Quick & easy Hacks to Treat Furniture Stains and Odor, keeping your home fresh and lovely! Discover simple solutions to restore your pieces.
In a world where keeping up with the cost of living is becoming increasingly difficult, preserving your assets is protecting your pocketbook. Buying a new couch every time the old one becomes laden with stains and odors is wasteful to the planet and your wallet.
Fortunately, the right hacks treat furniture stains and odor with ease. Knowing the ropes even opens the doors to refurbishing secondhand couches to outfit your space — or starting a lucrative side hustle. Here’s what to do.
Common Causes of Furniture Odors
Before you can properly treat furniture odors, you must identify the source. Here are five of the most common culprits and hacks to remove them.
1. Cigarette Smoke
Of all the furniture odors out there, cigarette smoke may be the most insidious. It can seem like no matter what you do, the couch makes the entire room reek vaguely like a Vegas casino.
If treating fabric, check to see if you have removable slipcovers — some have zippers that make them machine-washable. If so, use your washing machine on the hottest setting. Adding a bit of Borax with your standard detergent may improve odor removal. Be aware that scent beads can stain some fabrics.
You’ll also need to treat the foam inserts. Place them in the bathtub with warm water and a few tablespoons of laundry detergent. Squeeze the foam, allowing the mixture to fully penetrate the material before rinsing and placing it outside to dry.
Treat furniture with non-removable covers with a steam cleaning machine. You may need to go over the fabric multiple times to remove the odor. Adding a teaspoon of vinegar to the water mixture helps.
The creme de la creme of cigarette smoke odor removal is an ozone machine. Place the furniture in an enclosed room free of people, pets and houseplants. Run the machine per the manufacturer’s recommendations. Please be aware that ozone is hazardous to living things and isn’t great for the environment — use this method sparingly.
2. Body Odor
Body odor usually isn’t as insidious as smoke. You’ll rarely have to go to the extremes listed above. One of the following simple methods should work.
One is to mix baking soda with 30 drops of essential oil, using a fork to blend it. Sprinkle the mixture on your couch, let it set for several minutes to hours, then vacuum. You can also make a refresher spray with the same baking soda and essential oil mixture. Blend it with two cups of distilled water and spray it on fabrics to quickly eliminate odors and refresh fabrics.
You can also create a signature scent by regularly misting your couches and chairs with this mixture. Doing so may even improve your health. A 2022 meta-analysis found that aromatherapy eases stress and improves sleep among heart disease patients, and other studies show its effectiveness for anxiety.
3. Food
If spaghetti sauce splatters leave your couch smelling like garlic, take quick action by immediately wiping up the mess. Then, attack it with a DIY stain and odor fighter consisting of one cup of water, one tablespoon of white vinegar and one teaspoon of clear dishwashing soap. Spray it on the spot and blot it up, allowing it to dry. The acids in vinegar neutralize the scent.
4. Pets
General doggie odor responds well to the vinegar and baking soda methods described above. However, tough stains and messes may require cigarette-style treatments.
5. Garbage
Treat garbage smells as you would body or pet odors.
Furniture Stains and Approaches for Each One
Certain stains are harder to remove from furniture than others, but the right tricks make it easier.
6. Red Wine
Red wine causes much consternation, as the tannins can stain fabrics. Begin by blotting up the excess, but do not rub — it pushes the molecules deeper into the fabric, making the stain harder to remove. Dab the spot with distilled water or club soda unless you can remove the slipcover — if so, rinse it in cold water.
Pour salt or baking soda on the stain, leaving it there for as long as several hours, replacing it when it turns pink. It will change color as it absorbs the tannins.
7. Blood
Blood stains aren’t as scary as they seem. Cold water is your first line of defense. If you get blood stains on your mattress, soaking them with hydrogen peroxide does the trick, but this substance can stain colored fabrics. Instead, look for an enzyme-based solution such as Krud Kutter to quickly remove the mess.
8. Oil and Grease
Treating oil and grease may require a combination of the red wine and blood approaches. After blotting the excess, apply a starch like baking soda, cornstarch or talcum powder, giving it 20 minutes or longer to absorb. Vacuum and replace if necessary. If the starchy stuff fails to remove the stain, look for an enzyme-based cleaner.
Special Care for Unique Surfaces
The instructions above apply to nearly all fabric furniture. However, some surfaces require a special touch. For example, while you can use the above techniques on leather, avoid saturating the material and consider following up with a conditioner. Synthetic leather and wood composites also require delicate handling — perform a spot test in an inconspicuous location before treating larger areas.
Hack to Treat Furniture Stains and Odor
Throwing out old couches and chairs that become stained and affected by odor creates unnecessary waste. Treating the problem saves you money and treads lightly on the planet. Learning the right hacks to treat furniture stains and odor keeps your home fresh and clean, and mastering the art may have your friends turning to you for help refreshing their abodes.
Hacks to Treat Furniture Stains and Odor. Hacks to Treat Furniture Stains and Odor.Hacks to Treat Furniture Stains and Odor
Cora’s passion is to inspire others to live a happy, healthful, and mindful life through her words on Revivalist – wholeheartedly convincing them that everyday moments are worth celebrating. Cora has spent 5+ years writing for numerous lifestyle sites – hence her sincere love for both life and the beauty of style in all things. Keep up with Cora on Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook.
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