6 Ways to Remove Unpleasant Smells from Your Couch (and They Actually Work!)

• Remove an odor from your couch by airing out the cushions and covers.
• Cover an unpleasant scent using baking soda or air fresheners.
• If all else fails, try using a slipcover to mask the scent and give the couch a new life.

There’s nothing worse than musty-smelling furniture, and this is particularly true if your sofa is the piece in question. It’s hard to relax when bad odors are in the air, but luckily there’s plenty you can do to mitigate the problem.

As we ease into spring cleaning season, now is a great time to tackle a sofa refresh. With this in mind, we’ve rounded up six effective ways to improve your sofa’s scent and kick the odors out the door.

Remove Covers and Hang Outside

If you’re dealing with an unidentified odor that can best be described as “musty,” fresh air is your friend. Throw open the windows, and, if you can, strip down your sofa's cushions.

Once all your cushion covers are removed, get them outside and hang them in the fresh air for a bit. You should do the same with any throw pillows, or possibly even toss them in the washing machine if possible. 

And finally, before replacing your covers, give your seat cushions a good plumping. This should help to circulate the smell out of existence. 

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Vacuum Thoroughly 

If food is the source of your smells, a thorough vacuuming session should be a big help. It’s important to really get in between all the cracks and crevices, so remove all your throw pillows and seat cushions, and be sure to make the most of your vacuum’s attachments for this job. 

Most importantly, if it turns out this is the source of your sofa’s odors, it might be time to consider adding this chore to your regularly cleaning list. 

Use Air Freshener Sprays 

As a general rule, it’s best to find the source of an odor issue and resolve that first, but once you’ve done that, it’s possible the smell will linger. This is especially true if the scent is caused by an animal.

If that’s the case, consider a laundry or fabric spray. You can buy these ready-made, or you can make your own.

1. Fill an empty spray bottle with distilled water or boiled tap water.
2. Add one tablespoon of baking soda.
3. Add drops of your favorite essential oil or fresh lemon juice.
4. Consider adding a few drops of rubbing alcohol if an antibacterial element is needed.

Sprinkle Baking Soda

If you’re dealing with a truly stubborn smell like animal pee, baking soda is a great solution. Simply sprinkle it on your sofa cushions or on the problem area, leave to sit, and vacuum up.

Do be sure to check your upholstery’s fabric requirements first as it might not be an ideal option for something with a higher pile, such as velvet. But for other fabrics, this is an easy and effective fix. 

Try a Steam Cleaner

If you can't remove your cushion covers or the problem seems fairly straightforward, give steam cleaning a try. This can be a great way to remove any odors, as steam cleaning also has an antibacterial element to it.

Be sure to use any upholstery attachments, and once again, ensure the fabric can handle a the steam. You should also be sure to give your sofa a thorough vacuum before steam cleaning.

Add a Slipcover

If all else fails and the odor lingers, it might be time to invest in a new sofa. But that can also be a costly endeavor, so if a sizable splurge isn't possible at the moment, you can look into adding a slipcover.

Depending on the scents at play, this might only be a temporary solution—especially if you’re looking to resolve the issue before hosting guests.

But for a quick fix, there are plenty of slipcovers on the market that look great and can cover up any lingering odors that your sofa cushions just can't seem to shake.