Dogs, cats and the small people in our lives mean accidents are bound to happen on our lounges.
Urine stains are unattractive but it’s their smell that’s the most stubborn to shift.
We show you how to tackle the stench and let you know when it might be time to call in the professionals.
Why is it important to clean your carpet?
Just when you thought you’d gotten rid of the stain, the smell returns, often days or weeks after.
The reason urine stains emit such a formidable stench is because there’s nothing ‘wee’ about them.
Urine is a waste-product, containing a number of ingredients, including bacteria. The problem child in this ingredient list though, is uric salts, which cannot be broken down by anything other than an enzymatic cleaner.
How To Treat Urine Stains
Step 1
Take the stained cushion off the lounge, if you are able to.
Step 2
For fresh stains, blot with a paper towel as much as possible. Some of the research we found indicated that putting dirty towels where your pet should be doing their business may reinforce better behaviour.
Step 3
We recommend testing the below solution on an inconspicuous section of your lounge fabric before proceeding.
Step 4
Mix a 1:3 parts vinegar and water solution in a spray bottle, and spray generously on the stain. Scrub lightly before letting dry. It’s important to note that a dried stain will require more spraying to re-wet the stain. Vinegar’s disinfecting properties will target the bacteria as well.
Step 5
Make sure you wait until the cushion is dry, and then sprinkle a generous amount of Bi-Carb Soda to help remove odours. Leave the Bi-Carb on for a few hours before vacuuming up.
This combination can remove much of the stain and target the smell. It won’t remove 100% of the stain though, which is why you need an enzymatic cleaner.
Enzymatic cleaners treat urine because they break down the chemicals in the urine which cause the smell. Follow the instructions closely and use a cleaner suitable for your upholstery type. We recommend investing in a high-quality product to avoid having to re-do the job.
A couple of cleaners we recommend are Nature’s Miracle Urine Destroyer and Integrity Health.
Why Won’t the Urine Stain and Smell Go Away?
Urine is a surfactant which means it breaks down surface tension. Because urine breaks down the surface tension in the fabric (and padding) the urine is likely to penetrate deep into the padding of your sofa, especially if the pet has had multiple accidents in the same area.
Once the urine penetrates the padding, topical treatments like that we’ve suggested above are unlikely to treat all of the uric salts, which means the odour is likely to return. To treat it, a professional needs to inject a solution into the padding of the lounge to dissolve the uric salts.
Tough stains like these need professional expertise, solutions and equipment to effectively treat the urine stain and the smell it leaves behind.
What Is the Electrodry Difference?
We know you want to avoid damaging your furniture, and want the assurance of a job done right, which is why a professional may be what you need.
A professional clean is also a great option if you have particularly delicate fabric or a tough stain and stench. Depending on your fabric type, a qualified technician will tailor the cleaning and stain removal method.
Here’s what Electrodry can do for you.
- We’ll do a colour test if needed on your fabric to ensure the treatment doesn’t make the fabric colour run.
- Our technicians can detect moisture in your couch using special equipment; this is how we exactly where to use the spot treatment
- The Electrodry pre-vacuum includes our industrial-strength equipment to ensure debris is removed from your couch.
- The technician will inject a solution into the affected area of the couch to treat the uric salts.
- The pre-spray solution contains antibacterial and sanitising properties.
- We apply a specialised upholstery cleaning spray, which includes Electro-Shield, a strong sanitiser that removes odour-causing bacteria, germs and fungi.
We are confident we can treat most stains and odours and offer a 14-day guarantee on our upholstery service.
It always helps if you know what the stain is and roughly when it occurred – that’s how we know what chemicals are best to treat it with.
Please keep in mind that the greater the level of contamination, the harder it is to treat the uric salts and odour. If the lounge has been contaminated regularly, then you may need to replace the lounge. Old urine stains on cotton fabrics can be very difficult, if not impossible, to remove.
— Update: 11-02-2023 — cohaitungchi.com found an additional article My Dog Peed on Couch Cushions! How to Clean Your Urine-Stained Couch from the website www.bulldogology.net for the keyword how to get dog pee out of a couch.
Your dog is your best friend, but sometimes pee happens!
And when it happens on your couch, you might not be feeling warm and fuzzy about your four-legged friend.
Instead, you’re probably freaking out! My dog peed on the couch! What a disaster!
Don’t panic just yet. There’s no need to start shopping for a new couch. There’s a fast solution available if you prefer here or channel your inner Martha Stewart and make your couch look and smell like it never happened.
Follow the steps here to clean your couch and sit back down to relax once again!
My Dog Peed on the Couch! What Do I Do?
For non-dog people, dog pee on the couch is unthinkable. They wouldn’t even begin to think about how to clean dog urine from the couch. Into the trash, it would go! You, on the other hand, you love your dog like your child.
So…when pee happens, you want to clean it and move on with life.
Step 1
With an old rag, blot up as much of the urine as you can. A bunch of paper towels will work too, changing them out as needed. Do not rub. Rubbing it will push it further into the cushion. You do not want that!
If you have a wet/dry vacuum, you can use that as well to clean up the urine. If choosing that option, be sure to empty out the canister to prevent lingering odors.
Step 2
It’s time to deodorize. This step is important. Using 1 part vinegar to 4 parts water, make a solution. You can put it in a spray bottle (great to have around for other household uses) or just blot it on the spot.
You might be thinking, “How can something as smelly as vinegar deodorize anything?!” Trust me, the vinegar does not leave a smell and it definitely takes odors away.
Apply a decent amount of the vinegar mixture on the spot. With a rag, move it around so that it covers the whole spot/stain. Allow it to dry naturally.
The vinegar will work deep down in the cushion to remove the odor as it dries.
Step 3
Another cleaning product comes into play with the third step of how to clean dog pee off a couch. Baking soda is great at moisture absorption and odor neutralizing.
Kick it up a notch by adding some lavender essential oil.
Depending on how big the spot is, take about a cup of baking soda and add 10 or so drops of the essential oil. Stir to distribute the oil throughout the baking soda. You can use more or less essential oil to your preference.
Let the mixture sit for at least two hours. You can leave it overnight if it makes you feel better.
Vacuum it up and your cushion will be no worse for the wear.
Alternatively, if you prefer to use an all-natural derived solution you also can try Bulldogology’s best couch stain remover to get rid of pet stain and odor. Our stain and odor removal is a naturally derived cleanser that’s both safe and highly effective if you rather make it quick and easy.
Dog Problems, Dog Solutions
For your own convenience, you can start potty training your puppy as soon as you can, so he or she won’t make a big mess on your house and on your couch cushions.
Read more Dog Stomach Gurgling: Why it Happens and What it Means
Now that you’ve read our advice on what to do when you realize the dog peed on the couch, comment below if you have some other helpful tips to add.
For a limited time while supplies last, $5 off Bulldogology Pet Stain & Odor Remover, great for neutralizing dog pee stains on couches, click here to buy on Amazon!
— Update: 11-02-2023 — cohaitungchi.com found an additional article How to get rid of pet urine odor from your couch from the website micadoni.com for the keyword how to get dog pee out of a couch.
There’s no denying that household pets are adorable, beautiful, and lovable. Unfortunately, all it takes is the unpleasant smell of their urine, or the sight of a cat or dog peeing on the couch, for our love to be put to the test. There are many lovers of four-legged friends among us, so this guide on cleaning such tough stains from difficult surfaces like upholstered furniture will definitely come in handy. Here, you will learn how to save your beloved piece of furniture and get rid of the smell of dog or cat urine from your couch. Some animal habits are beyond our control, especially when they are small and only just learning or need to mark their territory. So, we have to be prepared for unpleasant surprises such as a peed-on couch. Pet urine means not only unattractive stains, spots, and discoloration but also a long lasting smell. Fortunately, there are many methods to deal with it, and most of them are based on agents which we usually have at home. The problem mainly lies in the bad odor, which can remain our efforts and make life very difficult. Therefore, simply removing the liquid and the stain from the surface of the sofa may not be enough. We also need to effectively get rid of the smell.
How to clean a dirty sofa
First of all, you need to remove the excess liquid very quickly and do not allow the urine to penetrate the upholstery.
What to use to wash dog or cat urine from the sofa? At home, the most commonly used solutions are vinegar and baking soda. In the first step, using a clean cloth, collect as much liquid as possible to remove the urine from the couch. Next, you need to clean the fabric. For this step white vinegar is the best, mixed 1:1 with water. The pungent smell of vinegar may pose some inconvenience, but its effectiveness is exceptional, so it could be worth sacrificing a little bit of comfort. It’s best to spray the entire surface of the stain with this solution, soak thoroughly, and then collect the dirt, gently pressing the stained area. Do not rub the fabric, because the urine will penetrate into the fibers even more, and what’s more, you can irreparably damage the material itself.
In the third step, remove the excess moisture and the unpleasant odors. Here you only need two ingredients: baking soda and a natural fragrance oil, such as lavender. For a pillow-sized stain, you should measure a cup of baking soda and add about 15-20 drops of oil to it. Mix everything with a fork, evenly distributing it. Then, generously and evenly sprinkle a fairly thick layer over the flooded area and let the baking soda dry and absorb the scent for several hours or even overnight. Next, vacuum the couch, removing the baking soda. Cat lovers who already have cat litter at home, can use that instead, as it has moisture absorbing and neutralizing properties. It should help to get rid of urine odor as well. Even if you’re not entirely happy with the result, this initial stain neutralization can significantly increase the chances of saving the sofa.
Home remedies for “tough stains”
— Update: 11-02-2023 — cohaitungchi.com found an additional article How To Clean Dog Urine From Couch Cushions from the website www.beanbagsrus.com.au for the keyword how to get dog pee out of a couch.
At some point in your life as a pet owner, the time will inevitably come when you have to clean dog urine off couch cushions. Pooches are generally okay with their bathroom habits, but they’re not perfect. And so when pee strikes, you need to be ready.
The same is true for people who host guests who bring their dogs with them. You need to be ready to clean up if your pet has a little accident on your upholstery.
Dogs can urinate on your couch cushions for all sorts of reasons. If they’re older, they may be a little incontinent from time to time. Younger dogs can be inconsistent with their bathroom habits, not knowing when they need to go outside. Sometimes, just a sudden change in environment – like moving house – or an illness can bring on problems.
Fortunately, even if dogs do pee on your couch cushions, there’s no need to panic. In this step-by-step guide, we show you how to easily and quickly deal with the problem to keep your furniture smelling fresh and beautiful. Take a look below.
Clean Dog Urine Off Couch Cushions: Step-By-Step
Dog urine on your couch cushions seems like a disaster. For many people, it’s a reason to dump their sofa in the trash and start over.
But you don’t have to take such drastic action. Just like when children create a mess, it’s easy to clean up and move on with your life. It’s just a question of know-how.
Step 1: Blot The Urine
The first step is to blot the urine with an absorbent material that you have to hand. Many people use a washable rag or regular kitchen disposable kitchen towels. But, in general, it doesn’t matter a great deal which method you use, so long as you do something that draws as much moisture away from your towels as possible.
If you happen to have a microfibre cloth with you, use that first. Microfibre cloths create a positive charge (thanks to the way manufacturers arrange their fibres) which literally pulls water out of the material thanks to the charge they create. This way, you can often “suck” excess liquid out of your couch cushions, making the job of cleaning them up later significantly easier.
You can also try using a wet/dry vacuum. These use the power of suction to draw liquids away from fabrics. However, you’ll need to carefully clean the cylinder afterwards to prevent any odours from lingering.
Step 2: Spray And Reblot
The next step is to spray and reblot the site of the urine stain. Start by using a regular spray bottle and then spray clean water onto the site. Then use your cloth or towels to blot it dry again. You can repeat this step several times if you wish.
The purpose of re-wetting the stain is to ensure that you remove as many odour-producing particles from the fabric as possible. By respraying the affected site, you can dilute the remaining particles in the fabric and then draw them out as you blot.
Step 3: Create A Cleaning Solution
Blotting and reblotting can remove a vast quantity of urine stains. But no matter how many times you repeat the process, some particles will remain. If you don’t treat these, they will eventually begin to create unpleasant smells.
Thus, it would help if you made a stain cleaning solution. Here’s what you need to:
- Fill a bowl with half a cup of warm water (about 125 ml)
- Add half a cup (125 ml) of plain white vinegar
- Add a quarter of a cup (70 ml) of dish soap
Mixing these ingredients should create a bubbly, frothy (and quite pungent) mixture.
If you’re worried about vinegar leaving a lingering smell, don’t. Once it evaporates, no smell particles remain. So even if you spill vinegar on your couch cushions, the odour will leave them once it dries.
Vinegar is a special chemical because it reacts with many of the odour-causing compounds in dog urine. As it penetrates upholstery, it causes reactions that lead to the production of smell-free byproducts. It also destroys any lingering bacteria in the stain (great if it has been there for some time).
Step 4: Spread The Cleaning Solution Over The Affected Area
You can apply your cleaning solution using a dry cloth. As you spread it, it will generate foam. Don’t worry about the foam for now. Instead, focus on working the solution into the fabric. The goal is to get it to contact any remaining pee stuck deep within the material.
Some people like to work the foam into their cushions using a toothbrush. Toothbrush bristles are soft, so they don’t damage fibres in the upholstery. Plus, the gentle brushing action agitates the cleaning solution, forcing it to go deeper and deeper.
You should notice that it starts to create foam as you apply the solution and rub it in. It foams because of foaming agents in the dish soap. Although manufacturers typically include these agents for effect, they can actually help tremendously when cleaning up dog urine. As you brush, you’ll see discoloured foam rising out of the fabric, bringing any stains with it.
Step 5: Remove Dirty Foam With A Spatula
After a while, you’ll have enough foam to remove with a spatula (or another gentle tool with a flat surface). Just run the spatula through the excess soap and dispose of the residue.
If the option is available to you, you can try squeezing the soap out of the fabric. Don’t worry if a small amount remains. You can deal with it later.
Step 6: Spray With White Vinegar
Vinegar makes a great cleaner because it is high in acetic acid. The acid is so powerful that it can dissolve dirt, grease, and mineral deposits – a component of dog pee. It also kills bacteria, making it a great option for anyone wanting to clean up a dog mess.
Read more IVDD Surgery in Dogs: Cost and Recovery
Start by filling a spray bottle with pure vinegar. Then spray it directly only on the affected site. Don’t worry – it won’t damage your upholstery even if you apply it straight.
Interestingly, many store-bought cleaners use acetic acid in their formulations because it is both mild and effective. It is not a good idea to use other forms of vinegar – such as balsamic – as these contain stain-producing compounds.
As before, let the vinegar dry into the fabric. This time, don’t attempt to wipe it up. As it penetrates the layers of the fabric, it will clean dog urine lower down by reacting with mineral salts that it contains.
Step 7: Sprinkle Baking Soda Onto The Area
The second to last step is to sprinkle a small amount of baking soda onto the affected site.
Baking soda is a powerful neutralising and drying agent. Its chemical properties mean that it can restore both acid and alkaline substances to regular pH – the main secret behind its extraordinary ability to remove odours. Unlike perfumes, it doesn’t mask unpleasant smells – it actually changes their chemical properties to stop them from smelling altogether.
Baking soda is also a drying agent. Because it reacts so powerfully with vinegar, it helps draw it out of the material, bringing it to the surface. As it does this, the couch cushions begin to dry out again.
When you mix baking soda with vinegar, the results can be even more dramatic—the two chemicals release H and OH to form harmless water. So the baking soda neutralises the acid, creating harmless byproducts in the process.
Please note that baking soda and baking powder are not the same things, so you shouldn’t use them interchangeably. When cleaning, always use baking soda, as this has the chemicals required to neutralise vinegar and transform it into the water again.
Step 8: Allow Baking Soda To Dry And Vacuum
The last step is to allow the baking soda to dry on the couch naturally and vacuum it up. Usually, it’ll take about two hours to completely dry. It’ll continue fighting odour-causing compounds, reacting with them, and eliminating them from the fabric during this time. When it is completely dry, you can remove it with a vacuum, as you would any other debris on your sofa.
And there you have it: the best way to remove fresh dog urine from couch cushions.
How To Remove Old Dog Urine From Couch Cushions
If you have older dog stains on your cushions that you only notice a couple of days (or weeks) later, then you may need to modify your approach. Simple cleaning with vinegar and baking powder may not work.
Here’s what to do:
Step 1: Create The Cleaning Solution
You will need something a little more powerful than regular vinegar and baking soda for old, dried-on stains.
Here’s a formulation you could try:
- 300 ml hydrogen peroxide pure cleaning fluid
- 45 ml baking soda
- A few drops of dish soap
Once you have the mixture, pour it into a spray bottle.
Step 2: Test The Fabric
Because hydrogen peroxide is a highly reactive compound, you’ll need to test the spray first to see how it reacts with the fabric. Start by spraying it on an inconspicuous area of your sofa and see whether it discolours or alters the fabric in any way. If it does, you’ll want to use the method for cleaning dog urine described in the previous section. If it doesn’t, then continue to the next step.
Step 3: Spray Onto The Affected Area And Allow To Dry
If you’re confident that you’re not going to damage the fabric spray, put the solution onto the affected area and then allow it to dry. You should notice that after about an hour or so, the stain begins to look faded. If it doesn’t disappear entirely, wait for it to fully dry and then respray it. The stain should fade a little more each time you spray it.
Step 4: Blot The Solution
Once the stain disappears, you can remove the cleaning agent by blotting the area with a damp cloth. Using a wet microfibre cloth will draw any remaining moisture in the fabric back out again, mixing with the cleaning fluid and detergent residue. You may notice that the resulting residues are actually quite dirty from all the grease and grime on your cushions.
In some cases, you may not be able to remove the stain from your sofas, beanbags and other places where dogs might urinate. In these situations, hiring out professional cleaners is an option. However, it is not always strictly necessary, especially if you follow the methods laid out above.
How To Clean Dog Urine: The Bottom Line
Dogs will occasionally pee where they shouldn’t, but it needn’t spell disaster for your upholstery. Yes – it isn’t very pleasant. But ultimately, urine is a natural stain and something you can use simple methods to remove. The biggest risk with dog urine is the lingering smell, so any cleaning formulation you concoct must contain antibacterial agents. (White vinegar and hydrogen peroxide are the two examples that we list here).
If you decide to experiment by making your own cleaning solutions, make sure that you avoid using any chemicals containing bleaching agents. Bleach is great for killing germs in your toilet. But if you apply it to upholstery, you risk discolouring the material and permanently damaging your seating.
New urine stains are easy to find and clean. However, older ones can be more difficult. If you’re struggling to identify the source of smells emanating from your sofa, you can use a UV urine-finder – something that a lot of dog owners invest in when they get a pup. This simple light bounces off dog urine patches and reflects in visible light, allowing you to see it.
— Update: 11-02-2023 — cohaitungchi.com found an additional article How To Get Dog Urine Smell Out Of a Couch Without Damaging It from the website cleannfreshny.com for the keyword how to get dog pee out of a couch.
How to get dog urine smell out of couch without damaging it is one of the most common questions we get asked in our work here as a professional carpet cleaner on Long Island. There’s not a single solution for all. Baking soda works for polyester fabrics, white vinegar is excellent for leather couch and you need rubbing alcohol for microfiber couch.
Dogs are adorable and friendly creations. Having them as pets can be a beautiful experience, except for when they urinate on your favorite couch. This is a habit for puppies and 14% of potty-trained adult dogs with Bacterial Urinary Tract infections. While keeping them away from your couch helps, most times, it might already be too late. And cleaning up pet urine from your upholstery is the next step.
Getting rid of the urine odor after blotting the urine indeed seems impossible. I used to think so too till I found the perfect home remedy. With baking soda, vinegar, and dishwashing soap, you can put an end to that reek.
Want to know how I got my couch smelling fresh and pet odor-free? Well, stick with me as I show you the nitty-gritty of getting your couch to look and smell brand new again.
How To Get Dog Urine Smell Out Of Polyester Couch
Before using baking soda to get rid of that stench, you need to make sure the area is dry. Applying baking soda on a wet spot can ruin its effects and leave you with more cleaning to do.
Steps Of Cleaning Polyester Couch
Next Steps After Cleaning Polyester Couch
Urine could leave a spot on your couch. Cleaning becomes necessary in this case. Look at your couch’s label and use its approved cleaning method to get rid of the pet urine smell and stain. If your couch is water-resistant, mix a tablespoon of vinegar, a tablespoon of liquid soap (dishwashing), and two cups of cold water and blot the urine spot.
To avoid more urine accidents, train your pet to use the litter box. If potty training fails, visit the veterinary doctor to see why it chooses to pee on the couch. You can also protect your couch with a waterproof cover to keep the dog urine odor away from your couch, especially when it’s not in use.
How To Get Dog Urine Smell Out Of Leather Couch
Leather couches are highly resistant to water. When exposed to excess dog urine for a long while, it might affect the filling on the other side. You’d also need to use white vinegar to reduce the chances of discoloring your couch.
Steps to Clean Your Leather Couch
Next Steps After Cleaning a Leather Couch
To get rid of dog urine, you can also use a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and liquid soap. It is the perfect alternative for this cause. Letting your dog get close to leather is also bad for its aesthetics; they could scratch and leave several marks on it. So, keep your dog away from your leather couch at all costs. And use a towel on the couch for your dog to sit on.
How to Get Dog Urine Smell Out of a Microfiber Couch
Rubbing alcohol works best for microfiber couches. The alcohol can sink in properly and go deep into that smell and get it out.
Steps for Cleaning a Microfiber Couch
Next Steps After Cleaning Microfiber Couch
You’ll most likely smell the stench of alcohol every time you bounce on your couch, so you’d need to get rid of that smell. To neutralize the odor, you can sprinkle baking soda. Better still, use an enzymatic cleaner, which pretty much gets rid of the odor and any possible stain.
To avoid further accidents, use slipcovers on your couch to protect it. Especially in areas where your dog visits the most.
Read more Can Dogs Eat Sweet Potatoes? Yes, And There’s Benefits!
Enzymatic cleaners are biodegradable cleaning agents that employ enzyme actions in their formulas to break down stains. Enzymes are required to speed up the cleaning process, as they naturally work as catalysts that regulate a chemical reaction; in this case, speed it up. However, there are no universal enzymatic cleaners. They are all used differently depending on the stain.
The Rocco & Roxie Professional Strength Stain & Odor Eliminator is the best enzyme cleaner for dog urine. One of the many reasons why this is a go-to enzyme cleaner is its versatility. You can use it on various materials like carpet & rugs, tiles, concrete, hardwood, and laminated floors. The Carpet and Rug Institute also certified it safe for colorfast carpets.
When you apply this enzyme cleaner to stains, it immediately releases the active bacteria that feed on ammonia, which is present in the residue of dog and cat urine. The most appealing part of this natural enzymatic cleaner is that its bacteria also gets rid of odor, feces, pee smell and vomit stains.
To keep your upholstery safe while trying to get rid of urine odor, here are some tips to adhere to;
Use A Blacklight
Identifying the wet spot on your couch may seem impossible, especially when you didn’t catch them in the act. Turn off the lights in your room and scan through with a black light until you notice a yellow or green patch.
Check The Cleaning Label On Your Couch
Your couch may come with a W, S, or X label, indicating the cleaning method to be used. For a W-labelled couch, use a water-based cleaner. S-labeled sofas require solvent cleaners. You’ll need to contact a professional if your couch comes with an X-label.
Soak Away Excess Moisture
Get as much urine as you can from your couch upholstery using a towel. Leaving the urine to settle in and eventually dry can make the odor harder to remove.
Blot, Don’t Scrub
Scrubbing will only damage the fibers of your couch, leave scratch marks, and most times tear it, especially polyester couches. So, place the towel on the wet area and apply pressure till you have soaked up enough urine.
Use Light-Colored Towels
Blot the wet area with a white towel or other bright colors that won’t transfer their colors to your couch. It will ruin its aesthetics.
— Update: 11-02-2023 — cohaitungchi.com found an additional article How To Get Dog Pee Smell Out of a Couch (10 Proven Methods) from the website www.hepper.com for the keyword how to get dog pee out of a couch.
Owning a pet can be an amazing experience that everyone should enjoy, but it’s not always fun and games cleaning up after them, and one of the biggest jobs is getting dog pee smell out of the couch. If you are experiencing this problem in your home and would like to find a remedy, you’ve come to the right place.
We’ve assembled a list of proven methods that you can use to eliminate odors and get your fabric clean so you won’t be embarrassed if unexpected guests arrive.
The 10 Proven Methods to Get Dog Pee Smell Out of a Couch
1. Wash Removables
It may go without saying, but the first thing we recommend doing is removing anything you can from the couch, including the cushions. Remove the covers from the cushions and wash them and anything else that can go into the machine. After you’ve stripped the couch, it’s a great time to vacuum because many small particles can be a source of the odor or have urine on them, which can continue to smell after the sofa is clean.
2. Air Clean
If you have already cleaned the sofa several times, but a light odor remains, it can be helpful to put the cushions—or even the entire couch, if possible—outside to sit in the sun for a few hours on a bright, windy day. The ultraviolet light will help kill bacteria, eliminating odors, and the wind will give your furniture a naturally fresh scent.
3. Dawn Dishwashing Liquid
Dawn dishwashing liquid is an amazing cleaner that penetrates the fabric, breaks up small particles, and releases them, eliminating odors. Dawn works so well that we recommend trying it in an inconspicuous area of the couch because it can discolor the fabric by removing dirt and grime that sets in over the years from normal use.
To use Dawn dishwashing liquid for removing the dog pee smell from a couch, we recommend placing one teaspoon in a 16-ounce spray bottle and filling the rest with water. Spray the area where the urine smell is coming from and gently rub it with a dry cloth. Spray as much as you can without soaking the fabric, then allow it to dry overnight and inspect the results. You may need to repeat several times to eliminate the odor.
4. White Vinegar
White vinegar is another powerful cleaner that you can mix with water in a spray bottle. We recommend placing 4-6 ounces of vinegar into a 16-ounce spray bottle and filling the rest with water. You can then spray it onto the stain and rub it with a dry cloth as you do with the dish soap. In fact, you can combine both recipes to create a more powerful solution.
5. Baking Soda
Baking soda is a time-tested odor remover that many of us already have at home. It works especially well after dishwashing liquid or vinegar treatments. To use baking soda, you will need to sprinkle it liberally over the stain and allow it to sit for a while so it can do its magic. We recommend letting it sit for at least an hour, but the longer, the better. Afterward, you can use a vacuum to remove it, and with it, the pee smell.
Baking soda also works well on other large surfaces, like carpets.
6. Hydrogen Peroxide
Like enzymes, hydrogen peroxide attacks organic material and destroys it at the cellular level, eliminating the stain and the odor it creates. You can add it to water in a spray bottle or use a cloth to dab it directly onto the stain for more potency. You can also mix it with the other methods here to attack the stain in different ways to eliminate it.
7. Enzymes
If the above options for eliminating odors aren’t quite strong enough, a more powerful approach is to use a commercial enzyme cleaner. Unlike traditional detergents that use harmful chemicals to clean fabric, enzyme cleaners use harmless bacteria that eat the organic material causing stains and odors. Since enzymes eat the stain instead of attempting to dislodge it from the fabric, enzymes are often more effective than detergents, and since there is no chemical residue, you can use it on your couch without worrying about how you will rinse it.
Many enzyme cleaners come in a spray bottle, so they are easy to use and have clear instructions on the label.
If you’re looking for an enzyme cleaner that does it all, we highly recommend the Hepper Advanced Bio-Enzyme Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator Spray. Yes, it’s our product, but we love it so much, we have to share! Not only does it permanently remove the very worst smells and stains (yes, everything you can imagine!), but we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee! Click here to get yourself a bottle.
8. Listerine
Many people might not consider it, but Listerine is a powerful antiseptic that kills germs, including those causing the pee smell. We recommend putting 2-4 ounces into a spray bottle of water, spraying it onto the couch, and using a dry cloth to wipe it up like we do with the other products and repeating as necessary.
9. Upholstery Cleaner
Purchasing or renting an upholstery cleaner is one of the best ways to get dog pee out of a couch. These machines can be expensive, even to rent, and they can also be quite heavy to operate because they use water, but they are quite powerful and can have your couch looking and smelling new in about an hour. While you have the machine, you can also clean the carpet and other areas your pet likes to visit.
10. Call A Professional
Sometimes even with the best efforts, we may find ourselves unable to remove the odor from our couch, and the only remaining option is to call a professional. A professional cleaner will have the knowledge, chemicals, and tools, to ensure your couch no longer smells like urine. Depending on where you live, you might be able to find several furniture cleaners that are willing to come to your home.
Summary
All of the options above will help you remove the pee stain from your couch, so it no longer smells bad, and many of them will work even better when combined. There are no dangerous chemical reactions that can occur from these items, so you are free to experiment to find what works best for you. In our experience, a good quality enzyme cleaner followed by one or two baking soda treatments works best. If you need to clean the stain up quickly and don’t have an enzyme cleaner, dish detergent, or white vinegar followed by baking soda also works wonders, and many of us already have these items in our homes.
We hope you have enjoyed reading over this list and found a few ideas you can try out. If we have helped you make your couch smell better, please share these ten ways to get the dog pee smell out of the couch on Facebook and Twitter.
Related Reads:
- How to Get Dog Pee Smell Out of Brick (5 Proven Methods)
- How to Get Dog Pee Smell Out of Clothes and Fabrics (2 Proven Methods)
Featured Image Credit: Pattarit S, Shutterstock
