Did someone in your house have an accident on your couch? Pee smells can be a nightmare. However, if you act fast and run to your pantry, you can get them out in no time flat. Learn how to get pee smell out of couches using baking soda, vinegar, and commercial cleaners.
Materials to Remove Urine From Couch
Accidents happen. Maybe your little furry friend got a little too excited to see you, or you are potty training your toddler. Whatever the case, your couch now has a bit of pee on it. Don't let it sit. The longer it stays, the harder it is to remove. Grab a few cleaners and get to work to eliminate pet and human urine odors and stains.
- Paper towel
- White vinegar
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Baking soda
- Dish soap (blue Dawn recommended)
- Spray bottle
- White cloth
- Upholstery machine and cleaner
- Listerine
- Enzyme cleaner
- Container
- Coffee
Before getting down and dirty in cleaning mode, you want to check the label on your couch. Make sure you can use water to clean it. If it says dry clean only, you need to call in a professional to help.
How to Get Pee Smell Out of a Couch With Baking Soda
If you have removable couch cushions, you'll want to take those off and throw them in the washer as soon as possible. Add a cup of baking soda to the load to fight the odors. For the remainder of the couch, you need a bit of baking soda and white vinegar.
- Use the paper towel to blot up as much pee as possible.
- Create a mixture of 2:1 water to white vinegar into a spray bottle.
- Spray down the area.
- Work the cleaner into the area with a white cloth.
- Repeat until you feel the pee is completely gone from the area. (Using a white cloth can help with this.)
- Put about a cup of baking soda over the area.
- Let it sit for at least 4 hours, but overnight is best.
- Vacuum up the baking soda.
Using Peroxide to Get Pee Smell Out of a Light Couch
Yellow pee stains on white couches are a nightmare. If Fernando or Fido had an accident, you can treat it with a bit of hydrogen peroxide, dish soap, and baking soda. Just make sure to test an area to ensure you don't cause damage to the upholstery.
- Mix a cup of hydrogen peroxide, 3 tablespoons of baking soda, and a tablespoon of Dawn in a container.
- Soak up as much stain as possible with a paper towel or 4.
- Apply the mixture to the stained smelly area.
- Allow it to sit for 15 or so minutes.
- Use a cloth to rub the area.
- Wipe with a damp cloth to rinse.
- Allow the cushion or couch to dry near an open window or outside, if possible.
How to Get Rid of Pee Smell With Listerine
You know Listerine kills the germs in your mouth, but did you know it can get rid of those pee germs too? Plus, it leaves a minty fresh scent.
- Blot up as much pee as possible. Press hard to remove the liquid.
- Add ½ cup of Listerine to a spray bottle.
- Fill it with water.
- Spray and blot with a dry cloth.
- Repeat until all the stain is gone.
- Allow the couch to dry in fresh air or sun if possible.
How to Get Pee Out of a Couch With Enzyme Cleaner
When you've got a tough stain that natural cleaners aren't touching, it's time to reach for the big guns. Commercial or DIY enzyme cleaners are proven to remove stains and are good for washing couch cushions.
- Grab your favorite enzyme cleaner.
- Following the instructions, spray down the area.
- Wait the allotted time.
- Allow it to dry.
Use an Upholstery Cleaner to Remove Pee Smell
Spray cleaners can be quite effective. But if you have a spot or upholstery cleaner at home, utilize it. The suction of the machine helps pull the pee out of the fibers of your couch or recliner. This works to remove the problem and prevent it from coming back.
- Use paper towels or a cloth to remove as much stain as possible.
- Assemble the machine per the instructions.
- Add the recommended amount of cleaner.
- Work the stain.
- Allow it to dry completely.
Get Pee Smell Out of Leather Couch With Dish Soap
Leather couches are a different beast to tame when it comes to those awful pee stains. Why? Because you need to ensure you aren't harming the leather by cleaning it. However, it can be done at home with caution.
- Absorb any standing liquid.
- Add a few drops of Dawn to a bowl of warm water.
- Create lots of suds.
- Pick up the suds on the cloth and scrub the area.
- Create a 1:1 mixture of white vinegar to water.
- Dip a cloth in the mixture.
- Wring it out well.
- Wipe down the area.
- Allow it to sit for 10 minutes.
- Wipe with a damp cloth.
- Put coffee grounds in a bowl and let it sit near the stain overnight to soak up any remaining stench.
Allow Couch to Air Dry
Even with the best cleaning method, you might still have a bit of pee smell that lingers. If you can, drag your couch or cushions outside. Allow them to sit in the fresh air for a day or so. For white or durable fabrics, you might also allow them to sit in the sun to help kill any remaining bacteria. This is not recommended for delicate or colored fabrics, since it might lighten them.
When to Call a Professional
The faster you get to a pee stain, the better your chances are of getting it out of your couch. However, if the pee went unnoticed for a while, you might not be able to get the smell out without damaging your furniture. At this point, you might want to call a professional to assess the situation. Additionally, if you have a fabric that is dry clean only, you should contact a professional to avoid damaging your couch.
Why Is Urine Smell So Hard to Eliminate?
Pee is a hard smell to get out sometimes. The proteins within pee make it a surfactant. So, it's able to break through the fabric quickly and get into the padding of your couch. The deeper the pee goes, the harder it is to remove. Therefore, stains and smells that have sat for a while can be nearly impossible to get rid of.
Tips to Avoid Pee Smells on Furniture
You've successfully gotten rid of the pee. Hallelujah! Now you need to keep it gone by following a few tips.
- Don't allow pets on furniture.
- Use diapers on pets with incontinence issues.
- Utilize stain guards on your fabrics to avoid mishaps.
- Use plastic couch covers or pads.
- Clean up accidents immediately.
- Watch for signs of marking or spraying in pets.
How to Get Pee Out of a Couch
Got a bit of pee on your couch? Everyone has been there at one point or another. This is especially true if you have pets. Now you've got the know-how to get rid of that smell fast. You can also get pee smells out of mattresses.
