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Incontinence Community

Ways to Reduce Urine Odor

Taylor Snell
Contributing Author | Shield HealthCare
01/15/18  4:12 PM PST
Formas de reducir el olor de la orina

Steps You Can Take to Prevent and Reduce Urine Odor

  1. Drink Enough Fluids

    Many people are worried about drinking fluids because they fear it will increase their chances of leakage. However dehydration leads to concentrated and intense-smelling urine. Try to focus on drinking six-to-eight glasses of water (or, if you’re having hydration issues, clear broth) a day; your urine should be diluted and its odor will be reduced.

  2. Get an Exam

    Get an examination to check for infection in your bladder or urinary tract. Infection can give urine a stronger or even foul odor.

  3. Switch it Up

    Try altering your diet; some foods and beverages cause stronger odor. For example, coffee and asparagus can give urine a distinctive and strong smell. Click here to learn more about diet and incontinence, including common bladder irritants.

  4. Drink Cranberry Juice

    Cranberry juice increases the acidity of urine, which can reduce odor.

  5. Take Deodorizing Tablets

    Internal deodorizing products can help to neutralize urine smells. Vitamin C tablets can also deodorize urine — but they can also interact negatively with other medications or treatments, so check with your doctor before consuming tablets.

    • Do not substitute in citrus juice and/or fruits for the Vitamin C tablets — citrus fruits are naturally acidic, and may only cause more odor or irritation.

Related Article: On The Go: Finding Solutions for Incontinence

Other Ways to Control Odor

  1. Keep Yourself Clean

    Maintaining good hygiene and putting on fresh undergarments every day can work wonders for odor control. Take care to wash yourself gently and thoroughly after each episode of incontinence.

  2. Odor-Reducing Incontinence Products

    Many people first substitute menstrual pads rather than purchase products specifically designed to trap and keep urine moisture and odor locked away. Many incontinence products are designed to help prevent odor from forming at all. Avoid perfumed products that only mask odors.

  3. Wash Urine Collecting Devices Thoroughly

    Disinfect any reusable devices with commercial cleaners or with a solution of 1 part vinegar, 2 parts water. Avoid using bleach, which doesn’t dissolve urine crystals as well.

  4. Wash Bed Sheets and Soiled Clothing Often

    Use white vinegar or baking soda to boost your normal detergent. When using white vinegar, put clothing and bedding through an extra cold rinse twice.

  5. Air Fresheners

    In bathrooms and other areas where urine odor may be more noticeable, try using an air freshener that eliminates odor rather than a cloying perfume scent that only masks odors.

  6. Still Can’t Find the Odor Source? Try Using a Black Light

    Surprisingly, you may be able to find previously soiled areas with a black light. Urine glows under the light.

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Sources:

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Comments

14 Comments

  1. Theresa L.
    Posted March 22, 2019 at 1:31 pm PDT

    How about a mattress I had accident on 3 times before I began receiving your products? It’s been a while, but I still smell it. Will a pet urine product work, and do I have to absolutely soak the area as the bottle suggests?

  2. Aimee Sharp
    Posted March 22, 2019 at 4:01 pm PDT

    Hi Theresa. Thank you for your question. We would recommend checking out this page from How to Clean Things. It specifically states how to clean and neutralize the odor of urine on a mattress. We hope that helps! -Aimee, Shield HealthCare

  3. Katrina t.
    Posted April 4, 2019 at 1:43 pm PDT

    Helpful tips

  4. Elaine
    Posted April 30, 2019 at 10:19 am PDT

    Before incontinence, my urine was odorless. Using incontinent pads & panties , the combination gives a very nasty smell even though I change often. Even tried the pure cotton ones. Could it be something in the pad? It’s not the urine. Is there anything or a pad ( I’ve tried many) that wld prevent this .? Thx. Elaine

  5. Brooke Phillips, CWCMS
    Posted May 1, 2019 at 12:55 pm PDT

    Hi Elaine,

    That’s a great question! We spoke with the clinical team at First Quality, who manufacture incontinence pads, and one of their nurses suggested that the urine might play a factor. She mentioned that urine odor and color are determined by diet, medications and diagnoses. Caffeine or vitamins could be affecting urine odor, or if your fluid intake has changed (or for example if you were managing diabetes or prediabetes), that could play a role as well. I do want to validate that you don’t believe the odor is coming from the urine, however.
    Dehydration can cause stronger-smelling urine, as can urinary tract infections. If you have not already seen a doctor to check for a UTI, we would encourage you to do so. There are home remedies that some individuals claim has helped; acidic urine tends to have less odor, so you can try taking extra ascorbic acid (vitamin C)* or cranberry juice to lower your urine’s pH. Please note that vitamin C can interact with some medications, so please check with your doctor first. There are also alternative medicine options (internal deodorizing tablets) that claim to help reduce urine odor, such as Derifil or Nullo. However, not all uses for these herbal supplements have been approved by the FDA. These herbal remedies should not be used in place of medication prescribed for you by your doctor. There are no regulated manufacturing standards in place for many herbal compounds, and some marketed supplements have been found to be contaminated with metals or other drugs. Herbal supplements should be purchased from a reliable source to minimize the risk of contamination, and you will want to speak with your doctor before trying any new supplement. This is extremely important if you are taking any medication; some supplements may be contraindicated.
    There are also incontinence supplies which contain odor-absorbing elements – these would be designed to counteract odor, not “cover it up” with another scent. And finally, the clinical team at http://www.prevail.com has a 24/7 chat feature on their site where you can speak directly with a nurse, or explore their common questions and answers. We wish you the best in health!

    Sincerely, Brooke – Shield HealthCare

  6. N.LVaidya
    Posted June 24, 2019 at 6:18 am PDT

    Foul smelling while passing urine
    Early morning sufficient urnie is not having foul smell but some time very small quantity of urine with dark yellow color gives foul smell.
    Daily taking Supradyne Abana & Liv 52 tablets
    Cause ? Treatment ?

  7. Aimee Sharp
    Posted August 13, 2019 at 4:00 pm PDT

    Hi there. We don’t know enough about those tablets to be able to tell you if they might be helping or causing the odor, and there doesn’t seem to be much information about them in English. We would recommend that you seen a doctor or nurse who may be able to diagnose the issue. Best of luck! -Aimee, Shield HealthCare

  8. Future
    Posted June 28, 2019 at 5:20 am PDT

    Helpful
    what is fluid

  9. Aimee Sharp
    Posted August 9, 2019 at 8:47 am PDT

    Hi there. Thanks for your comment. If you’re asking what type of fluids you should be drinking – well, most liquids can help re-hydrate you. Water is the best, and you can feel free to add a little juice to make it flavorful (sparkling water can be another great option if you enjoy that). Coffee and tea, while they do hydrate you initially, they are diuretics, meaning they increase the amount of water and salt expelled from the body as urine. And they can irritate the bladder. Energy drinks can contain unnecessary ingredients for those of us who aren’t working out for hours at a time. Of course, sodas have more sugar than anyone needs, and alcohol dehydrates the body and is a stressor for it. Stick with water, if you can! Best of luck. -Aimee, Shield HealthCare

  10. Margaret R.
    Posted September 14, 2019 at 1:40 pm PDT

    I agree with one of your writers. I am completely incontinent and use a commode. At night. The Urine in the commode from all night has no smell at all but the TENA pads and underwear I use smell so foul. I take two showers daily and use a diaper pail for the pads during the day and the smell is breath-takingly disgusting. I experimented and used. A 100% cotton towel instead of the pad – NO SMELL. IT LOOKS LIKE THE SMELL IS CREATED WHEN THE URINE DROPS ONTO THE PAD. IT CREATES THE SMELL. I will continue to experiment and report it to the manufactures .

  11. Geraldine D.
    Posted December 28, 2019 at 10:00 am PST

    I have been talking to my doctor and other healthcare providers about the foul odor, but they aren’t even offering any help at all. If something doesn’t happen soon, I won’t be going out at all. It is so embarrassing to have such a foul odor.

  12. charles russell
    Posted June 7, 2020 at 9:52 am PDT

    I have a super pubic catheter and I am always fighting urine odor.I change bags every other day! I have tried spraying neutralizing solution in the bag and that does not seem to work. I did have a UTI which my doctor took care with medication, but the odor comes back. Can the UTI also return? Do not laugh, sometimes I will inject some Ben Gay into the bag and it does seem to work. I will continue to try to find s reasonable solution. CHARLES RUSSELL

  13. Gay Waters
    Posted January 13, 2022 at 12:58 am PST

    Margaret said it all.
    I can’t stand the smell of urine or boom boom
    If anyone has any ideas please share. I can’t get close to anyone until the matter is cleared up. ☹️

  14. Mrs. B
    Posted May 28, 2022 at 8:13 am PDT

    Oh boy. If I had to wash after every episode of incontinence, I would never be able to leave the bathroom and never get anything done. I go all day long. Not just little leaks. I could go in the bathroom and think I have emptied out and then go back to what I was doing before, and more would come out again.No notices or warnings. All day this happens. Dozens of times daily, maybe even a hundred.

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