Needing a Good Couch cleaner.....ASAP!!!!!PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Updated on May 12, 2008
J.W. asks from Cumby, TX
46 answers

I was just given a beautiful couch in great condition. Little did I know that it has some wierd odor too it....Kinda like a musty basement and cat urine mixture... We didn't smell it until it was in the house...Febreeze only works temporarily. Please give me any suggestions to remove this odor. I don't want to have to put it out with the garbage

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J.M.

answers from Dallas on

We had to get the smell out of a mattress and used Borax. Just misted the mattress, sprinkled the Borax on it and rubbed it in with a brush, let it set over night and then vaccumed it up. Like new. Borax is in the laundry detergent aisle. Hope it works for you.

1 mom found this helpful

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M.B.

answers from Dallas on

easy way to get out almost any odor and you can do it yourself

go rent a cleaner from the grocery store one of those rug doctors. make sure you get the attatchements so you can clean the couch.

full the cleaner with hot water if you get the small cleaner 1/2 cup white vinager and 1/4 cup lemon juice plus cleaning solution as indicated

make sure to get the pet odor cleaning solution it works best

i have found that doing this job yourself works better then hiring someone. everytime i have hired someone that has said they can get all pet odors out they come back the next humid time we have. the recipe i listed above is one my grram gave to me and her mother gave to her. minus the carpet cleaner of course. but it works for all odor problems. even in the wash. when you leave a load in for to long by mistake and it gets that musty smell as a little vinager and lemon to the load and it comes right out.

i have cats and when they get sick and when one did use the litter box for what ever reason he was mad about it got the odor out of the carpet in one treatment. and it didnt come back.

hope it works for you as well as it works for me

grams secrets always are the best to pass along so dont keep it hidden if it works for you pass it along

good luck

2 moms found this helpful
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L.G.

answers from Dallas on

Master's Touch - ###-###-#### or 1(888)757-3844. This is a local family owned company- you will most likely have the owner himself do the work. It is Christian based. He is very honest and very good at what he does. He is based in Weston- just next to Celina. He has helped me out alot in the past. We have 4 dogs and 2 cats with many messes and odors, and he does a great job.

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J.E.

answers from Dallas on

Nature;s Miracle from PETCO.......used for pet stains....pour directly onto the couch....enougth to saturate the area. It worked wonders on my recliner,,,,my DD vomited on the recliner and NOTHING would take the acid smell out until Nature's Miracle. It is a miracle! goodluck!

2 moms found this helpful
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K.M.

answers from Dallas on

I agree with the nature's miracle suggestion and it will work on the milk too. You need to really soak it and let it dry. It may take days to dry but once dry it should be ok. While it's drying it will still stink. We've used it for cat urine, kid vomit, kid urine, kid poop, milk, . . . you name it . . . it works on anything organic.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.G.

answers from Dallas on

I guess that is why you got it for FREE! :( I would try to get it professional steam cleaned: DALWORTH is great! If it still continues to smell I would be cautious about keeping it-- if it smells that means that something is still "living" in/on the couch. For good and the bad Were were given a nose for a reason-- one of those is to "protect" us from harmful things....
sorry....
someone might get sick from it---
sorry to be so negative-- just being realistic....

1 mom found this helpful
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D.H.

answers from Dallas on

natures miricle
I soaked a mattress and let it dry in the sun
and it was good as new
good luck :)

1 mom found this helpful
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K.R.

answers from Dallas on

I have a great guy for you, and he's very reasonable (alot moreso than Dalworth or any of the larger companies). He does upholstery cleaning, carpet cleaning, tile grout, wood floors, etc.. His company is called Heaven Sent and his name is Loren Brown. Number is ###-###-####. I am an agent with KW and refer him to all my friends/family. Great man and does a wonderful job. Good luck!

Thanks,
K.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.M.

answers from Lubbock on

The same people who can get smoke out of upholstery after a fire should be able to get the smell out of your "free" beautiful couch. As I understand it, they put the furniture in an ozone room which removes the smell. They could tell you how much it costs with a phone call. It will certainly be much cheaper than a new couch or even buying a lot of different cleansers to try on your own.

1 mom found this helpful
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C.W.

answers from Dallas on

I own a professional carpet cleaning company and we do upholstery. If the cat spray is able to be removed, this is the only way to do it. Even having a pro do it sometimes takes several treatments. I good ethical cleaner will come back and retreat at no charge within a reasonable amount of time. If you want to email me I can give you more info or check out our website at www.LoveYourCarpets.com. If you decide to have it done..which is much cheaper than throwing it away, and may surprise you on how much brighter and newer it will look after the cleaning...I can either refer you if we can't get to you as quick as you need it. We book out pretty quick right now with spring cleaning and my clients are booking a couple weeks in advance.

1 mom found this helpful
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N.P.

answers from Dallas on

Nature's Miracle might work. You can find it at Pet Supply Stores.

Also, look into OZONE Treatments. That will take the smell out. It is the treatments movie theaters use to remove the stale popcorn smells and such.

When we were ready to move into our house - the cat urine smell was so horrible that it made me sick. We tried everything and nothing worked. An OZONE treatment company came into our realtor's office looking for homes to do for free. They did our and it was amazing. Took all the smells away.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.B.

answers from New Orleans on

try nature's miracle... its available at Petsmart (red & white bottle). It's gotten all of my pets oopsy odors and stains out of everything including blood, poop, pee, and vomit and looks as good as new.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.S.

answers from Dallas on

I use a product I get at Sam's Club called OdoBan that is just fantastic. I know it works on animal urine smells. We had a rental that former tenants left and abandoned their animals and they were inside for a week before we found them. It took a couple of days of spraying the house down and airing it out but the smell was eliminated and did not come back.

Another option would be to have an upholster cleaning company clean it.

1 mom found this helpful
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T.O.

answers from Dallas on

If it's cat or dog urine try Nature's Miracle or Petzyme both from PetSmart or Petco.... They have an enzyme that breaks down urine.

Sunlight also helps break down urine.

You have to use alot of the solution on the area where the stain/smell is located. Shake the bottle first. It helps activate the enzymes.

I'd try solution (gallon size) then sunlight... if there is any tomorrow.

If it's not urine but pet musk from "marking" then I think it's going to be harder for you.

If you want someone else to clean it try TLC Carpet Cleaners in Lewisville and tell them I sent you, I think they're great. They're coming to do my house next week.

1 mom found this helpful
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T.T.

answers from Dallas on

You can use Solumel...it takes out stains and odors and isn't harmful to your pets or family. You may have to use it a few times (or full force as opposed to concentrated), but it'll work!

Good luck!
T.

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C.E.

answers from Dallas on

You can rent a shampooer from Walmart or the grocery store for $20-30. There are upulstery attachments available to go with it. It works really well for shampooing all of the spills from my kiddos.

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H.M.

answers from Dallas on

Sol-U-Mel! IT will work. Be sure and use it straight from the bottle do not add any water! IF you have any questions give me a call or email me.

H. M.

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S.W.

answers from Dallas on

Toss it and save yourself some effort. Cat urine is impossible to get out of an upholstered item. Been there, done that. Now I only have a dog.

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T.M.

answers from Dallas on

I have been told to put amonia in a bowl around it and it will absorb the cat urine. Haven't tried it before but it is worth a try.

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A.R.

answers from Amarillo on

J. try solumel by melaleuca it works great on removing odors. if the odor comes back i would think about getting a new couch :(
hope this helps!

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M.H.

answers from Dallas on

J. have you tried using baking soda? You just sprinkle it on the couch let it set for an hour and then vacume it up it should get rid of the odor

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J.O.

answers from Abilene on

I have the same problem, except the babies cup dripped between the cushions and we didn't know it until it started to stink. I have tried several things to absorb order, but I can still smell it. Please let me know what you find.
____@____.com
J.

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J.J.

answers from Dallas on

Try ODOBAN. I think it can be purchased in pet stores. When my son suddenly threw-up in my car, ODOBAN got out the smell!!!

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A.K.

answers from Lubbock on

I had the same problem. I have used vinegar on a towel and stuffed into the couch, those odor removing charcoal packets, and everything people recommend. The odor still comes and goes. Hope you are more successful.

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J.D.

answers from Dallas on

We rented a high power carpet cleaning machine from Lowe's and they had several different solutions that are for destroying pet urine, and other contaminents at the rental counter.
Jen D.-Frisco

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C.G.

answers from Dallas on

I was given a couch with the same problem and i used half downy fabric softner and half water and sprayed it really good before bedtime and the next day the odor was gone. I use it instead of buying the fabric sprays and its cheaper.

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J.T.

answers from Dallas on

walmart has a carpet & upholstery cleaner thats for the steam machines it great value brand pet formula i put in a spray bottle with some water and first vacuum the couch then spray the whole couch scrubing any spots and let dry and vacuum again

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J.S.

answers from Dallas on

Maybe giving it a good steam cleaning that is if it is a cloth sofa. It if is leather you may be out of luck, even worse, I have heard cat urine is hard to get rid of...did your gift giver have a cat?

Hope something works for you, sounds like a great couch..I like freebies myself :0)

J.

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B.B.

answers from Dallas on

I work with Fiber-Seal, which specializes in treating fine fabrics like silk, velvet, chenille, & any other soft surface, especially upholstery. Have you tried to take any of the pads out of the cushions? The smell might be in the rubber pads, in which case your only alternative is to buy new inserts. Even with our powerful deodorizing products and techniques, there just isn't anything you can do to get the stink out of the rubber. If you'd like me to come over to give you a quote and to further diagnose the problem, please call me at ###-###-####.

B. Biehl
www.fiberseal.com

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E.H.

answers from Dallas on

If you don't want to have it professionally cleaned (though I would recommend it) - you could use a wet/dry vac or steamer and use hot water ONLY - no soapy products to try to clean it -- you are going to have to introduce some water to get a good deep clean. Make sure it is water cleanable first by testing a small area in an inconspicuous spot (like under a skirt or by the zipper on the pillow) Use a small amount of water to clean it then dry with a towel - do not rub just press then let air dry - if it leaves a ring it is dry clean only. If you would like a professional to clean it, please let me know. I own Cornerstone Chem-Dry and if it is wet cleanable I can offer you our lowest special for $79.95 and the technician can examine it to figure out what the odor is and if it needs any deodorizer or pet urine treatment. You can reach my office at ###-###-#### or email me at ____@____.com

Hope this helps!
E.

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A.D.

answers from Dallas on

I know it is a pain to move the thing but take it outside to the sunniest spot in the yard. Then I would clean it with an upholstery cleaner or just cleaner of your choice. (If it was me I would use ammonia diluted in water but that's pretty hard to take.) Then let the sun shine on it until it is really dry. I had a funky mattress and this did the trick.

E.C.

answers from Dallas on

1. let baking soda sit on it all night - and maybe all the next day!
2. Vaccume up the baking powder - really good!
3. Steam clean it with a maximum strength cleaner. (You can find them at WalMart next to the steam cleaners.)

This is all I can think of. Make sure you kinda rub in the baking soda... and do it ALL OVER!

Let us know how you rid your couch of the smell!

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L.S.

answers from Dallas on

try oxiclean in the blue bottle spray. It works really good on alot of things

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M.D.

answers from Abilene on

Try Natures Miracle. You get it at Pets Mart or a pet store. It works great. It is all I use on stains on my carpet and it does work well on furniture also.

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W.J.

answers from Dallas on

If the cushions are removable, remove them and either put them out to air dry on the line or ship them to the cleaner. Most likely, the odor is coming from the cushions, I have been told that baking soda sprinkled on upolstery and left for up to 20 minutes then vacuumed off can help. The best person to email is Hints from heloise. You can google her website and get the best source for how to clean stains. Good Luck!

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K.M.

answers from Dallas on

Hi J.:
I was just at PetSmart yesterday and noticed they had a cleaner specifically for pet odors and urine. It was on an end-cap display. I'm sure if you ask a salesperson, they could point you in the right direction! Good luck!

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P.C.

answers from Dallas on

I have been told white vinegar does wonders on getting stains and odors out.

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S.W.

answers from Amarillo on

At Walmart(i go to Coulter) near register #15, there is a bottle of, i think it's called Uringone, but it has a picture of a cat and dog on it, it's to get rid of the urine odor that pets leave on furniture. it's $10 for the bottle(about the size of Windex or other cleaners). If that doesn't work there's some stuff called Push, i'm not sure where to get it, but it's the size of a bottle of bleach(1 gal.) and it will get out any odor whether it's cigarettes, pets, anything really. My grandmother uses it because she's allergic to cigarettes, and I use it all the time, you just delute it with water half and half. Great stuff.

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E.D.

answers from Dallas on

J.,

Pet Smart sells a cleaner called nature's miracle. It is espacially for pet urine. You have to put the product on and let it sit for a while. Then I would have a professional carpet company come and clean it. I use a guy names Steve Greenhill who works for Dalworth. He is really good. Good luck. E.

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L.W.

answers from Dallas on

what about using vinegar and placing it outside in the sunshine/bringing it in at night? call an upholstry place and inquire what they use on their soiled items. You never know!!!! Or check out www.marthastewart.com

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J.D.

answers from Dallas on

watch the weather
and sit it outside for 2 sunny windy days!
If that doesn't work get rid of it
a mildewed molded couch will make your family ill
cat urine
NEVER goes away!
Temporarilly maybe
but will return in high humidity
or send it to an ozone room
YELLOW PAGES

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L.W.

answers from Dallas on

remove cover of couch cushions if possible and wash take "pillow" inserts and use baking soda on them and air outside for a few days in the sun. use baking soda on the seat of the couch before you reassemble. Vacumn well and cross fingers. Also look under the couch in the lining and make sure nothing is in there. May have to remove lining to clean.

let us know what works

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P.P.

answers from Dallas on

Type in remove urine odor on the internet and look at some of the suggestions there. I did this recently when my grandson was sick on his bed and I could not get rid of the smell. I tried one and if it did not work I would try another and I'm not sure if it was one or a combination of them but it did work. I also put an air purifier in the room for a few days and that helped also. Gook luck

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F.C.

answers from Tyler on

Maybe cleaners have gotten better, but if it is cat urine that you're smelling - that will never go away - it may fade away for a bit, but will come back with the humidity. I really hope that you find something - I completely understand not wanting to throw away a beautiful piece of furniture. I've tried all kinds of things over the years (baking soda, vinegar, pet odor remover products, etc) but they have never completely worked on cat urine.
Good Luck!
Frances

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L.B.

answers from Dallas on

Get a spray bottle and put white vinegar in it. Spray couch it might take a few times doing this but it will work. Vinegar is a natural oder eleminator. It will also take out stains.

Good Luck.

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