Eliminate unpleasant odors emanating from the sofa with these simple methods
Is there an unpleasant odor given off every time you sit down on the sofa or armchairs? Well, this could be the result of dirt accumulated over time from pets, smoke, soot, dust and more. So, how best to deal with this problem? Well, apart from washing the upholstery, you can use some alternative, DIY methods. Read on to find out more:
Baking soda or white vinegar
There are two products which are great deodorizers (when used properly). These are:
- Baking soda: Using baking soda as a deodorizer is very easier. Get a fine-mesh strainer, put a few spoonfuls of baking soda into it, and use the stainer to sprinkle the soda uniformly over the sofa/armchairs, getting it onto the backrests too. Leave to act for an hour, then vacuum up thoroughly.
- Vinegar: Get a fine-misting spray bottle, and fill it with white vinegar. If you want a slightly more delicate liquid, use a 50/50 distilled water to vinegar mix. The best type of vinegar for this task is distilled or alcoholic vinegar. Spray all over the sofa/armchairs, but don't soak them and ventilate the room properly. After a while, the acrid smell of the vinegar will disappear - along with the other unpleasant odors!
Activated carbon and DIY perfumes
Activated carbon is a porous form of carbon that traps odors naturally. It can easily stain fabrics, however, so it should be placed in fabric bags that will prevent it coming into direct contact with upholstery.
Once in bags, place it in the corners of the sofa, under the seats or behind the backrests - or anywhere there is no risk of anyone sitting on the bags. The bags can be left for weeks, capturing unpleasant odors. When exhausted, put the activated carbon in direct sunlight to "reactivate" it!
As for perfumes, in addition to those you can buy for fabrics, you can make one at home. A very simple way of doing this is to dilute 20 drops of an essential oil of your choice into a 500 ml spray bottle of distilled water. Again, use a fine-mist spray setting and do not soak the upholstery!
Do you have any favorite perfumes you'd use on the upholstery of your sofas and armchairs?
