection.

A third option is to use a washable mattress overlay over the top of the sheets.  This would protect your son’s sheets and limit your laundry to a small pad instead of the entire set of sheets. The tuck-in style is particularly popular because it prevents the pad from moving around.  These are very absorbent, holding up to 4 cups of liquid.  Disposable pads can also be useful, especially if traveling.

Until your son is ready for a permanent solution, using some of these products may help you with keeping him clean and dry.

When some people ask about a bed wetting mat, they are inquiring about a moisture sensing alarm mat that their child sleeps on. This type of bedwetting mat is plastic or vinyl with a moisture sensor that sounds an alarm when it gets wet. Your daughter probably doesn’t need this type of mat alarm yet. If she is still wetting in a year, using a moisture sensing alarm is a good way to help her achieve complete dryness.

Taking calls from the listening audience was interesting because you didn’t know what question would come in next. Although many of the questions centered on toilet training, one concerned parent of an 8 year old daughter with nightly wetting called in. To listen to the broadcast, simply click here.

I highly recommend listening to 98.1 KISS-FM, in the San Francisco Bay Area on Sundays from 7-8 am or you can listen to any of the past shows by going to the website, http://www.childhoodmatters.org/index.html.

I have used a moisture sensing alarm for children who need some help putting together the feeling that happens before wetting occurs with the actual wetting episode. No matter how often the parent or teacher checks their pull-up, they inevitably wet the minute they pull the pants back up. The type of alarm that I commonly use is the Malem recordable alarm, because the parent can record a message, such as “You need to go to the bathroom now”, which is triggered by the first sign of wetness. (This alarm also makes 8 different pre-recorded sounds that you can choose from). Initially, you can reward cooperation, that is going to the potty when the alarm sounds. Then you can begin using the reward for “beating the alarm”, going potty before the alarm is triggered. If your son isn’t frightened by sounds, you could also use a less expensive Malem auditory alarm, which just makes one loud sound at the onset of wetting. (You would have to role play what the sound means a few times so he could make that association). I recommend that he wear regular underwear when using the alarm. The small sensor is fastened to the outside of his underwear where you expect the first drops of moisture to appear.

Training of stool continence is often a separate experience, especially in boys. If you train him to sit when urinating, letting go of stool might be easier. Sitting long enough, playing a game or looking at books is important for bowel training. If you see him posturing before having a BM, encourage him to sit on the potty.

First, I will say that I do not know of any sure way to prevent or even predict which children will have bedwetting. Since heredity is a factor, there is higher probability that siblings will be affected, especially if one or both parents have a history of bedwetting. Other factors, such as bladder capacity and level of sleep are also areas that parents have little control over. In most cases, children do not have control over their wetting and this behavior is not reflective of your parenting skills. There is no need to feel parental guilt; being kind and supportive is much better. Punishment is not warranted and will not speed up the development of dry nights.

Some techniques that can be useful:

• Suggesting that after dinner beverages be plain water, not juice or milk; not allowing bottles or cups of fluid to be in bed with child
• Double voiding before bed, that means voiding twice, about 20-30 minutes before lights out (once before brushing teeth and getting into pajamas, once after books are read and lights go out)
• Wearing a disposable pull-up if consistently soaked at night
• If dry mornings are being observed, can transition to cloth underwear and a waterproof mattress overlay on top of the sheet to protect mattress
• If child is awake for any reason in night, remind him or her to use the potty
• Walking child to bathroom when parents go to bed probably does not speed up the spontaneous development of dry nights, but does allow one more voiding to be in the toilet
• Use night lights to illuminate the way to the bathroom
• Make sure that your child has regular bowel movements and drinks enough during the day to feel the need to urinate at least every two hours while awake
• If child is over 5 or 6 and still having nighttime accidents, can introduce a bedwetting alarm