EFW said, “I can’t find a tag on my couch. It is stained from animals people sitting in it, but an animal also pooped on it. Any suggestions for the general stains and also to disinfect the pooped on areas when there is no tag?!? Thanks!”
Feces can get onto a couch from a leaky diaper, an accident while sick, or even from a pet. When it’s from a pet, there is the extra problem of needing to get rid of odors that we can’t smell but they can in order to prevent them from soiling the area again. Regardless of the type of feces, the steps below can help you to remove the stains and smell from the upholstery.
Always test a cleaning solution, including plain water, on a hidden area of the upholstery first to look for any adverse reaction, especially when you are unsure of the cleaning requirements for the item.
Removing the Stain
You Will Need:
- A plastic scraper
- A dustpan
- A plastic bag
- Baking soda
- A cloth
- Pet enzyme cleaner
- Hydrogen peroxide
Steps to Remove the Stain:
- If the poop is old or dried, use a plastic scraper and a dustpan to remove it from the surface of the fabric. Try not to grind the waste into the fibers of the fabric as you remove it.¹
- If the poop is solid and fresh, put your hand inside a plastic bag, use the bag to pick up the poop, then fold the bag back over your hand to wrap it around the poop.¹
- If there is any liquid waste, such as with diarrhea, sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda over the area. Let the baking soda sit on the area for an hour or until the waste dries, then scrape off the waste and vacuum up the remaining powder.
- Dampen a cloth, wring it out so that it is not dripping, and press the cloth onto the stained area. Continue pressing the cloth onto the area, rotating it to a clean spot each time, until not more diarrhea or waste is transferred to the cloth.²
- Select a pet enzyme cleaner that is safe for upholstery, such as Kids ‘N’ Pets Stain and Odor Remover. Follow the instructions on the bottle of your selected cleaner to treat the stain.¹
- If the poop has not left a stain, you can use 3% hydrogen peroxide to disinfect the area instead. Peroxide is a mild bleach, so it is important to test it on a small, hidden area first to look for any adverse reaction with the upholstery. If safe, pour a small amount on the area, then blot up the excess liquid with paper towels.²
- Repeat the process with your selected cleaner until the stain is gone.¹
- If any odor remains, sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda over the area. Leave the baking soda in place for several hours or overnight, then vacuum it up. Repeat as many times as needed to fully remove the odor.³
Additional Tips and Advice
- If a liquid, such as urine or diarrhea, is allowed to sit on upholstery for very long without any kind of treatment, it can seep deep into the padding of the seat. For this reason, it may be necessary to repeat the treatment of an old stain several times or to allow the cleaner to soak deep into the upholstery as well.⁴
Sources
- Pet Clean-Up Made Easy by Don Aslett
- Cleaning Plain & Simple by Donna Smallin
- Joey Green’s Cleaning Magic
- Don Aslett’s Stainbuster’s Bible
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