How To Get Pet Odor Out Of Furniture

October 12, 2020

Imagine this: your pet once again jumps up into his favorite spot on the couch and twirls around several times till he plops down in a comfy heap, his tongue lolling happily out of his mouth. Day after day, the same course of events occur, and even though you know your pet doesn’t have that many accidents, you start to notice a musty, lingering odor in and around your couch. How do you get rid of it? 

Our pets are beloved members of our families, but that doesn’t negate the fact that they can sometimes be messy and smelly! In many cases, pet odor doesn’t have to result from an accident; instead, it can simply be the product of regular use. Yes, urine and feces can often be the source of odors, but other times, dander and pet oils can seep down into your furniture, leading to unpleasant odors constantly wafting up into your nostrils. So when odors get musty, it’s a good idea to properly treat your furniture with Unique Pet Care products, and thankfully, it’s easy to do!

In this article, we’ll cover a couple different scenarios in which pet odors can become an issue: removing odors from typical cloth furniture, removing odors from microfiber furniture, and removing odors from leather furniture. 

How to Get Dog Smell Out of the Couch

Every dog owner intimately understands that infamous “wet dog” odor. This odor, or others like urine smells, can easily become embedded into your typical cloth couch. (For more specific info on how to remove odors from microfiber or leather furniture, see below!) Luckily, getting dog smell out of the couch is simpler than you might think.

At Unique Pet Care, we naturally have a lot of experience getting rid of pet odors, and our weapon of choice is always one of our top-notch pet odor removal products, such as Pet Odor and Stain Eliminator, Advanced Dog Odor + Stain, or Puppy Odor + Stain Remover! Each of these products uses high-quality bacteria and enzymes to break down odors and stains at their source, literally eating the odor. For the purposes of this guide, we’ll assume that you’re using Pet Odor and Stain Eliminator.

To remove dog odor (or pet odor in general) from your cloth couch, it’s a good idea to identify the source of the odor first. This is likely your dog’s favorite spot on the couch where oils and dander have accumulated, but it might also be found in an unlikely spot where your pet had an accident!

After you’ve located the source of your pet odor issue, follow these simple steps:

1. Saturate the smelly area with Pet Odor and Stain Eliminator. Our products work best when used liberally, so don’t skimp! Using plenty of product will allow the odor-eating bacteria and enzymes to seep deep into your couch’s fabric. 
2. Work the product in. You can do this by pressing down on your couch’s pillow. This helps drive the product deep into your couch where odors tend to linger.
3. Cover the effected area with a damp white towel and let sit for about 8 hours. (Don’t use a colored towel, since the colors can stain your couch!) The towel will help keep the area moist during the treatment period, letting the bacteria do their job.
4. Remove the towel and let the area air dry. 
5. Repeat this process if necessary. Sometimes, especially if you’re dealing with serious urine or feces odors, you’ll need a couple applications of Pet Odor and Stain Eliminator to completely remove the odor!

How to Remove Pet Odor from a Microfiber Couch

While some of us have regular cloth furniture, many people have opted for microfiber as a softer, more comfortable option. But although you might love hopping onto your soft microfiber couch at the end of each long day, pet odors can quickly turn up your nose! 

(Important note: before you try to remove the pet odor from your microfiber couch, we strongly recommend that you run a test on an inconspicuous area of your couch. Microfiber couches stain easily, and some require slightly different treatment methods, so it’s always a good idea to test any product or process before applying it to a more visible area.) 

It’s easier for odors to become lodged deep inside a microfiber couch, and while they can be more difficult to remove, the process is still pretty simple. The steps are very similar to those we covered above:

1. Identify the stinky area on your microfiber couch. 
2. Saturate the area. 
3. Work the product into the fabric. You may want to spend extra time on this step when dealing with a microfiber couch. Like we mentioned above, stains and/or odors can be slightly harder to remove from microfiber furniture, so you want to make sure to work the product deep into the fabric. You might consider scrubbing the area with a towel or agitating it with the bottom of your Pet Odor and Stain Eliminator bottle. 
4. Cover the area with a damp, white towel and let sit for 2-3 hours. It’s important not to allow microfiber to stay wet for too long!
5. Remove the towel and let the microfiber air dry for as long as possible. This is a crucial step when it comes to microfiber. Microfiber can become musty, mildewy, or moldy if moisture isn’t removed as quickly as possible. It can also be helpful to let your microfiber couch air out in a well-ventilated area, such as an outdoor patio or room with windows open on either side to create a draft. 
6. After the microfiber fabric has dried, gently rub it with your hand or a soft bristle brush to disentangle the fibers. The microfiber can stick together once dry, but rubbing it gently should quickly and easily smooth it out!
7. Repeat if necessary.

How to Remove Pet Odor from Leather Furniture

Let’s face it: while traditional cloth and microfiber furniture is great, nothing quite beats the smooth feel and flash of a plush leather couch! In general, it’s harder for leather to become stained or smelly, but if it does, many people find themselves at a loss for how to remove it.

It’s often best to regularly clean leather to prevent odors from becoming embedded, but if you’re already dealing with odors, never fear! They can be removed from leather furniture as well!

(Important note: as with microfiber, we strongly recommend that you test the steps given below on an inconspicuous spot on your leather couch before tackling the more visible stain!) 

Follow these steps to remove pet odor from your leather furniture:

1. Identify the area effected by the odor. 
2. Saturate a sponge or white cloth with Pet Odor and Stain Eliminator. Evenly apply Pet Odor and Stain Eliminator to your leather couch using the sponge or damp cloth. Use the sponge or cloth to apply pressure in a circular motion to help the product absorb into the leather. 
3. Allow the area to air dry. If you can remove the cushions on your leather couch, it can help to air dry them in a well-ventilated area, such as on an outdoor patio. 
4. Repeat these steps if you’re still experiencing odors and regularly repeat this treatment process to prevent odors!

It might not seem like it at first glance, but some interior parts of a leather couch are often made of traditional fabric. While your odor problem could be coming from the leather itself, it’s also possible that pet urine has seeped down deep into the couch, potentially staining and causing odor in the pillow or fabric areas. If this is the case, you may have to remove the cover on your couch and treat the pillow itself. 

In this situation, you would simply follow the guidelines (also included above) for removing pet odor from traditional fabric furniture:

1. Saturate the area, pressing down on the pillow to force the product deep into the fabric.
2. Cover the area with a damp, white cloth for 2-3 hours
3. Remove the towel and allow the area to air dry.

Conclusion

Now that you know how to clean up your pet’s odor, no matter what kind of fabric you have on your furniture, you won’t have to worry the next time your pet snuggles up into his favorite corner on the couch! The fact is that removing unsavory odors doesn’t have to be a hassle. If you use the right products that are effective at their job, stains and odors can become a thing of the past. 

We’d love to help you solve any additional issues you might run into while cleaning and deodorizing your furniture, so if you have any questions that have not been answered in this guide, please feel free to reach out to us at support@uniquemm.com. We’re always here to help you out!

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