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*Overview of the best according to the editors of Healthy Food Near Me. About selection criteria. This material is subjective, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a guide to the purchase. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.
Many sofas begin to smell over time, as dirt, hair, grease and food particles accumulate on them. And if a child or a pet writes on it, the “aroma” becomes simply unbearable. But no matter what happened, we will tell you how to easily get rid of bad breath.
Can sofas be cleaned at all?
First you need to determine what kind of cleaning your sofa can be subjected to.
Sofa upholstery is made from various materials: fabric, polyester, suede, leather, and so on. Each type of coating has its own cleaning requirements. Here it is best to build on the information indicated on the manufacturer’s label:
Suitable for wet cleaning. To wash such a product, you can use water or vinegar.
Dry clean only. Use a dry solvent, such as baking soda, or use the services of professionals.
For professional cleaning only. Contact a cleaning company.
If the information could not be found, then it is better to use dry cleaning or a steam cleaner. But first test your chosen option on some inconspicuous piece of upholstery to make sure that it does not suffer during the odor removal process.
Eliminate odors with wet cleaning
Once you’ve verified that your sofa is wet-cleanable, follow these simple steps:
If sofa cushions have removable covers, you’re in luck! Just wash them in the washing machine along with your laundry. If the pillows do not have removable covers, vacuum them with a handheld vacuum cleaner, or a conventional vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment.
Soften stains with steam. Preheat the iron and turn on the steam mode. Walk them over the dirty places on the couch. You can also use a special steamer. Steam removes many stubborn stains and gives your furniture a clean look.
To get rid of an unpleasant smell on the sofa, it is not necessary to buy expensive household chemicals. You can make your own odor neutralizer from cheap ingredients at home, it will in no way be inferior in effectiveness to store-bought counterparts. You need to find out what material your sofa is made of, because the neutralizer recipe will vary slightly depending on the type of upholstery:
For fabric upholstery, mix half a glass of table vinegar, half a glass of vodka and a glass of water.
For leather upholstery, mix XNUMX/XNUMX cup table vinegar and XNUMX/XNUMX cup olive oil.
For synthetic upholstery, mix half a cup of table vinegar, a cup of water, and a teaspoon of dish soap.
A few drops of lavender extract or lemon juice can be added to any recipe for a pleasant smell. Pour the ingredients into a spray bottle, close and shake well. The neutralizer is ready!
Open the windows and turn on the fan. The neutralizer you will be using is completely non-toxic, but its smell can be quite strong if sprayed in a closed room. In addition, your sofa will dry faster if it is exposed to sunlight.
Keep the bottle 30 cm away from the sofa so as not to wet the upholstery. You only need to spray it lightly. If there is a stain on the upholstery that gives off an unpleasant odor, you can moisten it harder. If you can’t identify the source of the odor, spray it all over the sofa. Don’t worry about the vinegar smell – it will dissipate after a few hours.
Wipe the sofa with a clean, dry cloth. The material should be soft and absorbent, such as microfiber cloths. Gently blot away excess liquid. If your sofa is leather, you can rub it, as the leather absorbs water less.
Dry the sofa well to prevent mold from forming on the upholstery and cushions. If it’s sunny outside, just place the sofa in front of a window and it will dry out in a few hours. You can send a fan to the sofa to speed up the process.
If your sofa is still smelling bad, contact a professional cleaning company.
How to remove bad smell from a sofa without getting it wet
If your sofa gets wet or sweaty, blot it up as quickly as possible with a paper towel or clean cloth. So part of the liquid is absorbed into the napkin, and the smell will not be so strong. In no case do not rub, so as not to spread the stain, just apply clean parts of the cloth to the contamination.
Vacuum the sofa and cushions with a handheld vacuum cleaner or a conventional vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment. Make sure you process the pillows on both sides. Walk well through all the cracks, hair, food debris and dust accumulate there. Use a duct tape roller to pick up any pet hair that hasn’t been picked up by the vacuum cleaner.
Sprinkle the stained area with baking soda – it works well for both stains and bad smells. Let the stain soak in for a couple of hours. Remove baking soda residue with a vacuum cleaner.
Even if your upholstery can’t get wet, washing the rest of the upholstery with soap doesn’t hurt. Prepare a solution of warm water and dishwashing detergent, dip a clean rag into it and wipe all wooden, plastic or metal parts – armrests, legs, and so on. Wipe dry with a clean cloth.
If soda does not help get rid of the unpleasant odor, seek the help of professionals.
Attention! This material is subjective, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a guide to the purchase. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.