How to Get Dog Pee Smell Out of a Couch: 10 Proven Methods
By Ed Malaker
Updated on
Owning a pet can be an amazing experience that everyone should enjoy, but it is not always fun and games cleaning up after them, and one of the biggest jobs is getting dog pee smell out of the couch. If you are experiencing this problem in your home and would like to find a remedy, you’ve come to the right place.
We’ve assembled a list of proven methods that you can use to eliminate odors and get your fabric clean so you won’t be embarrassed if unexpected guests arrive.
The 10 Methods to Get Dog Pee Smell Out of a Couch
1. Wash Removables
It may go without saying, but the first thing we recommend doing is removing anything you can from the couch, including the cushions. Remove the covers from the cushions and wash them and anything else that can go into the machine. After you’ve stripped the couch, it is a great time to vacuum because many small particles can be a source of the odor or have urine on them, which can continue to smell after the sofa is clean.
2. Use an Enzymatic Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator Spray
Next up, we recommend using a commercial enzyme cleaner. It is a more powerful approach, and unlike traditional detergents that use harmful chemicals to clean fabric, enzyme cleaners use harmless bacteria that eat the organic material causing stains and odors. Since enzymes eat the stain instead of attempting to dislodge it from the fabric, enzymes are often more effective than detergents, and since there is no chemical residue, you can use it on your couch without worrying about how you will rinse it.
Many enzyme cleaners come in a spray bottle, so they are easy to use and have clear instructions on the label.
Our favorite enzyme cleaner for eliminating pet smells and stains is our very own Hepper Advanced Bio-Enzyme Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator Spray. It makes clean-up a breeze because it permanently removes even the very worst smells and stains (urine, feces, vomit, you name it!) from basically any surface you can imagine.
- ADVANCED ENZYMATIC CLEANER - Penetrates the most stubborn smells and stains at the deepest molecular...
- FOR ANY MESS, ON ANY SURFACE - This pet odor eliminator cleans your carpets, floors, furniture,...
3. Air Clean
If you have already cleaned the sofa several times but a light odor remains, it can be helpful to put the cushions—or even the entire couch, if possible—outside to sit in the sun for a few hours on a bright, windy day. The ultraviolet light will help kill bacteria and eliminate odors, and the wind will give your furniture a naturally fresh scent.
4. Dawn Dishwashing Liquid
Dawn dishwashing liquid is an amazing cleaner that penetrates the fabric, breaks up small particles, and releases them, eliminating odors. Dawn works so well that we recommend trying it in an inconspicuous area of the couch because it can discolor the fabric by removing dirt and grime that sets in over the years from normal use.
To use Dawn dishwashing liquid for removing the dog pee smell from a couch, we recommend placing 1 teaspoon in a 16-ounce spray bottle and filling the rest with water. Spray the area where the urine smell is coming from and gently rub it with a dry cloth. Spray as much as you can without soaking the fabric, then allow it to dry overnight and inspect the results. You may need to repeat several times to eliminate the odor.
5. White Vinegar
White vinegar is another powerful cleaner that you can mix with water in a spray bottle. We recommend placing 4 to 6 ounces of vinegar into a 16-ounce spray bottle and filling the rest with water. You can then spray it onto the stain and rub it with a dry cloth as you do with the dish soap. In fact, you can combine both recipes to create a more powerful solution.
6. Baking Soda
Baking soda is a time-tested odor remover that many of us already have at home. It works especially well after dishwashing liquid or vinegar treatments. To use baking soda, you will need to sprinkle it liberally over the stain and allow it to sit for a while so it can do its magic. We recommend letting it sit for at least an hour, but the longer, the better. Afterward, you can use a vacuum to remove it, and with it, the pee smell.
Baking soda also works well on other large surfaces, like carpets.
7. Hydrogen Peroxide
Like enzymes, hydrogen peroxide attacks organic material and destroys it at the cellular level, eliminating the stain and the odor it creates. You can add it to water in a spray bottle or use a cloth to dab it directly onto the stain for more potency. You can also mix it with the other methods here to attack the stain in different ways to eliminate it.
8. Listerine
Many people might not consider it, but Listerine is a powerful antiseptic that kills germs, including those causing the pee smell. We recommend putting 2 to 4 ounces into a spray bottle of water, spraying it onto the couch, and using a dry cloth to wipe it up as we do with the other products and repeating as necessary.
9. Upholstery Cleaner
Purchasing or renting an upholstery cleaner is one of the best ways to get dog pee out of a couch. These machines can be expensive, even to rent, and they can also be quite heavy to operate because they use water, but they are quite powerful and can have your couch looking and smelling new in about an hour. While you have the machine, you can also clean the carpet and other areas your pet likes to visit.
10. Call a Professional
Sometimes even with the best efforts, we may find ourselves unable to remove the odor from our couch, and the only remaining option is to call a professional. A professional cleaner will have the knowledge, chemicals, and tools to ensure your couch no longer smells like urine. Depending on where you live, you might be able to find several furniture cleaners that are willing to come to your home.
Final Thoughts
All of the options above will help you remove the pee stain from your couch so it no longer smells bad, and many of them will work even better when combined. There are no dangerous chemical reactions that can occur from these items, so you are free to experiment to find what works best for you. In our experience, a good-quality enzyme cleaner followed by one or two baking soda treatments works best. If you need to clean the stain up quickly and don’t have an enzyme cleaner, dish detergent or white vinegar followed by baking soda also works wonders, and many of us already have these items in our homes.
We hope you have enjoyed reading over this list and found a few ideas you can try out. If we have helped you make your couch smell better, please share these ten ways to get the dog pee smell out of the couch on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).
See also:
- How to Get Dog Pee Smell Out of Brick (Proven Methods)
- How to Get Dog Pee Smell Out of Clothes and Fabrics (Proven Methods)
Featured Image Credit: Pattarit S, Shutterstock
