How to Get Rid of Urine Smell in Bassinet Mattress? Complete Guide

Small beds for newborns are called bassinets. It is possible to utilize a bassinet for both naps and sleeping at night (although most babies will graduate to cribs around six months of age). It’s critical that you keep your baby’s bassinet clean if you value his or her well-being.

You must not only clean the inside of the bassinet, but you must also clean all of its accessories. It’s a common question among new parents: “How do I clean a bassinet?”

As most people have no prior knowledge on how to properly clean baby furniture, this is quite understandable. Because it’s not too difficult for you, it’s a good thing. Keeping a bassinet clean is easier than you think!

We’ll show you how to clean a bassinet and all of its parts in this article. In addition, we will provide you with some pointers on how to keep your child secure.

What is a bassinet?

For newborns and infants, the bassinet is a sleeping area that is specifically tailored to their needs. You can easily go to your infant in the middle of the night because it is smaller than a crib and is usually placed next to your bed. Many are also moveable, allowing you to keep an eye on your baby while he or she sleeps.

How long can baby sleep in a bassinet?

From the moment your baby is born, you can use a bassinet until they are able to move around, push up on their hands or roll over. Be cautious to check the precise weight limits of your bassinet model before using it with your new baby.

Is a bassinet better than a crib?

There is no “better” option between a bassinet and a crib other from the obvious ones like size and portability. It’s purely a matter of preference, and both are perfectly safe when used correctly.

Bassinet Pros and Cons

When it comes to choosing a bassinet, it can be helpful to consider the advantages and cons. Let’s take a look at each one in more detail.

The pros of using a bassinet:

• It’s practical, and it keeps the infant near by.
• Portable
• Minimal traces of intervention
• Useful for snoozes and nighttime activities

Con’s of the bassinet:

• It’s a short life
• Many of them are pricey.
• More equipment to purchase and store

So Do I Really Need a Bassinet?

Now that you’ve gathered all of the information, it’s time to break down your options.

In some cases, a bassinet may be the perfect choice if:

• You’d like to make things as easy as possible for yourself. The convenience of a bassinet is undeniable, especially during the first few months of a baby’s life. As a new parent, you know how much your baby needs to eat, and reaching over to pick him up when it’s time for a feeding can save you a lot of time and effort.
• Keeping a careful eye on the infant is important to me. New parenting is frequently a time of increased stress. There’s nothing quite like being able to see your baby’s chest rise and fall from the comfort of your own arm. A bassinet makes it simple to do this. For one thing, if your baby starts wailing, you’ll know exactly when it’s time to feed.
• For the first several months of a baby’s life, he or she will need a portable napping option. If you want to keep your baby secure when they slumber during the day, a bassinet is a terrific option instead of a baby lounger, which is great for supervised play and rest. Choose a style that can be easily moved around your home, either by having wheels or by being compact and light.
• Are hoping to have a large family. If you’re expecting more than one child, it’s easier to rationalize the cost of a bassinet. When only utilized while your infant is immobile, these items don’t suffer much wear and tear, making them ideal for passing down from one generation to the next.

Bassinet and its Accessories

In a bassinet, a small basket linked to a stand serves as the bed for babies. When parents are trying to get some shut-eye, bassinets are a great way to keep their little ones nearby but out of the way. During the day, it can be used as a play area or a nap room for your infant.

Stand-alone, drawer-type, and arm’s reach co-sleepers are all examples of bassinets.

1. The stand alone bassinet

You will most likely see one of these. There are four bars or mesh on each of the four sides of the bed, making it a compact bed. As cloth would be extremely difficult to clean, the bottom is normally made of metal. Stand-alone bassinets can be found in nearly any baby store, and they can also be purchased online.

2. Drawer type bassinet

It features an open front, but the rear includes storage space for diapers, wipes, and other things you might need during midnight diaper changes or feedings when your arms simply cannot reach out far enough anymore. Because of its lack of “maneuverability,” this isn’t the ideal model for moving from one room to another on a regular basis.

3. Arm’s reach co-sleepers

Due of its advantages, this is the most recent style of bassinet. In essence, it’s a crib attached to the side of your bed for your infant to sleep in.

In this way, you and your partner will be able to get a better night’s sleep without having to get out of bed or turn over to check on the baby.

Having an active sleeper may not be a good idea, since he may end up kicking off all of his blankets, making him freezing in the winter!

Each category of basinites can be constructed from a variety of materials, including wood or steel. Every cleaning method is unique. All of them will be discussed.

Bassinet accessories include the canopy netting, mesh, bassinet fabrics, Bassinet frame, sheets, and mattress pads that come with new parent sets.

When To Clean a Bassinet

In the first several months of your baby’s life, the bassinet will play a significant role. They give the infant a comfortable location to rest, play, and spend the majority of their waking hours.

The faster your baby grows in a comfy baby bassinet, the better, but it takes some effort to maintain the baby dust-free without sacrificing comfort.

Your infant bassinet should be cleaned thoroughly, but this can be difficult if there is accumulation or grime on the surface. There are rules for how often a baby’s environment should be cleaned in order to keep them healthy and free of bacteria.

Baby’s linens can be washed as little as once every three days if the bassinet frame doesn’t have a lot of accumulation or filth, or as often as twice weekly if there is.

How to Clean a Bassinet and its Accessories

1. Disassemble a Bassinet

You must first disassemble a bassinet before cleaning it. The following parts are easy to dismantle.

• The frame of a bassinet
• Mattress for a crib
• Bedding for the infant
• Pad/cover/protector for the bassinet
• Canopy for Baby’s Bassinet

Various portions of your bassinet may require cleaning, depending on the material. The mattress cover, for example, can be machine washed, while the mattress and frame may both be hand washed.

2. Things that Need to Clean the Bassinet

You probably have everything you need to clean your bassinet already.

1. The soap is antibacterial.
2. Bleach and water (only for white bassinets)
3. Scrubbers, rags, and/or dusters.
4. A spray bottle with warm water.
5. Spray bottle filled with warm water; use this to mist the area.

3. Cleaning process

(A) Metal and plastic frame bassinet cleaning procedure

Antibacterial soap, water, and a new sponge should be used to thoroughly clean the surface. Keep in mind that paper towels can leave behind some fibers if you use them frequently.

Clean the frame with a cloth dipped in white vinegar to remove any plastic or metal odors and restore it to new condition.

If your bassinet has stains and odors of rotten food and milk, you can use bleach to clean it. Bleach gives your bassinet’s frame an extra whiteness even after hand washing. During the cleaning process, you can add a few drops of lemon essential oil to the bucket to give it an extra boost of freshness.

The sides of certain Plastic Bassinets have plastic cushions for some reason. 5. Cushions can be cleaned with a mixture of warm water and antibacterial soap.

Cleansing a bassinet with a wooden frame (B)

To get rid of all the grime, use a clean sponge and antibacterial soapy water.

Alternatively, you can use lemon essential oil, which has a pleasant scent and brightens the whiteness of a wooden frame, instead of bleach.

(C) Bassinet Sheet, Mattress, and Mesh Cover Cleaning

The Bassinet Mattresses (Polyester Material) and Sheets available on the market, in my opinion, can be washed in the washing machine.”

Take it off and throw it in the washer. Use only Infant Laundry Detergent since other chemical detergents can trigger allergic reactions on baby skin.

The Bassinet Mesh Cover can be removed and washed in the washing machine as well, but it is recommended that you use the gentlest cycle possible.

Cleaning the hood is step (D).

You can use a new sponge and diluted white distilled vinegar (approximately 50/50) to clean the Bassinet’s exterior. The hood, base, mesh cover under the base, and surrounding where your infant will rest their head should be cleaned thoroughly. Then use a paper towel or a towel to dry the surface.

How to Completely Dry & Re-Assemble the Bassinet

Air Drying the Bassinet

Place the bassinet on a bath towel on a hard floor with the hood facing down to speed up the drying process.

Open up the mesh sides of the bassinet base on all four sides, allowing plenty of space for air to flow in.

The hood must also be open. Keep a dish towel or paper towel under each leg to keep it from getting wet from the carpet or hardwood floor. Then, if possible, allow it to sit overnight. If it takes more than 12 hours to dry in a warm area, you can leave it out in the sun all day.

As soon as they start to look dingy, hang dry your Bassinet Sheets and Mesh Cover.

Using a Drying Rack for the Bassinet

Dry the complete Bassinet in the air using a drying rack meant for baby garments. To avoid water damage to your floors or carpet, make sure the slats are sufficiently spaced apart.

Re-assembling the bassinet is the crucial last step.

It’s critical that you build your new bassinet correctly.

As a result of this lack of safety precautions put in place by parents who are just cleaning their baby’s bassinet too quickly without spending the time essential for assembly, or even worse- not at all!!

Reinstall the Bassinet Mattress on top of the base and make sure it’s securely fastened in place.

When reassembling or storing your infant bassinet, put the plastic sheet back on top of the mattress to prevent it from becoming wet again if water gets on the hood or mesh sides (which can happen depending on how you wash it).

Then, on top of the plastic sheet and mattress, reposition your dry sheet, comforter, and pillowcase. Finally, cover everything with the Bassinet Mesh Cover and snap the legs back into their respective slots. Make sure there are no loose strings hanging from the stroller, since they could get trapped when the infant is in it.

Additional Tips and Advice on Cleaning Bassinet

For a more pleasant smell, add a few drops of lemon essential oil to a vinegar-and-hot-water solution before cleaning the bassinet’s wall-mounted toys.

Add Oxiclean to the detergent solution if you want to brighten your clothes.

When To Purchase A Bassinet Mattress

As soon as you arrive home from the hospital, your new baby will be in desperate need of a safe place to sleep. It’s best to have your bassinet set up well in advance of your due date or when you want to bring your adopted child home, if that is your preference.

As a general rule, most bassinets come with their own mattress. A mattress is required if your bassinet doesn’t include one or if you don’t like the one that comes with it.

Also, if the mattress in your bassinet is worn out, get a new one as soon as possible. It’s easy to tell if a mattress needs to be replaced if it’s filthy, especially if the surface can’t be washed.

Even while lying down, your baby may spit up a lot in the newborn stage. If you don’t clean up after your baby’s accidents on their bedding, it could lead to an unsafe sleeping environment for your child.

Tips For Choosing The Right Bassinet Mattress

There are a few considerations to bear in mind while looking for a new bassinet mattress for your child. Let’s take a look at what we can do to keep your kid safe while they sleep.

1) Put Safety First

Firmness

The safety of your child is a key priority for every parent, especially when it comes to their child’s sleeping arrangements. Make sure your baby’s mattress is firm if you want to keep him safe as he sleeps.

It is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics that your baby’s mattress be firm and comfortable. There is less chance of suffocating because of the hard surface. If the mattress in your baby’s bassinet is overly soft, it could pose a risk to your child.

Check to see if your baby’s head makes an indentation in the mattress of his or her bassinet to determine if it is safe or not. The mattress may be too soft if you see an indentation after your child has slept on it.

There is no need for the mattress to be so hard that it makes it difficult for your infant to fall asleep and stay asleep; it only needs to be firm.

Thickness

Another risk of suffocation is posed by a thick bassinet mattress. However, if it’s too thin, your baby won’t be able to wear it comfortably. There should be just the correct amount of thickness, both for safety and for comfort.

Your baby’s bassinet mattress should be no thicker than one and a half inches. Anything with a greater thickness could pose a threat to people’s safety.

Fit

Bassinets in the traditional oval or rectangular shape are 30 to 33 inches long by 15 to 18 inches wide. Some bassinets, on the other hand, come in a variety of sizes.

Pay attention to the shape and size of your baby’s bassinet before deciding on a mattress for the bassinet. The mattress must fit tightly inside the bassinet in order to create the safest sleep environment.

This won’t work unless you have the exact measurements. Make careful to measure your baby’s bassinet before you begin your search.

2) Consider Your Baby’s Comfort

Material

To ensure your baby’s comfort, choose for a bassinet mattress coated in a soft material.

When your baby’s skin starts to itch from their mattress, it may be a very distressing experience for you both. When this happens, your infant will not be able to sleep effectively at night or during naps.

It’s also a good idea to check over the mattress of your infant to see if it’s causing them any discomfort if they’ve been sleeping soundly for a long period of time.

Support

Choose a mattress that supports your baby’s head and body as they grow and develop to ensure they get the quality sleep they need to meet all of their developmental milestones.

Noisiness

You’ll notice your baby’s Moro Reflex developing around the 28- to 32-week mark and disappearing around three to six months old.

Your baby’s reaction to the sudden lack of support includes three separate components: spreading out the arms, pulling in the arms, and crying..

Your baby’s sleep will be disrupted as a result of this reaction, which will continue for the first few months of his or her existence. And if their bassinet mattress is coated in particular materials, it can produce a lot of noise when they’re moving around.

When it comes to disturbing your baby’s sleep, mattresses with a plastic cover are the most problematic.

Due to the Moro Reflex, if your infant isn’t correctly swaddled, the Moro Reflex can keep them awake at night. When your baby is napping, he or she needs to be snug and warm. Moro Reflexes, or the noise their mattress makes as a result, can wake them up if they aren’t already.

When it comes to keeping your baby secure and comfortable while they sleep, Newton Baby’s Organic Cotton Swaddles are the best option.

These pre-shrunk, 100% organic muslin cotton swaddle blankets are certified by the Global Organic Textile Standards as hypoallergenic. Because it’s made of soft, breathable material, it’ll keep your baby cool and comfortable all day long.

You can swaddle your baby in our organic cotton swaddles, but you can also use them to cover your changing pad or stroller, or as a light blanket for breastfeeding.

3) Choose A Bassinet Mattress That’s Built To Last

Durability

There should be no evidence of wear and tear for months on a well-made bassinet mattress. Sleeping on mattresses that wear out quickly might be detrimental to your child’s health and well-being.

How can you know if the mattress you’re looking at is long-lasting? ” Take note of how well it’s made.

As an example, a low-quality bassinet mattress is prone to disintegration and may have lumps or bumps within it. In addition to being uncomfortable for your kid, this surface is also dangerous.

Waterproof, Washable Cover

Your baby’s bassinet mattress needs to be waterproof in order to survive a long time. Why? Due to the fact that your baby will spit up and urinate at some point. It can’t be avoided.

However, there are ways to avoid a dangerous sleeping environment! Choose a waterproof, washable mattress cover for your baby’s bassinet mattress to keep mold and mildew at bay.

When your child is old enough to sleep in a crib, you may upgrade to our Waterproof Crib Mattress Pad, which is suitable for both twin beds and cribs.

The waterproof, breathable fabric lining shields the wearer from the rain beneath a layer of air. This mattress pad improves the safety of any crib mattress by providing an additional 38″ of air circulation on the surface. In the event of an unfortunate mishap, this garment is also machine washable, making cleanup a breeze.

4) Check The Labels

Chemicals

After you buy a goods, it is common for it to emit a noxious odor.

A product’s aroma may or may not be released into the air as a result of this process. Packaging causes the air to be trapped, causing the chemicals to be released.

If you’re concerned about off-gassing, check the mattress labels on your baby’s bassinet. If you’re unsure about anything, check the materials listed on the bassinet mattress.

Keep seeking for a new bassinet mattress if you find a material that could hurt your child!

Fire Resistance

A two-foot-wide blowtorch open flame for 70 seconds is the new standard for fire retardant chemicals in mattresses.

Due to their cost-effectiveness, about 92% of the market uses extremely problematic fire retardants. Look for a GREENGUARD Gold certification on your baby’s mattress to see if the fire retardants used are safe for your child.

For items that are safe for children to use, the GREENGUARD Gold certification from Underwriters Laboratory (UL) is the most rigorous.

A GREENGUARD Certified product has been evaluated for over 10,000 chemicals and emissions and passed the test, satisfying high standards for low emissions levels and ensuring that your indoor air quality is safe and healthy.

One step further, the GREENGUARD Gold Certification requires reduced overall VOC emission levels and ensures that goods are suitable for use in schools, nurseries and healthcare facilities.

Newton Baby’s cribs, mattresses, and mattress pads have all earned the GREENGUARD Gold Seal of Approval.

Safe Sleep In A Bassinet

Choosing a secure bassinet and mattress is an important part of keeping your baby safe while they sleep. Regardless matter whether your baby is sleeping in a bassinet or a crib, make sure to practice safe sleep habits every single day.

There are a few more safe sleep guidelines that we’ll go through, in addition to the one we already mentioned: sharing your room with your infant (but not your bed).

1) Keep The Bassinet Bare

As soon as you put your infant to sleep, make sure the bassinet is completely empty. It’s just you and your infant in the bassinet, with the possible exception of a fitted sheet.

Toys, baby pillows, blankets, crib bumpers, and the like can all be choking and suffocation hazards, regardless of how cuddly they appear. Also, if your baby’s bassinet mattress is covered with a fitted sheet, double-check that it does so snugly.

You must follow the same procedure for placing your child to sleep in a crib once you have done so. Only use a fitted sheet, like as one of our Organic Cotton Sheets, on their crib! All-around elastic ensures a secure fit on any crib mattress with these luxuriously soft sheets.

Our muslin sheets are 100% breathable, exactly like our mattresses, so your baby may sleep soundly all night long. You can pick from a variety of traditional patterns to go with your nursery’s overall theme.

2) Put Your Baby On Their Back

Always remember to lay your baby down on their back when putting them in their naked bassinet for nap or nighttime. So much better than laying on their back or stomach.

After they start rolling over, what’s the next step? A baby should be out of a swaddle by the time they learn how to roll about four months old.

If they use their newfound ability to roll over in the middle of the night, you don’t have to wake them up by turning them over.

3) Give Your Baby Tummy Time

Your baby needs stomach time during the day, even if you constantly put them to sleep on their back! The muscles that allow children to accomplish crucial developmental milestones are strengthened when they spend time face-down.

To ensure safe tummy time, both you and your baby must be fully awake. Getting down on the floor with your kid and bringing their favorite toys will make it a meaningful and pleasurable moment for them.

There is no need to wait until your kid is old enough for tummy time to begin. Putting them on your lap, for example, is a good example of skin-to-skin contact. More information on the benefits of tummy time may be found here.

4) Offer A Pacifier At Bedtime

Giving your baby a pacifier during nap and bedtime is also recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics as a technique to encourage sound sleep.

After your baby has mastered the art of breastfeeding, you can begin this process (typically a couple of weeks). Offer the pacifier early if you aren’t nursing.

In this case, keep in mind the “bare bassinet” guideline. There should be no strap on the pacifier. There is no need to worry if your infant just does not want the pacifier. It doesn’t need to be pushed.

5) Care For Yourself And Your Baby

In addition to providing a secure sleeping environment, there are additional things you can do to protect your baby’s health and safety. For both yourself and for your child!

Make sure your baby is getting the correct quantity of nutrients through breast milk or formula at their regular checkups. You’ll also want to take care of your own health to ensure that your baby’s is in good hands. Smoking and abstaining from alcoholic beverages and other intoxicating substances can help ensure a peaceful night’s sleep for your child.

Find out more about putting your baby to sleep safely by clicking on this link.

The Bottom Line

A newborn baby’s immune system is still developing, making it an easy target for infections and viruses.

The risk of transmitting hazardous bacteria to your baby while they sleep is greatly reduced if you clean their bassinet thoroughly on a weekly basis.

If you follow these tips, you can keep your baby safe from SIDS and other infant illnesses by creating a germ-free resting environment.