How to clean a sofa from odors at home?


Comfort in the house is cleanliness, warmth, pleasant smells. And if it’s easy to maintain order in the house, then the smell ingrained into the sofa can become a real problem.

How and with what can you remove an unpleasant odor from a sofa upholstery at home?

You can get rid of the “odors” emanating from the upholstery of upholstered furniture using a variety of folk methods and chemicals.

Folk remedies

You can clean sofa upholstery with simple home remedies. These, as a rule, are found in every home, so you don’t have to spend extra money on purchasing them.

Soda

The product is universal, removes stains and removes odors from any fabric coverings. You can use dry or wet cleaning method.

In powder form, baking soda eliminates unpleasant odors and removes light traces of grime. Suitable for delicate fabrics, does not leave streaks.

Procedure:

  1. Sift the soda through a sieve and sprinkle generously on greasy areas or spread over the entire surface of the furniture.
  2. Leave for 2 hours.
  3. Remove the soda with a vacuum cleaner.
  4. If dirty marks are not completely removed, repeat the procedure.

The wet cleaning method with soda is suitable for removing grease stains, traces of coffee, tea, wine, felt-tip pens, and ink. You can clean the entire surface or just certain parts, for example, armrests, sofa cushions.

Procedure:

  1. Take a sponge, wet it and squeeze it out.
  2. Walk over the surface to be cleaned to moisten it.
  3. Sprinkle the surface generously with sifted soda.
  4. After 40 minutes, scrub the dirty areas with a brush.
  5. Leave the furniture to dry completely.
  6. Remove the soda with a vacuum cleaner.
  7. Once again, go over the surface with a damp sponge, rinsing it often in clean water and squeezing it well.

All that's left is to let the sofa dry.

Cleanser made from dishwashing gel, vinegar and soda

This composition will help clean fabric upholstery from various types of dirt and remove odors. You need to take:

  • half a liter of hot water;
  • 150 ml vinegar (9%!);
  • 50 ml dishwashing gel;
  • 20 g soda.

You need to stir the gel and vinegar in water, add baking soda at the very last moment.

Processing order:

  1. Apply the resulting foam locally to dirty areas or to the entire surface.
  2. Brush and leave for half an hour.
  3. Then wash the surface of the furniture: fill a basin with clean water, wet the sponge, wring out and wipe the upholstery, collecting the remaining cleaning agent and dissolved dirt.
  4. Wrap the vacuum cleaner brush in clean gauze and clean the upholstery.


How to properly clean a sofa

In order not to damage the furniture further, it is important to know how to properly clean the product. All of the above products must be used carefully so as not to damage the upholstery. They start by choosing the right cleaning product. It should match the color and type of upholstery material. There are professional products designed for a specific type of fabric.


You can use special neutralizing agents from a pet store or auto store.

Before using the selected product, it is recommended to carefully study the instructions. Compositions for natural leather are not suitable for fabric upholstery. Therefore, you need to take this into account and carefully follow the instructions for proportions, application of the product and its exposure.

It is recommended to use only proven recipes that have proven themselves to be positive. Detergents should not contain dyes. Otherwise, traces of paint and stains on the surface cannot be avoided.

How to get rid of the smell?

As upholstered furniture is used, a variety of contaminants fall on its surface, which provoke the appearance of odors (sweat, fish, beer, stale milk, and feces). That is why each individual source of odor requires its own removal techniques.

The smell of a new sofa

After purchasing upholstered furniture, users often note that it emits a pungent chemical smell - it is associated with the use of glue, formaldehyde and other substances in production.

If furniture is purchased in the summer, then it will be enough to just keep the windows closed for a couple of days, but in winter it is not possible to organize this.

The smell emitted by a mixture of glue, varnish and similar compositions is unpleasant for most people; in many it causes allergic reactions and headaches, so it is necessary to get rid of it:

  • first you need to go over the sofa with a vacuum cleaner to remove small particles of wood, hardened resins and other components;
  • absorbents should be placed in the linen drawer, as well as under the sofa, to absorb all foreign odors;
  • After the most persistent odors have gone, it is necessary to ventilate the room, preferably creating a draft.

You can use lavender, mint or salt as adsorbents; vanillin or even honey gives a good effect, but keep in mind that these products can no longer be eaten after such use.

The smell of an old sofa

Over time, pieces of furniture that are “aged” begin to smell moldy and musty. This happens especially often with sofas that have been left in non-residential premises for some time. It is quite difficult to get rid of such a problem, so complex treatment is required. It includes several stages:

  • to begin with, the sofa must be taken out into the fresh air, thoroughly beaten and aired in a draft;
  • then you need to vacuum it, trying to get to the most inaccessible places;
  • all surfaces should be washed with a soft cloth soaked in a solution of table vinegar (at a ratio of water to vinegar of 4 to 1);
  • after this, the entire upholstery should be covered with gauze or a thin cotton sheet soaked in the same solution for 1-1.5 hours - this will refresh the aroma from the furniture.

If the furniture was in an unheated room, it should be dried thoroughly. It is best to use a fan heater or similar heating equipment for this.

If you smell a distinct smell of mold, then place containers of water near the sofa and place salt mixed with mint inside.

If none of the above methods for removing musty smells has given the desired effect, then you are dealing with old dirt embedded in the upholstery. In this situation, the only possible solution is to completely replace the upholstery and filling.

From pets

Very often, a dog or cat smell appears on upholstered furniture - these pets constantly mark in the house. It is very difficult to get rid of such a problem, but it is possible. To do this, you need to perform the following steps.

  • The very first thing you should do is clean up traces of urine itself, which becomes the source of the smell. A solution of vinegar or ammonia works best with it. After this, the area is thoroughly wiped with a napkin.
  • Then you need to make a solution of hydrogen peroxide and some dishwashing detergent . It is distributed over the contaminated area of ​​the sofa and left for a couple of hours.
  • After the specified time, the remaining product is brushed off or removed with a vacuum cleaner.

From vomiting

If a person’s vomit gets on the sofa, then to prevent the occurrence of an unpleasant odor, certain actions must be taken:

  • First of all, you need to remove the vomit itself;
  • then the damaged area should be wiped with a wet rag or napkin and sprinkled with baking soda;
  • after the sofa has dried, remove the remaining powder with a vacuum cleaner;
  • at the final stage, wipe the surface of the sofa with a cloth soaked in a solution of any cleaning product for upholstered furniture.

From dampness

If the sofa begins to smell damp, you can use one of several remedies:

  • Apple vinegar;
  • special antifungal drugs;
  • potassium permanganate;
  • activated or crushed charcoal.

Each of the remedies is highly effective on its own, but to enhance the effect, you can combine several drugs at once.

The best ways to remove odors from your couch at home

The smell of new furniture

Often, after purchasing upholstered furniture, you discover that it smells unpleasant. This usually occurs due to tight packaging, which does not allow the industrial smell to dissipate. The problem disappears on its own after a few days of using the product.

If you are confident in the safety of the composition of the upholstery and filling of the sofa, you can speed up the process of eliminating the industrial smell using simple means.


Flavored salt is poured onto the sheet and left overnight

  1. Place the sofa in a spacious, well-ventilated room and leave it overnight without closing the windows. In the morning the unpleasant odor will be significantly reduced.
  2. Sorbents of natural origin help remove unpleasant odors well . Buy small gauze bags from a hardware store or make your own. Pour aromatic herbs into them. Mint, lemon balm and thyme are great. Place them over the entire surface of upholstered furniture. Leave for 10 – 12 hours.
  3. In addition to herbal remedies, use flavored sea salt . Unfold the sofa if transformation is possible. Place the sheet so that it covers the entire area. Sprinkle salt on the sheet and leave overnight.
  4. A mixture of natural ground coffee and vanillin will help get rid of the unpleasant odor . Sprinkle it on upholstered furniture and wait 5-6 hours, then remove the remaining mixture with a vacuum cleaner.
  5. Soak a large terry towel in the vinegar solution . To prepare the solution, mix water and vinegar in a 2:1 ratio. Cover with a well-wrung out towel. Wait 3 – 4 hours.
  6. An ozonizer is suitable for removing unpleasant odors from a professional means . This is not the cheapest method, but the fastest.

Dampness

High air humidity, a rarely ventilated room, and spilled drinks often lead to the sofa starting to smell unpleasant and mold to form.

To eliminate this aroma of mustiness and antiquity, there are several folk and professional remedies:

  • Table salt will absorb excess moisture, as a result of which the unpleasant odor will disappear. The salt can be used with or without a sheet. In the latter case, you will have to vacuum the furniture after the procedure.
  • Baking soda is a universal remedy for removing stench. This is a cheap and accessible method to everyone, since everyone has baking soda in their kitchen. Divide the salt into small bags as suggested in the aromatic herb method. Wait 7 – 8 hours. If necessary, repeat the procedure several times.
  • Green and black tea bags will help in the fight against smelly upholstery . Place them over the entire area of ​​the sofa and leave them overnight. But keep in mind that you will need more than one box of tea.
  • The hardware store offers a number of chemical products for removing unpleasant odors from upholstered furniture.


The hardware store offers a number of chemical products for removing unpleasant odors from upholstered furniture.
Specialized solutions have a complex chemical composition that is unsafe for the skin of the hands. Arm yourself with household rubber gloves and a sponge before carrying out the procedure. Before using the product, read the instructions on the package and follow the directions exactly.

Animal secretions

Dogs and cats often “mark” the territory, after which the “marked” furniture does not smell the best. Urea has a pungent aroma that quickly eats into the surface of upholstered furniture and does not erode for a long time. Therefore, it is important to take the necessary measures as soon as possible after you notice the smell of an animal and wash the upholstery.


Dogs and cats often “mark” the territory, after which the “marked” furniture does not smell the best

The following will help you in the fight for a nice-smelling sofa:

  1. Hydrogen peroxide . Prepare a solution of water and peroxide. Mix them in a 1:1 ratio. Pour the resulting solution into a spray bottle. Spread the liquid over the upholstery surface. Wait a couple of hours. Repeat the manipulations.
  2. Lemon or citric acid . Make a mixture of lemon juice/citric acid and running water. Ratio 1:2. Soak a microfiber cloth in the resulting solution, wipe the furniture and let it dry.
  3. Laundry soap . Grate a bar of laundry soap. Mix with warm water. Wipe the sofa with the resulting mixture using a sponge. Leave the product on for 3 – 5 hours.
  4. As in the case of the musty smell of dampness, you can resort to the use of specialized chemicals. But don't forget about precautions.

How to eliminate urine odor

It is best to remove the unpleasant smell of urine from the sofa along with the existing stain using ammonia. Rub it on the stained area and leave for 30 minutes. Next, treat the stain with laundry soap. In 20 minutes. it is washed with a solution consisting of 1 liter of water and 1 tablespoon of vinegar and dried.

To remove the urine of older people from the sofa surface, the stains are first filled with vodka, ammonia or medical alcohol, then left for 30 minutes.

Elimination of children's urine

This urine (urine) has a lower concentration and less pungent odor than the urine of adults and animals. It's easier to eliminate it. The stains are treated with a bar of laundry soap, left for 20-30 minutes, then washed off with a solution of 5 parts water and 1 part vinegar. Instead of vinegar, use vodka. You can remove baby urine using a product such as iodine. To do this, 15 drops of this substance are dissolved in a liter of water (warm). The surface is treated with the resulting solution. Use this method for dark fabrics. For light upholstery, instead of iodine, you can take lemon juice and dilute it in the same ratio.

Old stains are removed using laundry soap. They are moistened, rubbed with a bar of soap, and left for 20 minutes. Next, the soap is washed off with a solution containing a liter of water and 1 tbsp. l. vinegar essence. Then the furniture is wiped with a dry cloth and dried with a hairdryer.

Removing cat excrement

To effectively clean a sofa from the urine odors of four-legged pets, an integrated approach is required. The following components will be required:

  • dishwashing detergent, 2 tsp;
  • hydrogen peroxide, 150 ml;
  • vinegar, 150 ml;
  • water, 600 ml;
  • baking soda.

The required amount of vinegar is mixed with water in a volume of 450 ml. Pour the stains with this solution and remove excess moisture with a cloth. The remaining water (150 ml) is combined with the same amount of peroxide, and dishwashing detergent is added. The contaminated area is first covered with soda, then filled with peroxide solution and left for two hours. After this, wipe the surface with a soft cloth and dry with paper towels. To prevent the cat from going to the sofa, orange peels placed in the sofa linen drawer will help scare the animal away.

Prevention

The problem is not caused solely by spilled liquids. Upholstered furniture absorbs the aromas of food, tobacco, and gradually accumulates dust. And in the case of a sleeping sofa, keratinized skin particles and microparticles of sweat additionally accumulate. It is recommended to regularly rid the sofa of odors and dirt. Effective measures to protect upholstery include:

  • regular vacuuming;
  • wet cleaning using soap solution and a special product;
  • the use of removable covers, ideally with water-repellent properties (especially important when there are pets, children, and elderly people in the house);
  • ventilation, maintaining a normal microclimate;
  • Quick cleanup in case of spills or food spills on the surface.

Prevention will not prevent the occurrence of smelly stains, but will prevent the accumulation of dust, soiling of the upholstery and the appearance of a stale smell.

Features of cleaning different furniture upholstery

There are many types of fabrics that are used to cover furniture; this determines how to clean a sofa correctly and how to get rid of an unpleasant odor.

Common types of material:

  • natural or artificial leather;
  • velours;
  • flock;
  • suede leather.

You can clean a sofa that is covered with leather (artificial or natural) or suede material using a soap solution. The furniture must be thoroughly wiped with the solution and then cleaned dry with a napkin. This method will help remove various fragrances well.

Velor fabric is very capricious and after cleaning it can become shiny; it should be wiped with baking soda diluted in milk.

Flock and suede upholstery dries very poorly, so you need to run an iron over it until it dries.

Fabric upholstery, unlike leather, absorbs all unpleasant odors better.

You can remove such odors using professional cleaners, but they have their drawbacks. Specialized cleaners are expensive, and they also contain many different chemicals.

Therefore, if you value your furniture, you need to be careful when using such cleaners and carefully study the instructions before using them.

What remedies won't help?

Some commercial products can only deal with stains. The smell remains after treating the sofa with similar products.

Nordland

Nordland contains harmful and bad-smelling substances. After processing, this product leaves stains on the sofa.

Carpet

The carpet is not only unable to get rid of dirty stains, but also leaves a strong aroma after treatment.

Cinderella

Cinderella is recommended to be used immediately as soon as a stain appears on the sofa. In other cases, the remedy is ineffective.

My family

The product is not able to cope with any stains, even fresh ones.

Universal chemicals

The chemical industry offers a wide range of different sprays and liquid products to eliminate unpleasant odors ingrained in the sofa.

Top 3 most effective chemicals:

  • OdorGone Professional for Home is a universal product that removes odors of any intensity and type.

    Effective in combating odors of mustiness, rot, tobacco, smoke and burning.

    Interacts at the molecular level with unpleasant aromas. The average cost of the drug is 400 rubles. (volume 200 ml).

  • DuftaFresh .
    Natural composition of plant enzymes. The amazing effect of quickly removing odors is noted after the first use. For each product in the DuftaFresh line, certain enzymes are selected that naturally accelerate the breakdown of unpleasant odor molecules. The average cost of a spray is 1300 rubles (volume 250 ml).
  • "Zoovorsin" will help to quickly remove the odors of the presence of animals in the house from upholstered furniture and carpeting. The drug is non-toxic. Its use indoors does not harm the health of humans and animals. Can be used for washing vacuum cleaners. The cost of Zoovorsin varies between 380-400 rubles for a volume of 500 ml.

Why does the sofa have an unpleasant smell?

Before choosing the appropriate method for getting rid of an unpleasant odor, you need to find out why the problem occurred. This determines which remedy can effectively cope with the situation.


Often an unpleasant smell on the sofa appears due to animals.

There are several main reasons for the appearance of an unpleasant odor:

  1. Animals living in the house;
  2. Human urine or traces of vomit;
  3. Spilled drink with a strong, acrid aroma;
  4. Smoke from tobacco;
  5. High humidity in the room, causing the formation of mold.

Lack of regular cleaning of furniture also causes an unpleasant odor.


Infrequent cleaning also leads to an unpleasant odor.

Also, the smell in the room can spread to the furniture and be absorbed into the upholstery. Then disposal begins with airing the room and wet cleaning the entire space.

Household chemicals

To clean upholstered furniture quickly and effectively, use purchased products. Modern household chemicals allow you to dry clean your home without the involvement of specialists. When choosing a product, pay attention to what types of coating and what types of stains it is suitable for.

The most popular cleaning products:

  1. Extra Profi . Used for cleaning carpets and upholstered furniture. Perfectly removes traces of grease, blood, urine. Eliminates all unpleasant odors.
  2. Unicum . Suitable for cleaning any type of fabric upholstery. Helps remove the most difficult stains without streaks.
  3. Vox drop . Smells pleasant and helps get rid of the most difficult stains. Suitable for all types of textile upholstery.
  4. Leather Cleaner . Allows you to wash a sofa upholstered in natural or artificial leather. Effective and easy to use.
  5. Köpxep foam . Professional product, real dry cleaning at home. Apply a thick layer to the upholstery and leave until completely dry and dissolved dirt. The remaining foam is removed with a vacuum cleaner.
  6. Mitex . An environmentally friendly stain remover, it can be used to clean furniture in children's rooms or in apartments where allergy sufferers live.
  7. Amway . Concentrate for cleaning sofas and carpets. Before use, it is diluted with water in a ratio of 1 to 10. Beat the foam. The foam is distributed over the surface to be cleaned, allowed to dry and removed with a vacuum cleaner. This cleaning helps to refresh the upholstery and remove the most difficult stains.

All household chemicals must be used in accordance with the instructions. You should not prepare a more concentrated solution, hoping that it will have a stronger effect, or leave the product on the upholstery longer than indicated in the instructions. Improper use often leads to stains, burnt marks and damage to the upholstery.

What to do if the upholstery is damp

A damp sofa must be dried in the fresh air. This procedure helps refresh the furniture. If traces of mold (fungus) appear on the internal or external parts of the sofa, then additional efforts will be required.

In such cases, it is recommended to use specialized tools or the services of cleaning companies.

At home, a mixture of alcohol and water, taken in equal proportions, helps to cope with mold. Use this mixture to wipe the problem areas, then leave the sofa to dry for several hours. Additionally, it is recommended to spray fungicidal solutions over the furniture.

How to get rid of the smell of old furniture

If the furniture in the apartment has been standing for more than a decade, an unpleasant smell of mustiness and old age cannot be ruled out. It happens that it is impossible to get rid of such sets because of the high cost of new furniture and the value of rarities.

To fix the problem:

  • If the furniture is made of wood, treat the surface with apple cider vinegar or manganese solution diluted in water. After the decorative elements have been wiped, they need to be dried. Please note that potassium permanganate is not suitable for light-colored furniture due to the risk of discolouration.
  • If the cause of the unpleasant odor is mold and mildew, treat the furniture with products that are aimed at combating them. Such substances are sold in specialized stores. Use chlorine-containing cleaners that are used for plumbing. Such products should be diluted in water and applied to furniture, paying special attention to the legs.
  • A soda solution works well to absorb the smell of old furniture and can be used to wipe all the elements. Containers with soda, activated carbon and citric acid can be placed inside.
  • To clean old furniture and give it a fresh look, use a mixture of liquid soap, vinegar and lemon juice. The composition should be applied to the surface and left for several hours, then rinse thoroughly.

It’s a good idea to monitor the cleanliness of the furniture in a timely manner, promptly remove any dirt that has arisen, without waiting for it to dry out and be absorbed into the pores.

Causes

The reasons for the unpleasant odor emitted by the sofa are due to:

  • contact with urine or excrement;
  • spilled beer;
  • tobacco smoke;
  • mold;
  • burning settling;
  • high humidity in the room.

It should be noted that each piece of furniture emits a certain smell, the nature of which changes over time. Often the appearance of an unpleasant “aroma” is explained by the aging of the sofa.

Upholstered furniture can accumulate odors that hang in the apartment. Therefore, if the problem in question arises, it is recommended to ventilate the room before cleaning the sofa.

Children's "surprises"

Children in the first year of life do not control the excretion of urine and feces. Also, a newborn often spits up milk or formula. Each of the above compositions leaves behind an unpleasant odor that eats into the furniture. Old urine is especially difficult to remove.

Animals "surprises"

Animals, due to their nature or due to certain diseases, go to the “toilet” on household furniture. As in the previous case, traces of urine and feces remain on the sofa, emitting an unpleasant “aroma”.

Odors from beer usually dissipate within 24 hours. But if you frequently spill this foamy drink, the sofa will constantly begin to emit an unpleasant “aroma.”

Tobacco smoke

Tobacco smoke contains substances that are absorbed into various objects, including upholstered furniture. Therefore, after just a few days of active smoking, a characteristic smell appears in the house.

Mold

The appearance of mold on pieces of furniture is possible if the sofa is kept in conditions of high humidity for a long time.

During a fire, substances are released that leave a characteristic burning smell, which will require a set of measures to eliminate: in addition to treating the room with appropriate means, you will need to ventilate the rooms for several days.

Dampness and mustiness

Smells of dampness and mustiness are characteristic of unventilated rooms. You can eliminate such “odors” by placing the furniture outside for several days.

What can be done to fix it?

Sofa upholstery usually has a multi-layer structure, so any liquid penetrates quite quickly and deeply into the fabric. As a result, a bad odor occurs and requires prompt elimination. Both store-bought formulations and folk recipes help to cope with this problem.

Special means

The easiest way is to use professional specialized solutions, which can be bought in the hardware department of supermarkets. Please note that if you are determined to use chemical compounds, then all manipulations can be carried out only when there are no elderly people, children, or pets in the room , and after finishing the work it is possible to ventilate the room.

When applying solutions, it is very important to follow the manufacturer's instructions as closely as possible. Usually the desired effect is achieved after a couple of treatments.

After you distribute the drug over the surface of the sofa, you need to wait a certain time, and then knock out the furniture using the most ordinary knocker or stick, after which all that remains is to go over the coating with a vacuum cleaner.

It is most difficult to cope with the stench that is the result of organic pollution, since their particles penetrate quite deeply into the fabric fiber and begin to decompose in them.

Most often, products containing chlorine or hydrogen peroxide are used for sofas. According to users, Odorgone Animal Gold has the maximum effect.

If the bad odor is persistent and cannot be removed by superficial cleaning of the upholstery, then you can use bioproducts from the Belgian brand Crisal - it includes live microorganisms that destroy all pathogenic microflora. To neutralize unpleasant amber, compositions such as Multi or Allergy Free are suitable.

If the sofa smells bad, but no noticeable stain is visible on its surface, then we can recommend deodorizing compounds, for example, “Magos” from.

According to consumer reviews, the following products demonstrate good results.

  • Dufta. This is a composition based on plant proteins that has the ability to accelerate the process of decomposition of organic compounds, due to which the odor is not just masked, but completely eliminated.

  • Simple Solution. A pet product that is used to neutralize the odor of feces and pet hair. The active components include enzymes that can neutralize even the strongest and most pungent odor.

  • Nature's Miracle. This product is highly effective even against very strong odors. This result is explained by the enzyme formula of the drug, which destroys all bio-compounds that cause bad odors.

Extraction means

When the disgusting aroma emanating from the sofa is irritating, such a problem can be solved with the help of professional products. They should be designed to neutralize, not mask, odors. However, there are many effective folk remedies for this. When cleaning your sofa yourself, you should remember that before eliminating the smell, you must first remove the stains, if any, otherwise ingredients such as lemon and vinegar can set the stain and it will not be possible to remove it.

To cope with the problem of eliminating odor, use the following available means:

  • table vinegar, acetic acid;
  • lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate;
  • table or aromatic salt;
  • black or green tea, freshly ground coffee;
  • ammonia, soap solution.

Before using each product, it is recommended to test it on an inconspicuous area of ​​the sofa, so as not to spoil the upholstery fabric.

Use of acetic acid and vinegar

If the sofa retains the smell of fish, tobacco, beer, vomit, dog, then it is eliminated using acetic acid. The step-by-step process will look like this:

  1. Take 1 liter of water and dilute 30-40 g (2 tbsp) of acetic acid in it.
  2. Moisten a microfiber cloth with the resulting solution.
  3. Treat the entire surface or its individual sections from contamination.
  4. Leave until the furniture is completely dry.

Instead of acetic acid, it is possible to get rid of the unpleasant odor from the sofa using substances such as hydrogen peroxide and lemon juice. When the sofa has dark upholstery, you can also use a weak solution of potassium permanganate. If there is no acetic acid, it is replaced with table vinegar. In this case, the algorithm of actions will be as follows:

  • Vinegar is diluted with water at the rate of: 5 ml of vinegar per 1 liter of water and add 10 g of salt. The components are mixed in a large container (bucket, basin) to obtain a weak solution.
  • Soak an old cotton sheet completely in the solution.
  • Wring out the sheet well, place it on the sofa, press it firmly to the sofa, you can use a dust beater. Leave for 20 minutes so that the vinegar solution can penetrate the upper layers of the upholstery fabric.
  • The operation is repeated at least 5 times.

This method is successfully used both to remove stains and persistent odors from upholstered furniture, and to clean the upholstery of regular and corner sofas from minor dirt. Vinegar can also remove a slight odor from a new sofa.

Using salt

The unpleasant smell of dog, beer, vomit, ingrained into the sofa, can be removed with table or flavored salt. The procedure for eliminating odors is as follows:

  • pour salt in an even layer on the sofa upholstery;
  • leave the salt for 8-10 hours, then remove it with a vacuum cleaner (regular or car), you can use a brush with medium hardness.

Instead of salt, use a mixture consisting of baking soda and potato starch in equal parts. Due to their porous consistency, both of these components are excellent adsorbents of unpleasant odors.

Tea and coffee against odors

Black and green tea, freshly ground coffee are also effective means of eliminating the smell of fish, beer, tobacco and dog. In order to clean the sofa from the smell, you need to:

  • Distribute tea bags over the surface of the sofa. leave them for a few days, then remove them;
  • pour coffee (freshly ground) on the sofa.

After 5-6 hours, carefully remove the coffee using a vacuum cleaner.

Ammonia and soap

When the sofa upholstery is made of leather or leatherette, there will be no difficult problems with eliminating unpleasant odors. Leather upholstery does not absorb odors as actively as textiles. To prevent even the slightest odor from spoiling your rest on the sofa, you will need ammonia and liquid soap to eliminate it. The procedure will be as follows:

  • in one liter of lukewarm water dissolve 25 ml of liquid soap and 3 tsp of ammonia. or 15 ml;
  • moisten a soft cloth or foam sponge in this solution and wipe the sofa upholstery with it;
  • the remaining soap solution is washed off with a damp microfiber cloth;
  • Wipe the sofa with a cotton towel and then leave it to dry on its own.

Stains and odors from sofa upholstery made of velor, jacquard, and flock can also be cleaned with a soap solution without the use of chemicals. Treat the contaminated area with a cloth and soapy water.

Traditional methods and recipes

Top 5 recipes on how to get rid of the smell in the sofa:


  1. Black and green tea, ground coffee . Quickly eliminate odors:

    • tobacco,
    • animals,

  2. fish,
  3. beer
  4. Tea bags and sachets with freshly ground coffee granules laid out on the surface of the sofa will help.

    Within five hours after such treatment, not a trace will remain of the smell on the upholstered furniture.

  5. Ammonia and soap . To prepare a solution for cleaning a sofa in warm water (1 liter), mix 4 tsp. liquid soap and 3 tsp. ammonia. Soak a sponge in the resulting liquid and wipe the stain thoroughly. Afterwards, blot the wet stain with a paper towel and leave the sofa until completely dry.
  6. Bleaching - this is a universal remedy that helps remove old odors and remove bacteria accumulated in the upholstery. The solution is prepared at the rate of 5 g. dry bleach per 1 liter of water.
    Using the resulting product, use a sponge to treat the stain on the sofa, then blot it with a paper towel and leave to dry.

    Attention: only plain fabrics can be treated with bleach solution.

  7. Laundry soap . You can quickly eliminate the smell in the sofa by washing the stain with laundry soap. After fifteen minutes, the soap is wiped off with a damp sponge. The upholstery is dried and then further cleaned with a vacuum cleaner.
  8. Lemon . Freshly squeezed lemon juice will not only help remove odors, but also give the upholstery a delicate, pleasant citrus aroma. Lemon juice is sprayed onto the stain through a spray bottle, after which the sofa is left to dry.

Recommendations for proper care of your sofa

Furniture must be constantly looked after. In order for the sofa to last a long time and look attractive, you should follow simple rules:

  • knock out the sofa monthly and wipe it with special solutions for upholstered furniture;
  • if liquid is spilled, it is important to remove all traces as quickly as possible - blot the stain with a dry cloth or paper napkin, avoiding deep penetration to the wooden base or chipboard frame;
  • do not allow pets on the sofa, do not allow them to sleep in the living room at night;
  • when small children or pets appear in the house, it is necessary to cover the furniture with special covers that are easily machine washable;
  • To prevent the appearance of fungus and other problems associated with high humidity, it is worth maintaining a dry environment in the room and getting rid of all sources of dampness.

Upholstered furniture in an apartment or house is often saturated with unpleasant odors, which causes a lot of trouble for the owners. The new sofa smells and you definitely need to do something about it. If you approach the problem wisely and first understand the reasons for this phenomenon, the sofa will acquire a pleasant aroma and will delight your household for a long time.

We recommend: How to remove odor from a sofa at home

Using household appliances

In order to freshen the air in a room with new furniture, you can use technical devices. Most often people come to the rescue:

  • air conditioner;
  • ionizer;
  • ozonizer;
  • fan;
  • air purifier.

Ozonizer

This household appliance proves to be an effective means of eliminating unpleasant odors. Application is very simple. The ozonizer is plugged into a power outlet and easily copes with the task in just a few hours.

The device allows you not only to remove odors, but also to disinfect and eliminate harmful compounds from the air. The disadvantage of using an ozonizer is the high cost of the device.

Air purifier


Devices for indoor air purification can be divided into 2 groups, taking into account the type of filter. They are wet and dry .

In addition to odor, cleaners also cope with other problems - they eliminate allergens. The quality of cleaning depends on the capabilities of the filter. The best results are produced by adsorption-catalytic ones.

Disadvantages of use:

  • high cost of the device,
  • noise during operation,
  • Energy consumption.

Fan, air conditioner, ionizer

The effectiveness of an air conditioner, ionizer and fan in solving the issue of air purification is lower than that of a purifier and ozonizer. Their use can improve the situation, but may not help to cope with the problem completely.

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