How Can I Get a Foul Odor Out of Chair

Updated on October 01, 2006
M.M. asks from Celina, TX
13 answers

I bought a beautiful leather chair and ottoman at a garage sale. The cushion is leather with top being fabric. It had a lot (i mean a lot) of cat hair. I got that out, finally. It smells either of cat or smoke. I can't determine which one, nevertheless, it smells. I love it and want to add it to my decor but it cannot come into my home until it is clean. Any suggestions on how to get the odor out?

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So What Happened?

Ok so I am trying the vinegar and the odo ban. I am going to use my Rainbow (vacuum cleaner: it's awesome) and I will let you all know tomorrow...Thanks so much for the input.
M.

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B.H.

answers from Dallas on

Place the chair outside and spray the fabric part with a mix of vinegar and water. Do this when it can sit out under the direct sunlight. If you have a syringe that you can use it will work better than the spray.

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D.R.

answers from Dallas on

Hello M.! Try Nature's Miracle (you can get at any pet store), this works for me (I have two dogs) and keep it maintained with Febreeze.

Best Wishes,

D. R.
Richardson, TX

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S.

answers from Dallas on

I had the same problem when my ex threw up on my couch after a night out with the guys... the stench was so strong that you could smell it when you came in the room... I took a wet sponge and started out using my kids hair conditioner mixed with water, then I went back over it with Downy "Simple Pleasures Vanilla & Lavender" fabric softener also watered down... after treating it two times with the fabric softener the smell was gone! Good luck!

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Y.M.

answers from Dallas on

You can buy Odor Ban at Sam's and it kills odor and germs. Great to use around the house. Also the petstors have something called Odor. It's a pink and white bottle. Some are also guaranteed to work. They're mostly used for cat urine smells.

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K.

answers from Dallas on

I'm not sure how you'd do it, but I clean things with a mixture of Vinegar and water to get smells out. Like when we find that our dogs have used the restroom on things they shouldn't have (YUCK!), we'll throw the pillow/blanket/etc in the wash with a capful of vinegar along with the detergent and it takes the smell out. I'll also put it in a spray bottle with water (vinegar and water) to spray on the floor on smelly spots or whatnot. I hope this doesn't make me seem like my house must be filthy and smelly!! It's really not! But try Vinegar if you can...see if it works.

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A.E.

answers from Dallas on

Hi M. - I've been going through the potty training rituals of furniture, carpet, and carseat odor removal. The best thing that has worked for us is...Nature's Miricle and Pets 'n' Kids - I think they are about the same. It neutralizes the odor without covering it up. But, you really have to SOAK the fabric and pad completely and let it air dry for several days. Another idea would be to replace the padding, keep the fabric that you like, and that would definitely help!!!

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K.R.

answers from Dallas on

forget trying to get the odor out. It's sunk deep into the foam of the cushion. Insted for your time, hassle and money seek out an upholstery supply and have a new cushion cut for the chair. I have several leather pieces at home - cushion is foam covered in leather. You'll either find a zipper or a simple seam that can be opened and easily resewn by a professional or you if you're handy.

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P.O.

answers from Dallas on

I have a cat that used to have an "inappropriate urination" problem (what the vet called it... I called it peeing on everything!). Additionally, I had a fire in my apartment 7 years that left everything (EVERYTHING!) with a heavy smoke smell in it. Anyway, I feel like almost an expert now with getting smells out of things.

There is a product call Odo-Ban that works great on animal smells and on smoke smells. I know they sell it at Sam's club (that's where I get it), but you may be able to find it somewhere else, too. If you can't find it anywhere (and/or don't have a sam's membership), I could help you get some. It comes in a jug with a spray bottle, too. Here's what I would do, I would first try just lightly spraying it down and letting it air dry and see if that takes care of the problem.

If it doesn't or you feel like it's a tougher problem and want to start here, here is my other suggestion that will definitely get it out: Rent a Rug Doctor. Mix up a solution of OxyClean (Original or Free - not the one with the blue crystals) with some Odo ban and put in the rug doctor. Use the Rug Doctor on the parts of the chair and ottoman that are fabric. Spray the solution lightly on the leather parts (make sure the oxy clean is fully disolved before spraying on the leather... doesn't matter on the fabric). Again, let air dry. We used the mix on my furniture after the fire. For some of the larger pieces that were in the room with the fire (but not burned!) it tooke 3-4 goes with this method, but eventually all the smell came out.

Afterwards, I would go over the leather areas with a good leather cleaner/conditioner.

Hope that helps.

PS. I know I can sound like a commercial for Odo-ban and Oxyclean, but after having a cat pee on everything and learning that unless you get the smell out, the cat would continue to pee in the same spot, I was on a mission to find something to get all the smell out. Well, the Odo-ban/Oxyclean combo passed the "cat scan"...he could no longer smell it. Other things I used took the smell out so that *I* couldn't smell it, but he still could, after usuing this combination, he could no longer smell it. That convinced me.

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T.T.

answers from Dallas on

Given that it seems like such a strong odor - I'm guessing fabreeze won't work. You might try a carpet cleaner - like dalworth, etc. I know they do drapes, so I'd assume they clean furniture.

Good luck!

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T.P.

answers from Dallas on

I would put a LARGE plastic bag over ottomman. Bag has to large enough to cover ottoman all the way. spray lysol or ous or frebreeze in bag. to a hose from vacuum and place inside bag . Close bag up and and turn vac on. This will get the order out of it pillows,cushions,etc. hope this helps

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H.

answers from Dallas on

Have you tried Febreze? Or steam cleaning the fabric part? I have 3 dogs and have managed to keep my furniture smelling good by using Febreze and steam cleaning every so often.

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S.L.

answers from Dallas on

I suggest hiring a company to clean it. My friend uses that company with the funny green hair commercial. She likes them. And apparently they do a great job, and they have stinky dogs. LOL!!

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A.B.

answers from Dallas on

Sorry you're having such a time. Not long ago, I bought a 3month old mattress from my sister not thinking how she smokes (I'm extremely allergic to cigarettes)... I searched the internet and tried everything it said...Febreeze, working baking soda into the fabric then vacuuming it, sprinkling baking soda all over it then spraying vinegar with a spray bottle, taking it outside to air, even went to HomeDepot and bought Odo-Ban. All that did help alot, but in the end I could still smell it since I am soo sensitive to cigarette smoke. After six more weeks of airing it in a room with the windows open, sunlight and fans, I ended up selling the mattress to a neighbor who smokes. The neighbor said they could smell it too but only slightly, and said within a few more weeks the smell was basically gone (to them). I believe that getting the smell of smoke out of a mattress is just impossible (at least with my nose around) but if you arent as sensitive as I am, you might be able to get your chair/ottoan to a livable condition. If you live close to McKinney you are welcome to have my Odo-Ban instead of buying it. It did help, although it smells like pet shampoo at first. Dubin is the best leather conditioner I have ever found (hard to find; I saw it once at a shoe repair shop - but any leather conditioner you use will work best if you set the leather out in the warmth of the sun for the afternoon after application. Hope I helped. Good luck and let me know if you want the Odo-Ban.

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