Removing Unpleasant Odors from Couches and Chairs
At Viesso, talking about removing unpleasant odors from couches and chairs means talking about eco-friendly products. Inexpensive and non-toxic, they are in keeping with our mission to improve the environment by using natural elements wherever possible.
The Essential Tools
Accidents happen even to the best of us, and when they do, it’s best to be armed with the essential tools of the deodorizing and sanitizing trade. This means a bottle of white vinegar, a box of baking soda, clean white towels, paper towels, and a spray bottle. For certain odors, such as cat urine, you also might want to keep a commercial pet odor or other enzyme-based product handy.
The Benefits of White Vinegar
White vinegar is perhaps one of the best products to keep in your household bag of tricks. Besides being an odor eater, it is also great for cleaning surfaces, grout, and other similar areas where dirt, mold, and mildew can collect. In the case of upholstered furniture, it can work miracles when it comes to eliminating bad smells.
The Beauty of Baking Soda
Baking soda is another miracle worker, as it absorbs excess moisture due to spills, neutralizing any scent, and making it easier to clean and deodorize the area. Used in combination with vinegar, you’ve got the perfect solution for the solution!
Cleaning Up the P
Let’s first deal with the cat urine scenario, since this is perhaps the most egregious. At Viesso we’re great cat lovers, and we do understand when a feline feels a little insecure and needs to mark his spot, especially when there’s competition around. And then there are those granny cats, who have lived to a ripe old age, but just can’t seem to control their bladders. They do feel bad about it, so try to clean up without scolding, please.
The Great Solution
The smell from scent marking or pee is really nasty. It overpowers and when upholstery is the target, it’s really a drag, as it can easily seep into filler materials as fast as you can say, “meow.” But fear not! Here comes vinegar to the rescue, along with its fine friend baking soda.
For Non-Removable Upholstery
Firstly, it’s important to treat the area as quickly as you can in order to achieve maximum success. If the fabric is not removable, immediately sprinkle your baking Removing Unpleasant Odors from Couches and Chairssoda over the wet areas to soak up the excess moisture. Wait about three hours and then vacuum or brush away the debris. Then mix the white vinegar with equal parts distilled water in your spray bottle. Spray the area liberally and then gently scrub it with a clean towel to get the solution into the filling, then let the upholstery dry.
Enzyme-Based Products
If you want to use an enzyme-based product to avoid the initial vinegar smell, prepare the area by saturating a clean white towel in cold water. Wring out the towel, and then apply it to the urine-soaked area. Repeat this until the surface is almost dry and then spray the enzyme digester, which will break down the structure of the urine and eliminate the smell.
Removable Upholstery
If the fabric on your couch or chair is removable, then take it off and wash it according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. You can also add your enzyme-based odor remover if it is safe for the material. Wash by hand or in the machine. In the worst case scenario, you may have to replace the filler, but it is unlikely if you sprinkle baking soda on it, let it dry, and then lightly rub with the vinegar.
Leather
When it comes to removing odors from leather, there are a number of methods that we at Viesso have discovered to be quite effective. Here again you will need your white vinegar, baking soda, a mild dish soap, and soft clean cloths.
Handle Your Hide Tenderly
Animal hide can be difficult to clean, as it is prone to staining, so you need to handle your leather furniture with some tenderness. Kids, pets, and daily life have their way of interfering with your decorative aesthetic, so when odors can’t be hidden on the hide you’ve got to be ready to spring into action.
Testing First
But let us please backtrack for one split second. It is essential with a capital “E” to test your method of removing odors from leather before you tackle the big job. This means find an unexposed area and daub a little bit of the solution to it before you start. Wait until it dries before you determine if you can use it without fear of staining.
A Few Options
Removing Unpleasant Odors from Couches and ChairsHere are your options for removing odors from leather upholstery:
• Use a soft clean cloth to wipe the surface with white vinegar, then let it dry.
• Mix a teaspoon of mild dish soap with a quart of warm water until sudsy. Use the suds on a clean cloth to wipe down the leather and then dry with a clean cloth.
If these methods aren’t going to work for you, then you can simply sprinkle baking soda over the couch or chair. Let it sit overnight and then vacuum it up. If this is worrisome, the least invasive method is to pour the baking soda into several pairs of socks. Tie each one up and place around in the nooks and crannies of your couch or sofa to soak up any unwanted scent.
Choose Commercial Products Wisely
There are also commercial odor removers that can be used, with the best ones being those that have organic components. Try to use brands that are not chemical based to keep your indoor atmosphere as clean as possible.
The Commitment to Green
At Viesso, we are committed to a Greener planet. For this reason, we try to use as many sustainable materials in the construction of our furniture as possible, such as 100% natural latex, locally sourced hardwoods like SFI certified alder, natural fabrics such as pure cotton and wool, and non-toxic based glues. We believe that there are viable alternatives to conventional building and cleaning methods that can help contribute to creating a more eco-conscious world and we encourage you to join us in keeping these in mind.