Pet Urine in the Couch

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alasta

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#227511 9-Jan-2018 20:37

Apologies for what is not the most pleasant topic, but unfortunately a friend of mine was looking after a dog which has urinated on her couch and I'm wondering if anyone has any advice on dealing with this. I'm not sure whether it has gone through to the foam core of the cushions, but I'm guessing it's likely.

Google is full of advice on various different techniques and products, but I'm wondering if anyone has had first hand experience of anything that actually works? I'm guessing that soaking the cushions is not a good idea because it might be impossible to fully dry the foam core and it could subsequently rot. The dry cleaners are willing to have a go but can't guarantee a result.

I'm really hoping that the cushions aren't a write-off because I'm guessing they will be expensive to replace.

kryptonjohn

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#1933166 9-Jan-2018 20:49

Unzip and remove the cushion covers and put them through the wash. Soak then dry the cushions. If they still smell after that soak them again. Should be fine.

vexxxboy

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#1933178 9-Jan-2018 21:00

try fur-breze , it worked getting rid of the smell of milk spilled over my car seat , nothing to lose.

Common sense is not as common as you think.

alasta

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#1933179 9-Jan-2018 21:00

Thanks. She seems to think she can't remove the covers but I will get her to check because I thought it was standard for them to have zips on them. The ones on my couch certainly do.

Batman

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#1933180 9-Jan-2018 21:01

Insurance

kryptonjohn

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#1933181 9-Jan-2018 21:02

alasta:

Thanks. She seems to think she can't remove the covers but I will get her to check because I thought it was standard for them to have zips on them. The ones on my couch certainly do.

Yeah that would be really unusual.

neb

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#1933276 10-Jan-2018 02:16

alasta:
Google is full of advice on various different techniques and products, but I'm wondering if anyone has had first hand experience of anything that actually works?

Skout's Honor Urine Destroyer. It'll take several days for it to do its work on the urine, and you'll want to keep whatever you've sprayed in a well-ventilated area for the first few days (either that or don't stay in the same room for any length of time), but it completely gets rid of the urine scent.

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firefuze

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#1933278 10-Jan-2018 02:25

Batman:

Insurance

Had to claim insurance when a cat used my backseat of the car as a toilet. Tried everything Google had on offer, thought it had made a difference until..... following day I came back to the car after it being locked up and outside in the sun for the day while at work. I almost couldn't drive the car home the stench was that bad, was incredibly overpowering, made my throat itchy.

Insurance spent nearly a week trying to rid the smell, all of the inner foam had to be replaced, covers treated and refitted, one seatbelt had to be replaced and even a couple plastic trimmings around the seat also replaced!

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#1933295 10-Jan-2018 07:18

Pet urine cannot be gotten rid of. Go on, spend hundreds, but in the end you got to get rid of the couch/carpet whatever, along with the $$$ you just poured onto it.

BTR

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#1933340 10-Jan-2018 08:46

Sounds like its time for a good ole fashion couch burning!! Claim insurance and give the old couch to some students.

Rickles

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#1933381 10-Jan-2018 09:48

As owner (over time) of several cats and dog, I have experienced the odd 'accident' ... one of the reasons we always had leather furniture.

However, the carpet did suffer once or twice, and even though diluting, shampooing and drying will get rid of marks and smell, the damage to rubber or foam underlay is permanent and relentless thereafter. Some 10 years after one such clean up we installed new carpet ... the spot where we thought it was clean had rotted the underlay and stained the floor boards.

So, if you have cloth-covered sofa/cushions, then washing, dry-cleaning etc may remove the marks and smell, but frankly the integrity will never be the same.

A lot depends on how quickly one got to the cleanup stage too, and how far the spill had 'run' ... you'd be surprised how it seeps through everything <s>.

Insurance may cover replacement cushions, but if rest of sofa frame shows signs of staining, go for whole replacement and a lesson learned.

alasta

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#1935806 10-Jan-2018 19:21

Thanks everyone. I will suggest the products noted above as a short term fix, with the understanding that the couch is probably buggered longer term. Unfortunately it is an unusual L-shaped corner design which has the base cushions attached to the frame, so it is really restrictive.

If she can just get rid of the smell for now then it will hopefully give her some time to save up for a new one as money is a bit tight.

She is also going to check with her insurer.