Soak up spills as much as possible, as soon as possible, to help avoid smells. Various everyday smells can permeate a couch; some are recognizable, while others might have you guessing. No matter who or what is at fault, lift an undesirable odor from fabric or leather upholstery using a stink-fighting “weapon.” Farewell, My Musty Friend Get rid of a mildew or musty scent by misting the sofa with a spray-bottle mixture of 1 cup water and 1 tablespoon white vinegar. Rub in the potion with a clean, white cloth; the vinegar should evaporate, but test the upholstery on an inconspicuous area such as a lower-back corner or under a dust ruffle for any adverse effects such as discoloration. Goodbye Stinky Go after pet or body odor on a vinyl or leather couch with a clean cloth and a mix of 1 part water to 1 part lemon juice. Lemon neutralizes odor and leaves a clean, fresh scent, but it also has bleaching properties, so rinse it from leather or vinyl with a clean, damp cloth, and don’t use it on fabric upholstery.

Neutralize pet-urine odor by steam-cleaning fabric upholstery with an enzymatic steam-cleaner shampoo designed for pet odors. For food smells or almost any powerful stench in fabric or suede, sprinkle the couch with baking soda and wait an hour or so before vacuuming up the powder. Smell Ya Later If your cleaning efforts do not remove the stench, the problem may lie deeper -- inside the cushion foam. For removable or zippered cushions, take out the foam. Place it outside in a sunny location for a few hours to let the sun’s heat kill any odor-causing bacteria. Couch fabric typically is washable, but refer to the manufacturer's washing instructions, which may recommend washing the covers on a warm-water setting. Add 1/2 cup of borax to the wash cycle along with your regular laundry detergent to boost freshening power. Hang the covers to dry to avoid shrinkage.if a smell remains and the couch is worth saving, replace the cushion. Seek the help of an upholsterer, or use the soiled materials as size guides or templates to make something new.

And Stay Out After ridding odor from your sofa, don’t get too comfortable; smells creep back in over time. Wipe down a leather couch each week. Vacuum a fabric-covered couch weekly, and sprinkle it with baking soda before vacuuming once a month. Cover an often-used sofa with a blanket or slipcover that goes with your decor -- especially if a cat or dog considers it a pet bed. vacuum cleaner price singaporeRemove the cover and toss it in the washing machine whenever it's needed. easy way to clean plastic mini blindsReferences Oconto County University of Wisconsin, Cooperative Extension: Baking Soda -- The Everyday MiracleABC: Does Vinegar Really Kill Household Germs?best vacuum cleaners for hardwood floors 2014

David Suzuki Foundation: Some Dirt on Green CleaningRetrieverPro: Urine Removal Photo Credits Jupiterimages/Creatas/Getty Images Suggest a Correction 5 Ways To De-Funk Musty Furniture Nothing's worse than finding the most amazing piece of furniture at a thrift store — and on further inspection you get hit in the face with the overwhelming smell of mildew. I recently passed up an awesome military trunk for this very reason. Soon after that loss a friend tipped me off to some very easy and successful ways to rid furniture of the funk. Now I can freely go shopping with an open mind and an open nose. Here are five helpful tips to musty funk-free furniture:Murphy's Oil Soap: The miracle product wins again. Just follow the directions and go to town. Charcoal: Charcoal is a wonderful odorless filter. Just places briquettes or bags of small pieces (from aquarium stores) in the furniture for 1-2 days and let it do its thing. When finished, just store the charcoal to be re-used at a later time.

Coffee: Ground dry coffee is a great odor remover. Place it in bowls for 24 hours to allow it to absorb the odor. Baking Soda: This well known odor remover has been around for ages. Just grab an opened box for a few days and you should be good to go. Kitty Litter: Natural clay kitty litter is another inexpensive odor absorbing option you can try. Fill a few bowls with the litter and let it sit for at least 24 hours. (Image: A very un-funky Vintage Wood Trunk from the Marissa Rocke Etsy Store)Fresh air and sunlight can help keep your couch free from mold. Items left in storage can accumulate mold and mildew, especially in damp, dark conditions. Mold thrives in moist environments, and fabrics such as upholstery can absorb moisture from the air and provide an ideal place for mold and mildew to grow. It usually appears in patches, and can give off a foul, musty odor. One of the best ways to prevent future mold growth is to keep the area and items as dry as possible. Lay down newspaper around the couch to catch any falling mold.

Brush the couch with a stiff broom or brush to loosen the spores and knock them onto the newspaper. Pick up the newspaper and throw it away. Combine 1 qt. of warm water and 1/2 tsp. of liquid hand soap in a container. Dip a sponge into the liquid and squeeze it until suds form. Apply the suds to the couch, focusing on the moldy areas. Alternatively, you can use equal parts rubbing alcohol or white vinegar and water. You can also use 1 qt. of warm water and 2 tbsp. of ammonia. Rub the upholstery with the sponge to remove any mold, rinsing and wringing the sponge as you go. If you use alcohol, rinse the upholstery with a clean, damp sponge. Dry the couch completely in a well-ventilated area or in the sunlight. Use fans or open a window, if possible. Spray the couch with fungicide that's safe for upholstery. Allow it to dry before using. /Getty Images Suggest a CorrectionIf you have a couch that has been in storage for a long period of time, it may have become affected by mildew. In some conditions, mildew can develop even when the furniture is in use.

Here are some steps that should be followed to ensure that it is efficiently cleaned to leave it looking good, smelling fresh, and ready for use. In order to ensure that you are aware of the full extent of the mildew damage, you must start by examining it. Check every surface of the furniture even if the mildew only appears to affect a certain section, remembering to check the underside as well. Where possible, remove any slip covers to check whether the mildew is growing on the surface beneath. In addition to sight, pay attention to any aromas produced from the material, especially where there doesn’t appear to be any mildew on the surface. If your couch's label is still attached, you can use this opportunity to check whether it outlines any chemicals that should not be used in cleaning. Move the piece of furniture outside, if possible, to work on it to avoid leaving any mildew spores floating around your home. This will also give the mildew the opportunity to dry out, which will make it easier to remove.

Avoid working in direct sunlight to prevent any patterns and/or colors from fading. When you are only able to work inside, ensure that the room is properly ventilated using windows and extractor fans. Prevent cross contamination by sealing the door of the room so that spores cannot travel around your home. After donning a protective mask and rubber glove, you should start by dry wiping the couch. Use a cloth when dealing with leather furniture and a scrubbing brush on other materials. Gently wipe or brush away from you in a downward motion to avoid coming into contact with any spores. Discard the rag when the process is complete to avoid contaminating anything else. When you need to clean a leather couch, combine half a cup of water with half a cup of rubbing alcohol. Dampen a clean cloth with this mixture and wipe the area affected by the mildew. Regularly rinse the cloth being used as well. Then, leave the area to dry and check whether any marks remain after you're through.