You probably came here to know how to get that musky, familiar yet unpleasant dog smell out of your couch.
We’ve all been there. Whether you’ve got a new puppy who still needs to be potty trained or a doggo who likes to get messy, these smells happen.
As loving pet owners, we might personally be able to ignore the odours that our pets leave around the house.,
However, it is not so easy for guests to get used to it.
Imagine your guests coming over and being greeted with a fresh-smelling couch — it makes all the difference in setting a warm, inviting mood.
Having your home smell pleasant is also important for your own well-being according to Rachel Herz, Brown University neuroscientist.
“Smell can instantly trigger an emotional response along with a memory, and our emotional states have a very strong effect on our physical well-being,” she says.
Having a refreshing smelling home can uplift your mood, and make your home feel even cleaner.
Before we go into how to get dog smell out of couch, let’s look at how these scents get stuck in the first place.
Why do odours stick to your couch?
Fabrics are porous, much like a sponge.
Think about how your clothes absorb sweat and smells as you go about your day.
Your sofa fabric works the same way.
It absorbs and holds onto moisture, oils, and particles from pets, food, and daily use.
Pet odours, in particular, can linger because dogs produce natural oils that can easily penetrate and cling to the fabric fibres.
When dogs sweat, the bacteria on their skin mix with these oils, creating that familiar musky scent.
Similarly, your sofa can pick up cooking smells if it’s near your stove or smoke smell if a cigarette is lit near it.
Over time, these particles break down and release odour-causing bacteria.
If you don’t clean your couch regularly or have them in a ventilated space, trapped moisture can lead to mould and mildew growth, intensifying the smell.
Pet odours can linger on furniture after some time, and in some instances, they can be extra tricky to get rid of.
So if your sofa has been smelling a lot like your pet lately, try some of these 7 tricks that will help you get that dog smell out of your couch.
7 easy tricks to get that dog smell out of your couch
1. White vinegar and water
When it comes to cleaning out odours, white vinegar is your best friend.
The acetic acid in white vinegar breaks down grease, neutralises odours, and kills bacteria.
It’s a natural disinfectant that can tackle even the toughest pet smells without leaving any residue.
Its highly-acidic properties make it an effective cleaner that can break down and dissolve even the most stubborn buildups in your fabric fibres.
To get rid of the remnants of wet dog and also cat puke (plus their accompanying scents) from your sofa, fill a spray bottle with equal parts white vinegar and water, then spray it on your sofa.
Leave the solution to settle in for a few minutes so the vinegar can work its magic, then remove it by giving your sofa a gentle wipe down.
Voila! You’ve got yourself a smell-free sofa.
2. Baking soda
If vinegar is your best friend when it comes to odour neutralising and stain dissolving, then baking soda will make the perfect runner-up.
In fact, both these methods are the best eco-friendly cleaning solutions for most upholstery.
Baking soda absorbs moisture and neutralises odours, making it perfect for eliminating smells embedded in your sofa fabric.
It’s gentle yet effective and works especially well after using vinegar.
Unlike other household cleaners, baking soda is non-toxic, and just like vinegar, it does a great job at breaking down dirt and grease.
The best time to use baking soda is right after you’ve sprayed your sofa with a water-vinegar solution.
But before you give your sofa a wipe down, apply a thick coat of baking soda onto your sofa and let it rest for a few hours (or overnight) before cleaning it up.
Important note: Be sure to apply the baking soda only when the surface of your sofa is completely dry.
Try using a fan to help speed up the drying process before applying baking soda.
3. Unflavoured vodka
More than a great shot after hours, this stuff can work double duty to remove stains and odours from your sofa.
The alcohol in vodka acts as a solvent that binds to and evaporates odour-causing compounds.
It leaves no smell behind, making it a quick solution for musty or pet-odoured fabrics.
Inexpensive vodka works fine for cleaning, just make sure that it’s unflavoured since sugar and other added additives can end up complicating your cleaning efforts.
To clean with it, fill your spray bottle with vodka, neat (avoid diluting it with water).
Try not to wet the fabric too much to the point of making it damp.
Aim for a light mist instead.
The alcohol will collect the odorants that are clinging to the sofa fabric, and as the alcohol evaporates into the air, it takes the smell along with it.
4. Enzymatic cleaners
Many professional cleaning companies have been looking into bio-enzymatic cleaners for cleaning, and for good reason.
These products use “good” bacteria, which effectively digest waste, stains and bad odours.
These bacteria produce enzymes specifically designed to break down certain molecules into smaller pieces, which then becomes a source of nutrition for them.
This means that they literally ‘eat up’ the source of those pesky odours that linger on your sofa.
Before using an enzymatic cleaner, remove any dirt or hair from the surface of your sofa.
Let the solution sit on your sofa’s surface for around ten minutes before wiping it off with a microfibre cloth, and you’re all done!
5. Air-drying
If you’re not a fan of chemicals and liquid cleaning solutions, then simply airing out your sofa could be the best option for you.
Fresh air and sunlight are natural deodorisers.
They not only remove musty odours but also help kill bacteria and mould spores, which thrive in damp, poorly-ventilated conditions.
Opening your windows or better yet, bringing your furniture outside for a couple of hours in the sun can go a long way in terms of getting rid of funky, lingering smells.
6. Upholstery or carpet vacuum-cleaning
If you’re in need of some heavy-duty cleaning, you might want to drop by your local carpet cleaner or upholsterer to see if you can rent one of their heavy-duty vacuum cleaners.
Heavy-duty vacuums remove dirt, dander, and other debris trapped within the fabric.
Switching to a wet setting can help lift deeper, ground-in dirt and lingering odours.
These cleaners with an upholstery attachment can be toggled between dry and wet cleaning for a thorough dirt and smell removal.
To avoid ending up with a wet dog smell, try using the wet vacuum option at the very end after you’ve removed as much dirt as possible.
7. Activated charcoal
Activated charcoal is like a vacuum cleaner but it absorbs odours in the air instead of dust.
Due to its large surface area, activated charcoal can absorb a high amount of gas particles, removing unpleasant smells in your couch.
This is also an option for people who prefer using natural products.
Pick up a few sachets of activated charcoal and place them in the corner of your sofas where they’re not visible. Let them work wonders over time!
Prevention is better than cure
Now that you’ve learned how to get that dog smell out of your couch, perhaps it is time to take on more preventative measures.
You may have gotten rid of the smell, but is your sofa covered in fabric that’s not ideal for a household with pets?
We have the solution for you: durable slipcovers that are designed with your pet in mind: