Cat Peed on a Comforter or Duvet: How to Clean It

This guide covers what to do when your cat pees on a comforter, duvet or quilt: blotting, checking the care label, washing a bulky insert, drying it fully, and why a cat may pee on a bed and what helps, using what the Cornell Feline Health Center, the ASPCA, International Cat Care, Cats Protection, Humane World for Animals and two bedding makers say. If a dog peed on your bed, see dog peeing on the bed.

Step 1: Blot up what you can

The Carpet and Rug Institute's advice for wet urine is written for carpet, but its first step is blotting: "Blot liquids with a dry, white absorbent cloth or white paper towels."

Source: Carpet and Rug Institute, Spot Solver: Urine, Wet.

Step 2: Check the care label first

The Company Store says: "Good news: you can machine wash a down comforter if the manufacturer's care label says it's machine washable." It also warns: "If your down comforter is labeled "Dry Clean Only," take it to a reputable dry cleaner. Do not wash it yourself."

Parachute says: "For this reason, it's always best to follow the product's recommended care instructions. You can find this information on the tag or the brand's website." For its own inserts, Parachute says: "It's actually the cover material that makes a duvet dry clean only". Your comforter's label is the rule for your comforter.

Sources: The Company Store, How To Care for Your Down Comforter; Parachute, How to Wash a Duvet; Parachute, How to Care for Down Bedding.

Step 3: Separate the duvet cover from the insert

Parachute's duvet guide starts here: "Start by taking the cover off of your duvet insert. This piece should not only be cleaned separately from the insert but also much more often."

If only a small patch of the insert is wet and the label allows it, Parachute describes spot-treating: "Pull the cover away from the filling, dampen the area you want to treat, and rub in a small amount of detergent". It adds: "If you're not washing the entire duvet insert, simply rinse that section until the suds are completely gone and let it fully dry before using again."

Sources: Parachute, How to Wash a Duvet; Parachute, How to Care for Down Bedding.

Step 4: Wash it in a machine big enough

For machine-washable items, Humane World for Animals says: "Add a one pound box of baking soda to your regular detergent and wash as usual, air drying if possible." For the full rinse, wash and smell-check routine, see our guide to getting pet pee smell out of clothes, bedding and towels.

Bedding makers warn about machine size. The Company Store says: "For a machine-washable down comforter, use a front-loading washing machine with enough room for the comforter to move freely." Parachute says: "Load your duvet insert (and nothing else) into an XL front-loading washing machine (if the machine's too small, the duvet insert can get tangled and damaged, plus the weight of a wet comforter can knock top-loaders off balance)."

On temperature and cycle, The Company Store says: "Use cold water and mild detergent on your machine's gentle cycle." Parachute says to "wash on the delicate cycle" and adds: "Run the rinse cycle twice to remove all the soap."

Sources: Humane World for Animals, Get urine smell and pet stains out of carpet; The Company Store, How To Care for Your Down Comforter; Parachute, How to Care for Down Bedding.

Step 5: Dry it completely

A damp comforter is the caution both makers repeat. The Company Store says:

"Make sure it is completely dry. Before removing the comforter for good, check carefully for any remaining moisture, which can lead to mold or mildew."

On down clumping, The Company Store says dryer balls "help distribute the fill evenly, prevent clumping, and speed up the drying process." Parachute says: "Remove the duvet insert every half hour to break up clumps and let it cool. Have patience, because this is going to take a while." It also says: "It's very important to make sure the filling dries completely before you put the duvet insert back on your bed or in its cover, otherwise it can begin to grow mold."

If the pee soaked through to the mattress, see Pet Cleanup Kit's mattress guide. If the smell returns once everything is dry, see why pet urine smell comes back after cleaning.

Sources: The Company Store, How To Care for Your Down Comforter; Parachute, How to Care for Down Bedding.

Why a cat may pee on your bed

The Cornell Feline Health Center describes litter box aversion: "A cat with an aversion to her litter box will usually eliminate on a variety of surfaces. You may find puddles of urine or feces on soft surfaces like carpets, beds, or clothing, or on hard surfaces like tile floors or bathtubs."

The ASPCA says: "Some cats develop preferences for eliminating on certain surfaces or textures like carpet, potting soil or bedding." On stress, it says: "Stress can cause litter-box problems. Cats can be stressed by events that their owners may not think of as traumatic."

On revenge, International Cat Care says: "Your cat isn't seeking revenge or making a point; something has gone wrong in their world". Cats Protection says: "It's always best to take your cat to the vet first if there's a sudden change in their behaviour, such as peeing and pooing where they shouldn't, in case there's a medical reason for the change." For older cats, see senior cat peeing outside the litter box.

Sources: Cornell Feline Health Center, Feline Behavior Problems: House Soiling; ASPCA, Litter Box Problems; International Cat Care, Soiling indoors; Cats Protection, Cats and Toileting.

What helps

Enough litter boxes. The ASPCA says: "Make sure you have one for each cat in your household, plus one extra. For example, if you have three cats, you'll need a minimum of four litter boxes."

Clean boxes in a good spot. The ASPCA says: "Virtually all cats like clean litter boxes, so scoop and change your cat's litter at least once a day." and "Place litter boxes in accessible locations, away from high-traffic areas and away from areas where the cat might feel trapped." For a cat that likes soft surfaces, Cornell says: "If she likes soft surfaces like carpeting, buy a softer, finer litter, and put a carpet remnant in her box." More in cat peeing or pooping outside the litter box.

Close the door or cover the bed. Cornell says: "Try denying your cat access to a given area by closing doors, or by covering the area with furniture or plants." Humane World for Animals says: "If your pet soils the sheets or blankets on a bed, cover the bed with a vinyl, flannel-backed tablecloth while you retrain them. It's machine-washable, inexpensive and unattractive to your pet."

Clean so the smell does not draw the cat back. Cornell says: "Cats will re-soil and spray areas they have marked with their scent, so cleaning cat-soiled items is crucial for breaking the cycle of elimination." International Cat Care says: "Whether an accident or not, once your cat has passed urine or faeces in a particular area, its sensitive nose will encourage it to use that place as a regular toilet." Read more in why dogs and cats keep peeing in the same spot. If your cat also used a bag or backpack, see cat peed on a backpack or bag.

Sources: ASPCA, Litter Box Problems; Cornell Feline Health Center, Feline Behavior Problems: House Soiling; Humane World for Animals, Get urine smell and pet stains out of carpet; International Cat Care, Soiling indoors.

Don't punish your cat

Cats Protection says: "Never punish your cat for going to the toilet in the 'wrong' place as this will make the problem worse."

Humane World for Animals says: "Avoid punishment. Cats aren't acting out of defiance but are trying to meet their needs."

Sources: Cats Protection, Cats and Toileting; Humane World for Animals, How to litter train a kitten or cat.

Related guides

• How to Get Pet Pee Smell Out of Clothes, Bedding and Towels
• Dog Peeing on the Bed: Cleanup and Why It Happens
• How to Clean a Pet Bed After an Accident
• Cat Peeing or Pooping Outside the Litter Box: Cleanup Steps
• Senior Cat Peeing Outside the Litter Box: Cleanup and Home Setup
• Why Do Dogs and Cats Keep Peeing in the Same Spot?

Sources: Cornell Feline Health Center, Feline Behavior Problems: House Soiling; ASPCA, Litter Box Problems; International Cat Care, Soiling indoors; Cats Protection, Cats and Toileting; Humane World for Animals, Get urine smell and pet stains out of carpet; Humane World for Animals, How to litter train a kitten or cat; The Company Store, How To Care for Your Down Comforter; Parachute, How to Wash a Duvet; Parachute, How to Care for Down Bedding; Carpet and Rug Institute, Spot Solver: Urine, Wet; Pet Cleanup Kit product listing. All checked 28 October 2026.