Owning a pet dog means that occasionally you have to deal with dog sick. My dog likes to eat grass (I have no idea why) and if we don’t get her outside quick enough she will vomit wherever she happens to be at the time, which one time was on the sofa.
The sofa she chose to vomit on fortunately had a washable cover so I could quickly swipe it off and launder it before it had a chance to sink into the cushion padding.
The key to cleaning dog sick off a sofa or couch is to remove it as soon as possible to avoid the smell impregnating further into the couch padding. Once you have the dog vomit cleaned, eliminate the smell with some Odoban or Febreze. If you have stains, use an upholstery stain remover such as Vanish or launder the cover if you can.
How to clean dog sick off a sofa
Yes, it’s yucky, but if you act quickly you can reduce long-term damage to your precious sofa from dog sick.
I hate to get graphic, but my dog does bright yellow sick which stains horribly. Fortunately, the sofa she chose to puke up on had a washable cover, but if yours isn’t washable I have a solution for you too.
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1. Clean up the mess immediately with a damp sponge or cloth
Try not to spread the vomit around as you clean it up. If the vomit has bits in it, scoop it up with a piece of card or towel. Then you will want to remove as much of the moisture as possible to prevent it from seeping further into the fabric of the couch. Dab it with a dry microfibre cloth using a clean section each time.
Another way to remove the moisture without much effort is to liberally apply baking soda to the area, then let it sit for an hour or so before vacuuming it up.
Related reading:
- How To Remove Dog Hair From Couch Cushions
- Homemade Dog Bed Deodorizer Recipe
- How Often Should You Wash Your Dog’s Blankets?
- How To Get Pet Smell Out Of A Vacuum Cleaner
- How To Stop Your Neighbours Cat Peeing On Your Front Door
- How To Stop Cats Pooping On Gravel
- What Smells Deter Cats From Pooping?
2. Remove the cover if you can
If your sofa has a removable cover take it off as soon as possible and apply a stain remover. A stain remover with enzymes in it is best because they are designed to digest protein-based stains at lower temperatures.
Vanish stain remover bar is the best stain remover I have found. It contains no bleaching agents so it can’t fade the fabric and it also has enzymes. Simply rub the bar on the stain and then launder the item according to the care label.
How to remove dog vomit stains from your sofa without removing the cover
If you can’t launder your couch cover you will need to remove the stain in place or have your sofa professionally cleaned.
Here are some steps to try at home:
- Remove as much of the dog sick as you can immediately.
- Dab the stain with a dry cloth to remove the moisture. The aim is to prevent liquid from seeping into the cushion fabric below.
- Pour a generous amount of baking soda (or bicarbonate of soda) onto the stain and leave it to sit for a few hours.
- Vacuum up the baking soda and repeat with another application if necessary.
- Apply an upholstery cleaner such as Vanish Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner to the stain and gently rub it in.
I thoroughly recommend Vanish. When my dog puked on our carpet, it worked brilliantly on removing the bright yellow staining from our beige coloured carpet.
- Allow the area to air.
- Spray with Odoban or Febreze to neutralise the odor.
Here are some more tips for removing stains on non-removal sofa cushions:
- Don’t use bleach. Using bleach will damage the fabric.
- Avoid water. Don’t pour water onto the stain because it will cause the vomit odor to seep into the inner cushion pad and will be harder to remove.
- Use an upholstery cleaner for stains such as Vanish Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner.
How to get rid of the smell of dog vomit
The key to reducing the smell of dog vomit is to get it cleaned up quickly. But what if that isn’t possible? Maybe you arrived home from work only to be greeted with some pongy sick to clean up?
Here are some things to try:
Baking soda
Baking soda has a unique ability to absorb moisture and odors. Liberally apply baking soda (or bicarbonate of soda) to the area and let it sit for several hours before vacuuming it up.
Vinegar spray
Vinegar makes for a brilliant natural deodorizing and antibacterial cleaner.
Make up a spray bottle of distilled white vinegar and spray it on the area. It will smell strongly for a while, but will eventually dissipate along with the original odor.
Febreze or Odoban
If you are in the US choose Odoban or Febreze if you are in the UK. These sprays are fantastic at removing smells permanently rather than just masking the odor.
If you have successfully removed the vomit smell but your couch still has a doggy odor. Here is some advice to get your couch smelling gorgeous again – How To Remove Dog Smell From A Leather Couch.
How to get dog vomit smell out of a microfibre couch
Here are some things to try when removing dog vomit smell from a microfibre couch:
- Make up a spray bottle of vinegar and spray the area then allow to dry.
- Sprinkle with baking soda, allow to sit for several hours and then vacuum.
- Spray with Odoban or Febreze to neutralize the odor.
