Having a dog as part of the family partly means they will often find their way on our beds and couches. Although we love our dogs we don’t like dog odor on our couch especially after long walks or hikes in the woods.
Getting rid of dog smell from your couch is not an easy task especially if you have colorful couches that are reactive to detergents. Here is a simple guide to help you get rid of dog smell from your couch without ruining your couches.
Purchase pillow covers and slipcovers: Having a few pairs of pillow and slipcovers that you can put on your pillows and couch is highly beneficial if you plan on letting your dog into the house. This is a wise decision to make as it will simplify the whole process during the cleanup and protect your couch from stains and dog odor. It is each to clean covers compared to cleaning the actual fabric of your couch.
Dog odor is primarily caused by their shadings which slipcovers help you manage more efficiently. Another huge plus of using slipcovers is that you do not have to worry about how often you wash them simply because you can easily replace them when they get worn out. They are also easy to remove when you do not want them or when your dog is not in the house.
Remove anything that is removable from your couch: Generally, when doing a cleanup on your couch you want to start by removing everything that can be removed including all the cushions and covers. This ensures you get to the tight spaces especially the deep stitch lines underneath.
Wash the washable: After you remove all the fabric from your couch, you can head over to the washing machine. Before you start washing ensure you check the manufacture’s precautions and specifications on how to wash the fabric. A good thing to keep in mind is that you should always use cold water simply because hot water might cause stains on the fabric or make the smell stick to the fabric. You can add a bit of vinegar into the washing machine to help with the cleaning processes. Vinegar has cleansing properties that allow for easy removal of the odor.
When you are done with the washing and it is time to place them in the dryer, remember to select a low heat setting since high heat will infuse the smell deeper into the fabric which will end up header to remove. Once out of the dryer smell the fabric to make sure the entire odor has been removed otherwise repeat the wash process again.
Vacuum: For the unwashable, the best way of cleaning them is by vacuuming thoroughly. Proper vacuuming helps to remove the entire fur stack from the couch. Shedding fur is your dog’s way of spreading it’s sent, therefore, removing all the fur from your couch helps to eliminate the dog odor entirely. The advantage of vacuuming is that, it does no wear the fabric of your couch that much and it’s an easy and fast way that you can do regularly to keep off the odor.
Use Baking Soda: Using baking soda is a popular trick deployed by most people to remove odors from fabric. It is a very cheap and an effective strategy to help you clean up your couch. When using baking soda make sure you sprinkle it all over the couch and let it sit, usually you would want to do this overnight. The baking will soak and absorb all the odor and you can easily clean it up with a vacuum cleaner. Using baking soda is a great way to clean your unwashable or delicate fabric that you can’t place in a washing machine.
Use upholstery Cleaner: If the stench proves too hard to remove, then you would probably want to rent an upholstery cleaner. Using an upholstery cleaner is not an easy short out though, if you don’t want your you couch to smell like a wet dog, you will have to remove as much of the stench as you can beforehand. After cleaning allow your sofa to dry completely before putting back the cushions. If you decide to invest in one of the affordable small handheld upholstery cleaners, which are easy to find in the market, that would be a great decision without a doubt. A small investment on an upholstery cleaner is a remarkable idea simply because it’s a grantee you will need it in the future.
Consider an Enzyme Cleaner: Selecting an enzyme cleaner can be a tricky decision to make simply because you need to be certain it is safe to use on your couches. However, an enzyme cleaner is still an option that you can use to remove stubborn dog odor, stains, and other pet odors. I only recommend using it as a last result simply because it is easy to destroy your couch fabric if you are not careful. A clever trick before using an enzyme cleaner is testing it on an inconspicuous spot on the fabric to certain it does not cause the fabric to bleed, shrink, or fade.
Groom your dog regularly: The last step is more of a precaution measure to keep away the stench. You want to bath your dog regularly to keep the fur smelling nice and brushing the coat outside to reduce the amount of fur that would otherwise end up on the couches. Ensure you wipe your dog’s paws before you let them into the house to keep the bacteria and smelly things that they might have stepped on outside the house.
The Final Words (Summary)
The procedure you use to remove dog odor from your couch is very important, you should take your time to research about the best strategy for your home. Ensure it is gentle to the fabric of your couch and carpet, you do not want to wear your couch after a few washes. Stay away from using ammonia or ammonia products to clean your couch simply because your dog’s urine already smells like ammonia which will trigger them to mark it or mistake it for a pooping area, furthermore, using ammonia will only increase the smell.
Resist the temptation of using bleach especially if you have colorful couches. You can also invest in the best quality air purifier to keep your house smelling nice. That said, removing dog odor is not an impossible task and when done correctly under the right procedure it is no longer an issue.
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