Between pets, kids, food, everyday use, or long-lasting storage, fabric upholstery can absorb unpleasant smells. Keep your chairs and couches smelling fresh and clean to prevent unpleasantness for you and your loved ones and humiliation when guests arrive. For many smells, home cleaning measures are enough to freshen up your furniture, however, if your problem is more severe, consider hiring a professional carpet cleaning service. Odor absorbed from cigarette smoke is particularly difficult to eliminate.

Check the manufacturer’s tag for cleaning instructions. Cleaning stains and spills from the fabric may remove the cause of the odor. Some labels use a code to indicate what kind of cleaning agent is safe to use for that kind of cloth. “W” indicates water-based cleaning products such as upholstery shampoo or mild detergent. Spot clean, using the product to prevent over-wetting the material which can cause shrinking and water stains. “S” indicates a solvent such as dry cleaning goods or rubbing alcohol. “WS” means you can use either water- or solvent-based cleaning solutions. “X” tells you not to use any cleaning products on the cloth.

Vacuum your furniture using a hand-held attachment. Turn over the cushions and vacuum under. This removes pet hair, food crumbs and other debris that could be creating unpleasant scents. Vacuum your couches and chairs about once each week to keep them clean.

Air out your furniture outside or open the windows. If your furniture was in storage and smells a little musty or it’s been exposed short-term to cigarette smoke, only allowing it to air out could go a very long way.

Sprinkle baking soda on your own furniture and let it sit for at least 30 minutes or overnight for heavy smells. Then vacuum it up, taking lingering smells using it.

Mist your furniture lightly with white vinegar in a spray bottle and let it air dry. You will smell the vinegar as you spray it on but it is going to dry odorless. Avoid using standard fabric or air fresheners. They simply mask the scent, which usually results in a blend of this air freshener scent and the original bad scent.

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