3 Ways To Clean Pee Off A Couch - WikiHow
Maybe your like
- Log in / Sign up
- Using Vinegar and Baking Soda |
- Using Hydrogen Peroxide |
- Using an Enzyme Cleaner |
- When to Call a Pro |
- Preventing Future Accidents |
- Why does urine smell so bad? |
- Video |
- Tips |
- Warnings
This article was co-authored by Michelle Driscoll, MPH and by wikiHow staff writer, Raven Minyard, BA. Michelle Driscoll is a professional cleaner based in Fort Collins, Colorado. With over 7 years of experience, Michelle is the founder of Mulberry Maids, specializing in cleaning homes and small offices. Mulberry Maids services Northern Colorado, including Fort Collins and Loveland, and offers a variety of services, including commercial cleaning, move-in and move-out cleaning, and regular home cleaning. Michelle holds a Master's in Public Health from the Colorado School of Public Health. Additionally, Mulberry Maids has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 601,379 times.
Urine stains have a strong odor, so it can be frustrating to discover them on your couch. Luckily, you can easily remove the stain (and the smell) from your sofa using a few basic ingredients you likely already have. In this article, we’ll teach you all the best ways to clean pee off a couch, including using vinegar and baking soda, a hydrogen peroxide solution, and an enzyme cleaner. Plus, learn when to call a professional cleaner and how to prevent future accidents.
Getting Urine Out of a Couch
Absorb any excess pee with a cloth. For fresh pee, spray the area with 1 part vinegar and 4 parts water, scrub, sprinkle with baking soda, let it sit overnight, then vacuum up the spot. If a pet or animal made the mess, spray the area with enzyme cleaner, let it sit for 15 minutes, blot the spot, and let it air-dry.
Steps
Section 1 of 6:Using Vinegar and Baking Soda
-
1 Blot the stain with a paper towel. If the stain is still fresh, pat the wet spot with a paper towel (or absorbent cloth) until it’s mostly dry, using new paper towels as needed. Don’t rub the stain or you’ll spread it further into the fabric of the couch. Act as quickly as possible; if the pee settles on the couch for too long, it will become more difficult to remove.[1] - If the stain is old and dry, skip this step.
-
2 Spray the spot with a mixture of vinegar and water. Mix 1 part distilled white vinegar with 4 parts water in a spray bottle. Spray the urine stain until it’s completely saturated. This will re-wet the stain to ensure it’s completely removed from your couch, as well as remove the smell.[2] - The vinegar and water solution neutralizes the ammonia in the urine, which in turn breaks up the smell.
- If your stain smells really bad, using 100% vinegar will neutralize the odor.
- If the stain is old and dry, consider using a steam cleaner with vinegar to tackle the built-in odors.
- Don’t use this solution on microfiber, as water stains it. Use rubbing alcohol instead since it dries quickly and doesn’t leave water stains.[3]
-
3 Scrub the stain with a sponge. Working from the outside in, scrub the vinegar-soaked stain hard with a sponge to get all the pee out of the couch fibers and surface so that there’s no odor or stain left behind. Be sure to use a sponge you don’t mind tossing out when you’re done.[4] -
4 Sprinkle baking soda on the fabric while it’s still wet. Baking soda is great at neutralizing and removing odors like urine. Use enough baking soda to thoroughly cover the wet spot—about 1 cup (520 g) should be sufficient. Spread it evenly, but not too thickly, across the entire stain.[5] - Feel free to add 10 drops of your favorite essential oil to the baking soda before you apply it if you want to add a pleasant smell to the fabric.
-
5 Let the baking soda sit overnight, then vacuum it up. In general, it’s best to let the baking soda sit for at least 12 hours to ensure the fabric underneath it is dry. If you’re in a hurry, however, check the spot after 4-6 hours. Once the couch is completely dry, run a vacuum cleaner over the spot to remove the baking soda. The stain and the smell should be gone.[6] Advertisement
Using a Hydrogen Peroxide Cleaning Solution
-
1 Soak up excess pee with a cloth. If the stain is still fresh, pat it with a cloth to absorb as much urine as possible. Don’t press too hard, as this will spread the urine further into the couch. Paper towels or a wet/dry vacuum will also work on fresh pee stains.[7] - If the stain is already dry, skip this step.
-
2 Mix a solution of hydrogen peroxide, dish soap, and baking soda. Put 2-3 drops of dish soap, 3 tbsp (42 g) of baking soda, and 1.25 c (300 mL) of 3% hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle and shake it to mix the solution. The hydrogen peroxide will disinfect the fabric and break down the acid in the pee, making the stain easier to remove.[8] - If you don’t have any hydrogen peroxide, substitute it with white vinegar.
- If your couch is made of microfiber, opt for an enzyme cleaner instead.
-
3 Spray the solution onto the urine stain and let it soak for 1 hour. Be sure to fully saturate the stain when you spray the couch so the solution can really break down the urine. Don’t blot it up right away—let it sit for about an hour to give it time to work.[9] -
4 Rinse the solution residue away with a damp cloth. Gently blot the stain with a damp rag to rinse the soap out, then blot it again with a clean, dry cloth. It should only take a few hours for the spot to dry, and then your couch should be good as new.[10] Advertisement
Using an Enzyme Cleaner
-
1 Purchase an enzyme cleaner designed for use on upholstery. Enzyme cleaners are powerful stain and odor removers. Purchase one online or from a big-box or pet store, making sure the product is formulated for urine stains and the fabric your couch is made out of.[11] - It’s in your best interest to purchase a high-quality enzyme cleaner. While it may be more expensive, it will typically work better—meaning you won’t have to reapply it.
- Alternatively, make your own enzyme cleaner with citrus peels, brown sugar, yeast, and water. This takes at least a month to ferment, however, so plan to make it ahead of time.
-
2 Soak up excess urine with an old rag. Use a rag you don’t mind tossing out (or some paper towels) to blot up fresh pee stains. Avoid rubbing the stain, as this can push the urine deeper into the fabric. Swap out your rag or paper towel as it becomes saturated until no more urine lifts from the couch.[12] - If you intend to keep and reuse the rag, be sure to wash it afterwards and don’t use it on your dishes.
- Skip this step if the stain is old and dry.
-
3 Saturate the stain with the enzyme cleaner. It’s not enough to spritz the spot—soak it thoroughly. Be sure to douse the entire area, including the edges and any drops or drizzles. The enzyme cleaner will soak into the fabric and break down the uric acid in the urine.[13] - Enzyme cleaners work especially well for cleaning cat or dog urine.
-
4 Blot the spot dry after 15 minutes. Allow the enzyme cleaner to soak into the fabric for about 15 minutes so it has time to break down the urine. Then, press a clean, old rag into the fabric to soak up as much of the cleaner and urine as possible. Repeat until no more moisture transfers to the rag. You may need several rags if the spot is large.[14] -
5 Allow the fabric to air-dry completely. There’s no need to rinse the area. As the cleaner evaporates, so will the uric acid that was broken down into ammonia and carbon dioxide. To prevent your family members or pets from sitting on the wet spot, cover it with something water-resistant, like aluminum foil, until it dries completely.[15] Advertisement
When to Hire a Professional Cleaner
-
Hire a pro if you can’t remove the stain or odor yourself. Urine is a surfactant, meaning it can break down surface tension to easily penetrate the fabric and padding of your couch. Because of this, topical treatments can’t always fully remove the stain or odor. If this is the case, consider hiring a professional cleaner to tackle the stain for you.[16] - Professional cleaners often have stronger cleaning solutions and equipment unavailable to the public, so they may be able to remove the stain more easily and effectively.
- Some cleaning solutions can also damage delicate fabrics, so it may also be a good idea to call a professional if your couch is particularly delicate.
Preventing Future Accidents
-
1 Consistently potty train pets. Accidents happen, but it’s important to encourage pets to use a designated spot to relieve themselves. When potty training dogs or other pets, be sure to give them regular bathroom breaks outside or in their designated bathroom area. This will help prevent them from holding it all day and relieving themselves on your couch.[17] - If you’re also potty training toddlers, encourage them to let you know when they need to use the restroom to avoid accidents. If a toddler is acting squirmy or distracted, or grabbing at their crotch, this could signify that they need to pee, so it might be best to keep them off the couch just in case.
- If a cat peed on your couch, this might mean that it is marking its territory, which is called spraying. This is most common among unneutered tomcats, although neutered tomcats and female cats (known as mollies, or queens if nursing or pregnant) may do so as well. If you have an unneutered tomcat who sprays, getting him neutered may stop him doing it.
- Both cats and dogs may pee in the wrong place if they have a UTI or similar. If a previously housetrained pet starts peeing in the wrong place again, especially if there are other symptoms as well, take them to the vet.
- If a child is known to wet the bed, do not let them sleep on the couch.
-
2 Get protective covers for your couch. To protect your couch from urine and other stains, consider using a waterproof or stain-resistant cover. These covers slide over the couch to protect the fabric underneath, and they’re easy to remove and wash when needed.[18] -
3 Set house rules about using the couch. If you have pets, consider setting rules about whether or not they’re allowed on the couch and make sure the rest of your household follows these rules. If you have trouble with other stains, it may also be a good idea to set rules about eating and drinking on or near the couch.[19] -
4 Choose stain-resistant fabrics. When picking out a new couch (or reupholstering an old one), choose fabrics that are known to be stain-resistant, like leather or microfiber. While these fabrics can still become stained, they’re easier to clean and less likely to get ruined. -
5 Clean up messes and spills as soon as possible. The quicker you’re able to clean up spills or accidents, the less likely they’ll stain. Use a clean cloth or paper towel to blot up as much liquid as possible.[20] Additionally, vacuum and clean your couch regularly to remove dirt, dust, and pet hair and prevent potential stains. Advertisement
Why does urine smell so bad?
-
Urine smells bad because of its chemical composition. Urine is a type of waste, so it contains components like bacteria and uric acid. These compounds are particularly resilient and cannot be broken down by regular cleaning products. Because of this, the odor tends to linger unless you use a specialized cleaner, like an enzyme cleaner, to break down the uric acid.[21]
Expert Q&A
Search Add New Question Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Submit AdvertisementVideo
Tips
- If your couch has vintage upholstery, your best bet is to contact a professional cleaning service to prevent damage to the fabric. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 0
- Test the product you plan to use on an unnoticeable spot on the fabric first. If you notice discoloration or damage, try a different method. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 1
- These cleaning methods also work for removing urine from car seats, carpet, and mattresses. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 1
Warnings
- Avoid using bleach to clean up urine because the ammonia in the pee combined with bleach can create a toxic gas. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
You Might Also Like
References
- ↑ https://www.cleaninginstitute.org/cleaning-tips/parents-and-caregivers/pets-and-clean-home
- ↑ https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/home-living/dog-urine-stains/
- ↑ https://lifehacker.com/remove-stains-from-a-microfiber-couch-with-water-or-rub-1676765441
- ↑ https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/home-living/dog-urine-stains/
- ↑ https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/home-living/dog-urine-stains/
- ↑ https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/home-living/dog-urine-stains/
- ↑ https://www.cleaninginstitute.org/cleaning-tips/parents-and-caregivers/pets-and-clean-home
- ↑ https://www.today.com/home/how-remove-pee-urine-stains-clothing-furniture-t108472
- ↑ https://www.today.com/home/how-remove-pee-urine-stains-clothing-furniture-t108472
- ↑ https://www.lovetoknow.com/home/cleaning/get-pee-smell-out-couch-118242
- ↑ https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/home-living/dog-urine-stains/
- ↑ https://www.cleaninginstitute.org/cleaning-tips/parents-and-caregivers/pets-and-clean-home
- ↑ https://catcentric.org/care-and-health/removing-cat-urine/
- ↑ https://catcentric.org/care-and-health/removing-cat-urine/
- ↑ https://catcentric.org/care-and-health/removing-cat-urine/
- ↑ https://www.lovetoknow.com/home/cleaning/get-pee-smell-out-couch-118242
- ↑ https://www.humaneworld.org/en/resources/how-remove-pet-stains-and-odors
- ↑ https://www.lovetoknow.com/home/cleaning/get-pee-smell-out-couch-118242
- ↑ https://www.lovetoknow.com/home/cleaning/get-pee-smell-out-couch-118242
- ↑ https://www.lovetoknow.com/home/cleaning/get-pee-smell-out-couch-118242
- ↑ https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/you-asked/why-does-cat-urine-smell-so-bad-and-what-can-i-do-about-it
About This Article
To clean pee off of a couch, first, blot the stain with paper towels until it's mostly dry. Avoid rubbing the stain, as this will push the pee further into the fabric. Once the pee is soaked up, spray 1 part distilled white vinegar and 4 parts water onto the stain until the fabric is completely soaked. If you have a microfiber couch, use rubbing alcohol instead, since water and vinegar can make the stain worse. After soaking the stain, scrub at it with a sponge before sprinkling the wet spot with a layer of baking soda. Let the baking soda sit overnight and soak up any odors before vacuuming it up. For more tips from our co-author, like how to use an enzyme cleaner, scroll down. Did this summary help you?YesNo
In other languages Spanish German Indonesian Russian Dutch French Portuguese Hindi Chinese Vietnamese Korean Thai Japanese- Send fan mail to authors
Reader Success Stories
-
D. Mergl
Sep 17, 2022
"As suggested in the article, I used an alcohol wipe to remove wax from a glass table. Wiped it up like it was water. No residue. "..." more Rated this article:
Did this article help you?
Yes No
Advertisement If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. D. Mergl
Sep 17, 2022
"As suggested in the article, I used an alcohol wipe to remove wax from a glass table. Wiped it up like it was water. No residue. "..." more Rated this article:Josh Wayne
Oct 12, 2019
"I was able to remove all the stains. Thanks so much for this article." Share yours! More success stories Hide success storiesQuizzes & Games
You Might Also Like
Featured Articles
Trending Articles
Featured Articles
Featured Articles
Watch Articles
Trending Articles
Quizzes & Games
- Categories
- Home and Garden
- Housekeeping
- Stain Removal
- Home
- About wikiHow
- Experts
- Jobs
- Contact Us
- Site Map
- Terms of Use
- Privacy Policy
- Do Not Sell or Share My Info
- Not Selling Info
- Contribute
Follow Us
×wikiHow Tech Help Pro:
Develop the tech skills you need for work and life
Let's do this! X --Tag » How To Get Pee Out Of A Couch
-
How To Remove Urine Smell From Your Couch - Electrodry
-
How To Remove Pee, Urine Stains From Clothing And Furniture - TODAY
-
How To Remove Pee And Urine From Couch (Works For Mattresses Too!)
-
How To Clean Urine Off A Couch - Fantastic Services
-
How To Get Pee Smell Out Of A Couch: 6 Effective Methods - Cleaning
-
Uh Oh! Removing Urine From Furniture - CROOKSTON PET CLINIC
-
How To Get Human Urine Smell Out Of A Couch (and Other Furniture)
-
How To Get The Pee Smell Out Of Your Couch - Woodhaven Furniture
-
How To REMOVE STAINS And PEE On Couch And Mattress!! (So ...
-
How To Get Urine Out Of Couch Cushions - Hunker
-
3 Methods To Get Pee Out Of A Couch - Diaper Wiki
-
How To Clean Your Dirty Couch Pee Stains Coffee ... - YouTube
-
How To Get Pee And Urine Smell Out Of Couch [7 Simple Ways]
-
How To Clean Dog Urine From Couch Cushions | Bean Bags R Us