How to remove dog smell from a couch

Step by step

1. 1

   Check the cleaning code first

   Find the label or hang tag, usually under the cushions or the frame. W means water-based cleaners, S means solvent only, W/S means either, and X means vacuum only. Test any cleaner on a hidden spot.

   Why: Upholstery fabrics react differently to water and solvents. The wrong one can shrink, stain or discolor the fabric.

2. 2

   Vacuum every surface and seam

   Take off the cushions and vacuum the cushions, the deck underneath, the arms, the back and all the seams with an upholstery tool, using a HEPA vacuum if you have one.

   Why: Hair and dander carry most of the odor, and they pack into seams and under cushions.

3. 3

   Deodorize with baking soda

   Sprinkle baking soda over the dry fabric, leave it for several hours, then vacuum it up thoroughly.

   Why: Baking soda absorbs and neutralizes leftover odor molecules from dry fabric.

4. 4

   Spot-clean with minimal moisture

   For W or W/S fabric, dampen a white cloth with a mild detergent solution and blot soiled areas, working from the edge inward. Blot with a cloth dampened in plain water to rinse, then let it dry and vacuum. For S fabric, use a solvent cleaner sparingly with good ventilation, or call a pro.

   Why: Too much water soaks into the foam and backing, where it can shrink fabric, leave rings or start a musty smell.

5. 5

   Black-light and enzyme-treat urine

   Scan the couch with a black light in a dark room. Treat any urine spots with an enzyme cleaner for pet urine. Take off cushions and covers so the cleaner reaches every layer the urine soaked into, and let it air-dry. Don't use steam.

   Why: Enzymes break down urine residue in the foam. Heat from steam can set the stain and odor.

6. 6

   Protect it going forward

   Put a washable throw or slipcover where the dog lies, and wash it weekly in hot water as the label allows. Bathe and groom the dog regularly.

   Why: The throw catches oil and hair before they reach the upholstery, and it's far easier to clean.

Why a couch holds dog smell

A couch is face fabric over backing, foam cushions and a wooden frame. Your dog's hair, dander and skin oil work into the fabric and seams every time it lies there, and those deposits keep releasing odor. Any urine goes straight through the fabric into the foam, where surface cleaning can't reach.

That's why couch cleaning is about minimal moisture and the right cleaner. Heavy wetting can shrink fabric, damage the backing or change the color, and a soaked cushion dries slowly. See the pet odor page for where dog smell comes from.

Can you wash the cushion covers?

Only if the care instructions say so. New Mexico State University's furniture-care guide advises against unzipping and washing cushion covers separately unless the instructions allow it. Removable slipcovers are different: they're made to come off, and the guide says to launder them as a whole set.

For general upholstery care by fabric type, see cleaning a couch.

By situation

General dog smell, no accidents

Vacuum weekly or more, use the baking soda step every few weeks, and keep a washable throw where the dog sits. Wash that throw weekly in hot water.

The dog peed on the couch

Blot up as much as you can, rinse lightly, extract with a wet-vac if you have one, then apply enzyme cleaner deep enough to reach the foam. Take off cushions and covers to reach every layer. A syringe can push cleaner into foam. See dog urine on a couch.

Cat smell on a couch

Usually urine or marking. Black-light the whole couch, enzyme-treat each spot and repeat. Afterward, covering the spot with a vinyl, flannel-backed tablecloth can discourage re-marking.

S-code or X-code couches

Don't use water. Use a solvent upholstery cleaner sparingly with ventilation and no flames for S fabric, and only vacuum X fabric. For urine on these, call a professional upholstery cleaner.

Leather couch

Leather isn't covered by fabric cleaning codes. Wipe with a barely damp cloth, follow the maker's leather care instructions, and deal with any accident quickly.

What not to do

• Don't soak the couch. Heavy wetting can shrink upholstery fabric, damage its backing or change its color, and soaked foam dries slowly.
• Don't steam-clean pet urine. Heat can set the stain and odor into the fabric and foam.
• Don't use ammonia-based cleaners on pet accidents. They can draw the pet back to the same spot.
• Don't unzip and wash cushion covers unless the care label allows it. The furniture-care guidance says to wash them only when the care instructions allow it; many aren't designed to be laundered separately.

Other methods that work

Professional upholstery cleaning

A professional can clean S-code fabric and extract urine from foam more deeply than home tools.

Caution: Tell them it's pet urine so they don't start with heat.

Replacing cushion foam

If urine soaked deep into a cushion and the smell keeps coming back, replacing the foam insert may be the only fix.

Stain still there?

The smell returns when the couch warms up

Residue is still in the foam, often urine. Black-light again and repeat the enzyme treatment, letting it reach as deep as the urine went.

The fabric changed color or shrank where you cleaned

The cleaner or the amount of water didn't suit the fabric. Stop, let it dry, and have a professional upholstery cleaner look at it. Always pretest on a hidden spot.

Safety

• Use solvent cleaners only in small amounts, with ventilation and no flames nearby. Never pour solvent into a washing machine.
• Keep pets off the couch until it's completely dry.

Never mix cleaning products; see chemicals you must never combine.

Questions

Pet odor elsewhere

• Pet odor: what causes it and how to remove it
• Pet odor in carpet
• Pet odor in the house