How to Get Vomit Smell Out of Leather Couch?

If you want to learn how to get vomit smell out of leather couch after a night of drinks with your friends, then you’re just in the right guide!

In this tutorial, I will discuss how you can get rid of the vomit odor from your leather couch!

We’ll touch on a few different ingredients and methods you can use to remove the foul odor.

You can take out the smell of vomit off the leather couch by first cleaning it with an antibacterial detergent or cleaner. Then, spray water to rinse it, and soak it in baking soda. Use a cleaning solvent to cleanse it deeply, and let it air dry outside for at least a day.

To understand the process better, let us briefly talk about the few different components and ingredients you can use for removing puke or vomit odor.

What Materials Can You Use to Remove Vomit Odor From Leather Couches?

Getting rid of vomit smell can seem difficult and annoying, but you can do it correctly if you use the correct sets of products.

Here’s the list of the components and materials you can use to clean vomit and get rid of its smell on your leather couch.

1. Leather Cleaner

Of course, the first option needs to be professional products as they’ve been engineered to remove any type of staining smell on leather surfaces.

2. Baking Soda

Baking soda or sodium bicarbonate is a natural odor remover and is a perfect ingredient in deodorizing leather couches. It can neutralize smells and odors effectively without exerting too much effort.

3. Vinegar

Akin to baking soda, vinegar is also a natural deodorizer because of its high acid content.

This DIY ingredient is also an effective form of deodorizer (of course after the natural vinegar smell fades).

4. Steam Cleaner

Steam can travel deep into the porous surface of the leather, and therefore, it can effectively remove the smell of puke.

It is vapor, so it can travel deep into the leather and remove the smell from the lowest part of the leather material.

5. Hydrogen Peroxide

Last on this list is hydrogen peroxide. It can break down natural odors because of its acidity. It is extremely like vinegar, just without that sour pungent smell.

These are the various materials and ingredients you can use for this process.

Now that we’re into it, let me give you the different ways how to clean vomit from leather couch and get rid of its smell indefinitely!

How to Get Vomit Smell Out of Leather Couch? 5 Different Methods

In this guide, I will be discussing 5 different methods you can do to take out the foul and unpleasant smell of puke and vomit from your leather couch.

For all methods, let’s assume that you’ve already cleaned out the chunks on the leather surface and your goal now is to get rid of the smell that’s remaining.

Method #1: Leather Cleaner Method

You’ll find a lot of leather cleaners in the market. So, in this regard, use a leather cleaner that’s also used for deodorizing leather furniture.

Simply pour your leather cleaner into a spray bottle and spray it out onto the surface of the leather.

You can spray it to a soft spot first, and then check if the color changes. Once you’re confident, spray it to the entire surface.

Then, gently wipe and spread the leather cleaner to the entire area.

You can also use a leather conditioner on a small spot first and wait it out for 24 hours to see if there’ll be changes to the color.

NOTE: Apply it to the entire surface if it doesn’t change.

Method #2: Baking Soda Method

This method is what I do on a normal day simply because it does not require expensive materials; you can find it inside the kitchen!

Moreover, the process is simple to do! Clean the surface of the furniture and rid it of all the chunks and unwanted liquids.

Then, you just have to sprinkle baking soda onto the surface of the furniture.

Let the baking soda sit for about half an hour to an hour, then shake all the excess baking soda off the leather surface.

The amount of baking soda you can sprinkle doesn’t need to be too much, but it should be enough to cover the surface.

NOTE: You can use a vacuum cleaner to remove the baking soda from the furniture.

Method #3: Vinegar Method

For a deeper and much more concentrated solution, I recommend using a mixture of vinegar, hot water, and essential oil.

Step 1: Make the Vinegar Mixture

Make the vinegar mixture. The perfection of the mixture depends on how you like it. But, this is how I normally do my vinegar mixture:

• 1 cup of vinegar
• 1 and a half cups of water
• 1 drop of fabric conditioner or essential oil

Step 2: Spray the Mixture on the Affected Areas

Then, the next step is to spray the mixture on the affected areas or the areas you want to deodorize. Let the mixture sit for ten (10) to fifteen (15) minutes and proceed to dry the couch.

You can let it dry outside but refrain from putting it under the sun for extended periods of time. I usually let it dry in our backyard but under the shade of our large umbrella.

NOTE: Avoid overexposing your leather couch to direct sunlight because it can tarnish and damage the surface.

Method #4: Steam Cleaner Method

This cleaning method is a process done by steaming the surface of the furniture.

It’s a process wherein steam gets through to the leather couch’s surface and rids it of all unwanted smells and odors.

Firstly, clean the couch and make sure that no residue of vomit is there like solid chunks or liquids. Cleanse it thoroughly using a mild antibacterial detergent or an antibacterial leather

Once done, what you want to do next is to perform a complete deep clean via steam on the couch’s surface.

Steam it for approximately 15 minutes, and then dry the surface by wiping it with a clean cloth.

Once done, steam the surface again for about 10 minutes, and then let it air dry under the sun for 2 hours, and keep it in a shade for 12 hours for further drying.

Method #5: Hydrogen Peroxide Method

For this last method, to let you know, I rarely do this. Hydrogen peroxide is not something I keep inside the house at all times, so it’s not a common ingredient that I can get easily.

The process is similar to the vinegar mixture method, the only difference of this would be the smell.

Hydrogen peroxide is odorless, and therefore, unless you want it to have a scent, you don’t need to add essential oils, fruit peels, and other herbs to the mixture.

Step 1:  Create a Mild Cleaning Mixture

The first step is to make a hydrogen peroxide mixture. It’s imperative that you get the correct measurements to avoid chemical reactions when doing the process.

Here’s the normal or average mixture you want to create:

• Two (2) cups of hydrogen peroxide
• Three (3) drops of liquid dish soap
• One (1) tablespoon of baking soda

Mix it all up, then pour it inside a spray bottle.

Step 2: Spray the Mixture on the Affected Areas Twice

Then, spray this mixture on the leather couch generously. Just don’t overdo it, you don’t want a puddle to form within your house, right?

Let the mixture sink and sit for about 5 minutes, and then wipe it with a clean cloth. Once dried up, spray another layer of your hydrogen peroxide mixture.

Dry it up in a well-ventilated environment for 12 hours or 1 whole day.

You can dry it under the sun for a maximum of 2 hours, and then keep it in a shade.

Alert: Refrain from exposing leather surfaces under the sun for extended hours because it can chip

Read Next: Can You Reupholster a Leather Couch?

Final Verdict

Knowing how to get vomit smell out of leather couch is not a walk in the park. In fact, there would still be instances where the smell could remain even if you’ve done the methods correctly.

The key to eradicating the smell is consistency. If it doesn’t work the first time, try again!

I usually do more than one round of deodorizing to guarantee freshness. Oftentimes, I notice drastic changes after 2 to 3 rounds of deodorizing.