“How to get smells out of a couch” is a common question that many people wonder about. And that’s also why we will share some useful tips to keep your couch from smelling bad. Please feel free to scroll down this article to discover what they are.

To start with, as you might know, your couch can get unpleasant-smelling due to various reasons. Pets can be one of the popular causes, especially dogs allowed outside and on furniture.

If you need to thwart your couch from unpleasant smelling, it is best to ensure there aren’t any dogs around the couch.

Also, it will help if you don’t allow shoes indoors or on any furniture, particularly your couch. As you may already know, footwear carries much dirt, germs, and mud you stepped in out there.

Rubbing them on the couch will encourage the undesirable odor to accumulate. Regularly deodorizing and cleaning the couch is the best way to keep it smelling fresh.

couch smell fresh without odors

Differences Between Deodorizing and Cleaning

Cleaning involves removing chemicals, any upholstery and ensuring no dirt remains. As a result, the couch looks and smells good as it was when you bought it.

In other words, it’s an intensive process you have to put hours into to produce great results.

Meanwhile, deodorizing is slightly different. It involves utilizing materials to mask the unpleasant smell of unclean couches. It is a temporary fix, and it is best to be used in between washing sessions. Thus, your couch will not smell bad yet not be over-cleaned.

Now, let’s dive into the next part about removing odors from a couch, whether made of microfiber or leather. In a nutshell, you probably want a vacuum cleaner to get all the dust and dirt out of the sofa cushions.

Or you will need a brush attachment and baking soda if you have a microfiber sofa. In case you own a leather couch, a clean rag is helpful to wipe any spill quickly.

How to Deodorize a Microfiber Couch

Though a microfiber couch is probably the most comfortable chair, the fabric may retain a foul odor over time, making it uninviting to sit on. Cleaning is not the ideal solution for microfiber as the fabrics get stained easily.

Freshen up your couch with odor-absorbing materials like baking soda instead. Deodorizing a microfiber couch is a simple way that does not consume much of your time and energy. You will need baking soda and a vacuum with a microfiber attachment installed.

get smell out of fabric sofa

Step 1: You need to vacuum the microfiber to remove all the hair, dirt, and dust lodged into the couch’s fibers. It is best to do whatever you can to remove cushions and vacuum all sides of everything.

We have to say, the more thoroughly the job is done, the longer the couch stays smelling fresh.

Step 2: Once you vacuum everything, you need to sprinkle some baking soda on all of the microfiber areas. Remember to remove all the cushions, backing, and seating, and put them neatly on the side for the time being.

Ensure all the crevices and cracks are covered with baking soda too. You want to use a decent amount of baking soda to see residue across the sofa.

Step 3: After you complete this step, you want to place the baking soda on the cushion’s microfiber as this is where most people rest their feet, and pets lean onto it.

Keeping them separate from your couch will help you clean the cushions thoroughly. It is quite important when you want to deodorize your microfiber couch.

Step 4: Now it’s time to leave the baking soda for at least 15 minutes. If you want the couch completely deodorized, you want to leave it there overnight. This powder will wick away all the bad odors from your cushions and fabric.

Step 5: As soon as the banking soda removes the stench, it is ideal to vacuum it off the couch. Remember to use a clean bag or emptied canister since the baking soda will rapidly fill your vacuum.

At this point, your couch is thoroughly deodorized; it will look and smell fresher after a good vacuuming.

Notes:

1. Sometimes, Vacuuming is The Best Option

A few odors are easily treated by vacuuming the fabrics. Dander and hair from pets can cause your place to smell like a dog bed. Vacuuming the microfiber with a brush attachment is the optimal suggestion for you.

And if you have not vacuumed your couch for a long time, you can flip it on the back and vacuum the underside.

2. Keep the Couch Smell Fresh

Regarding preventative maintenance, if the reason behind bad odor is pets, keep them from getting around the couch to keep it smell fresh. Or you can cover the furniture with a blanket and wash it every week. Besides, food and drink spills can also lead to unusual odors and sourness.

How to Remove Odors from a Leather Couch

Sometimes, leather couches have a bad reputation for retaining stinky smells, yet they need extra care like many furniture. Leather is porous, or it is likely to pick up unwanted smells such as body, pet odors, food, or smoke.

Luckily, smells can dissipate from the leather after a while. If it is not entirely free of odor after your first cleaning, you want to wait before oversaturating your couch with any scented cleaners. With the right method and upkeep, this too shall pass.

deodorize leather couch

Step 1: Cleaning a leather couch is more hands-on, yet it can be faster in a few aspects. You will need more materials like rags to wipe everything, containers holding water, and soap for leather.

Based on the level of the stenches sticking around, you want to think about where you get a good leather cleaner though it is not necessary for the initial part.

If there is something spilled on the couch, you will use the rag to clean first. Thereby, the stench will not have time to set into the leather. It is important to keep a rag near your couch all the time.

When you wipe up a mess, remember to dampen the fabrics first. Once you finish this step, it is best to combine a teaspoon of soap with a cup of warm water. This solution is helpful to remove anything lingering, and you can use a rag to wipe down the couch’s smelly areas.

In case of the complete couch reeks, you can wipe everything down on the condition that you wipe a small space at a time, slowly and steadily.

Step 2: After you wipe down the smelly areas with the solution mentioned above, you will use a new rag moistened with water to remove all soap residue.

Next, find another clean, dry rag to dry the areas gently. Remember to wipe gently, not vigorously, to avoid damaging the leather.

Step 3: If the odor still lingers on your couch, you may want to think about a specific leather cleaner. Accordingly, you spray these cleaners on the couch and let it dry. They will allow the enzymes to remove the bacteria.

That said, you want to follow every user guide on the pack of the said cleaner. You can also stick some dryer sheets under the sofa’s bottom cushions. Unfolded newspaper sheets layered between them can help treat extra moisture.

Notes:

There are some other methods you can use to get unpleasant smells out of your leather couch.

1. Sunlight

Sunlight is a powerful, natural source that you can take advantage of to remove the stench. You can put the couch in a warm space under sunlight for several hours. Accordingly, you can remove the moisture, and your couch will smell good again.

2. White Vinegar

White vinegar is not safe for all kinds of leather. That said, if you mix it with water, you can cure smells on smooth leather. If you are not sure how it will respond, you can patch the test first.

Once you confirm if the component is harmless, you can spray it directly on the leather’s surface, then use towels to wipe it away before it soaks in the leather. Its microbial properties will treat unpleasant smells.

3. Follow-ups

If you use baking soda, you want to double-layer nylon stocking and fill it with this material. Then knot and put it below and behind the cushion to wick away smells.

If your pet likes lying on the couch, get them to lay on a washable blanket for easy cleaning later.

Final Thoughts

So that’s all about how to properly deodorize a couch. In short, depending on your couch conditions and materials of microfiber or leather, you will have a specific suitable way to deodorize it, including using baking soda, cleaning, and vacuuming, to name a few.

And it will help if you clean and deodorize the couch regularly, ensuring it smells fresh almost all the time.

Anyway, we hope our article is helpful for your final decision. If you have any further questions, please feel free to let us know.

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