The ultimate guide to getting poop smells out of your couch, by an expert!

Oh dear! Your pet has pooped on your couch and you’re now wondering how to get the terrible smell out.

Fear not! All you need is a few specific products, a bit of elbow grease, et voila! 

Most pet owners have been there, you’re relaxing on your couch and suddenly, disaster strikes, your buddle of joy decides the best place to poop is on couch, right next to you. 

You automatically think you will have to chuck your couch out and buy a new one. And we all know how much they cost. But all hope is not lost. Keep reading for our ULTIMATE guide on how to get rid of that poop smell and save your couch!

There may be affiliate links in this article. You can read more about this in my disclosure.

Preparation is key!

Before you get going, make sure you prepare everything around the affected area, if you have nice rugs or objects around, clear the space to give you a good area to work with.

Make sure you wear gloves to do the cleaning, poop contains a lot of germs, all of which you don’t want to spread around, so it’s best to be safe than sorry and stay hygienic. 

Okay, you’re not ready to get started.

What will you need 

You’re going to need a few extra household items to get rid of the poop and its lingering smell. They’re all super easy to get your hands on.

First things first, find the vacuum cleaner, a bucket, gloves, a brush, and a cloth. 

It’s probably a good idea to wear some old work clothes you have; you don’t want to ruin your nice outfit. Having all of these at arms reach will make everything much easier once you start cleaning.

Try opening the window at this point, as the smell can be quite uncomfortable. 

Be speedy!

The trick is to act quickly when disaster strikes, the quicker you get to work, the less time the smell will have to set in. Don’t leave the job for tomorrow, get up and get to work!

Even if it isn’t the most pleasurable experience, to say the least. A mess that has been left overnight will be harder to get rid of and can soak through to the cushions beneath, making it extremely difficult to treat. 

Hoover up that poop! 

The first thing to do is remove any poop that is still on the couch, if your lucky and it’s solid, that’s where the hoover comes in useful. By hoovering it instead of picking it up, you’re less lightly to press down and get the poop on the fabric.

If you’re not so lucky and the poop isn’t solid, you’re faced with a whole different set of problems. 

If your sofa has a removable cover, quickly take it off to make sure it doesn’t soak through. If you can’t remove it, try taking the excess poop off with a damp towel without pressing down too hard and follow the next steps. 

Always check the labels!

Before putting any product on your couch, read the labels. Make sure the fabric isn’t delicate and/or if it can be dry cleaned.

Another expert tip is to test whatever product you will use on a test strip, just to make sure you don’t make things worse by staining or discoloring it further. 

Enzyme cleaner is our top choice for effective cleaning!

Enzyme cleaners have gained popularity for their effectiveness, the proteins help break down all the different types of organic materials.

The product gets into the tiniest of spaces, getting rid of all trace of the smell and stain. It really is a miracle worker. 

Spray the affected area, and wait at least 15 minutes, but you can wait up to 8 hours. Check the label before just to make sure as each brand comes with its own recommendations.

Cast your mind back to the brush we said you needed earlier. Now is the time to use it and scrub the stain.

You then need to blot, rinse and repeat, as many times necessary until eliminated the stain and odor. 

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Dish soap!

Once you’ve followed the previous steps, you can start using the dish soap. In your bucket, mix 1 tablespoon of dish soap with a squirt of vinegar and 2 cups of warm water.

Apply a little soap directly from the bottle to the stain, blot with soapy water with your cloth then brush the affected area. 

Make sure you don’t get the area too wet, as this will make the poop sink into the cushion underneath (for those who do not have removable covers). 

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Baking soda and vinegar, grandmas swear by it!

If all else fails, fear not, we still have plenty options. Try covering the affected area with baking soda, and let it sit for at least 20 minutes.

Get the hoover out again and remove the powder. 

You can do a homemade mix, by adding baking powder to vinegar and spraying the spot. The vinegar acts as a disinfectant and deodorizes, the baking soda will make the product bubble up, lifting out any remaining particles.

Rince or blot with water. 

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Hydrogen peroxide, in small doses and with precaution

For tough stains that STILL aren’t out after all the previous steps, you can try some serious muscle power with Hydrogen Peroxide.

Follow the previous steps with a few drops, be careful however though as this can remove the color from fabrics as it’s technically a bleach. 

Make sure you do a test run on a hidden part of the sofa just in case it goes wrong. You don’t need much, just a few drops should do the trick. 

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Rub alcohol on the stain

For people with a microfiber couch, this task is even tricker. Rubbing alcohol can be a solution to your problems, spray some over the area and start scrubbing with a white sponge.

The color (or lack of) the sponge is important, the alcohol may make any colors run, so make sure you get a white one if you don’t want to make the stain worse.

Grab your brush and you can fluff the fabric. 

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Ozium, one of the strongest odor removers out there.

Once you’ve removed the source of the smell, you can tackle the odor. The holy grail of odor removing products is Ozium.

People swear by this product, as it doesn’t just mask the odor but completely gets rid of it. The spray contains ozone gas, breaking down the smelly particles and destroying them. 

Once you’ve sprayed the room leave and close the door for at least 20 minutes, the product has quite a strong smell, that disappears, leaving you with a fresh room. 

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Make sure you let the couch dry fully before using it!

Make sure that you let all product dry completely before using your couch, if you don’t you could then be dealing with damp smells. To help speed up the process, open your windows and let some fresh air in.

The increased air circulation helps with the drying process.  Once fully dry, the smell and strain should have disappeared.

Feel free to repeat any of the steps if need be. Put some elbow grease into it and you will be able to save your sofa. 

Fabric Deodorizer can freshen up any room

From time to time, adding some fabric deodorizer can freshen up your lounge. There are plenty options available on the high street, but you can also create your own by mixing fabric conditioner with some water in a spray bottle.

This leaves a lasting fragrance on your cushions. 

Another great option are scented envelopes, that can be slipped into your cushions, releasing their scent slowly but surely into the room. 

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Want to avoid the hassle all together? Buy a cover.

It goes without saying, but the easiest, most practical solution is to buy a couch cover. You can find plenty of options online, meaning that if your pet happens to return to the scene of the crime and poop again, you’ll be prepared.

You can throw the cover into the wash directly and skip all the hassle. 

You can’t put a price on peace of mind, so it’s well worth looking into. They come in all types of fits and designs meaning that you don’t have to compromise on style, you’ll find one that fits your needs.

Pets will often recognize the smell of poop or urine and return there to do there business again. So please beware!

To wrap it up, DON’T DESPAIR. 

You don’t have to chuck away your couch if your pet has an accident on it. There are plenty of solutions and products that will help you solve the issue and avoid you having to buy a new one!

Repeat any one of these steps and slowly but surely the smell and stain with come out, and you can go back to relaxing on your sofa, in front of the television.