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Leather has been around for a long time, where its earliest accounts of usage date back to 2200 BC. It is made by drying or tanning rawhide and skins of animals. Like today, they are used in clothing, accessories, and especially in furniture. Egyptians introduced leather furniture, creating stools covered in leather.
The most famous leather furniture is a leather couch, and it can be the focal point of your living room. However, this kind of furniture often gets a bad name for being smelly. Leather is absorbent or porous, meaning foul odors, like pet odor and cigarette smoke, can stick and linger to it.
Nevertheless, they simply need some TLC like any other furniture in your home. We’re going to enumerate 10 of the best products on how to get smells out of a leather couch. This way, you can host parties or get-togethers without worrying about your stinky leather sofa.
Here is the List of 10 Best Leather Odor Remover:
- Leather Cleaner by Leather Honey
- Nok-Out Odor Eliminator
- Griot’s Garage Leather 3-In-1 Spray
- Chemical Guys Leather Odor Eliminator
- Sunny & Honey Pet Stain & Odor Miracle
- COLOURLOCK Mild Leather Cleaner
- Green Gobbler 30% Pure Vinegar
- Sof Sole Mink Oil
- Zero Odor Odor Eliminator
- Weiman 3-in-1 Leather Cream
Best Picks for Leather Odor Remover
There are a lot of products that can remove any foul odors on your leather couch. The correct leather odor remover can make your couch feel and smell brand new. However, it is difficult to find the right one. To help you choose, here are the ten best picks for a leather odor remover:
1. Leather Cleaner by Leather Honey – Oldest Leather Cleaner in the Market
Give your leather couch the tender loving care it deserves with Leather Honey’s patented cleaner. Established in 1968, Leather Honey produces top of the line cleaner and leather care products for any leather items.
On top of being a great leather cleaner, it also removes any odor. The product also doesn’t have a strong smell, so it will not hurt your nose. It’s non-toxic and is very gentle on your leather couch. Leather Honey’s leather cleaner is very concentrated, meaning you can make 32 ounces of cleaner with a single bottle.
Features:
- Highly concentrated
- Water-soluble
- No need to scrub or rub
- Has no strong smell
- Safe for Aniline, Faux, and Vinyl
Pros:
- 50 years of trusted formula
- Great for preserving leathers
- Eliminates odor from leather sofas
- Long-lasting
- Penetrates deeply
- Suitable for leather of any color
- Safe for exotic leathers
Cons:
- It takes time to take effect
- May smudge soiled areas on brightly colored leather
- Spot testing require
Why should you buy this leather odor remover?
As a leather cleaner, this Leather Honey product can indeed remove foul smells from leather couches. Moreover, with its concentrated solution, it can penetrate deep into the sofa.
2. Nok-Out Odor Eliminator – Best Spray-On Odor Remover
The Nok-Out Odor Eliminator is the best spray-on odor remover that also acts as a disinfectant. Its disinfectant has a hospital-grade non-toxic sanitizer, and it is certified as Broad Spectrum Disinfectant by EPA. The manufacturer noted that the solution permeates through a leather couch, where it penetrates and removes any foul odor.
It is best used for removing pet odors and the smell of smoke on your leather couch. However, it needs to be in direct contact with the stain or where the odor is strong. Moreover, it doesn’t have a powerful fragrant scent or chemical smell and is hypoallergenic. The product is also non-corrosive, non-flammable, and non-chlorinating.
Features:
- Doubles as a cleaner
- Has a spray-on nozzle
- Highly concentrated
- Just spray and go
Pros:
- Applicable on an array of fabrics and surfaces
- Leather-safe
- Has a hospital-grade disinfectant
- Hypoallergenic
Cons:
- Needs to be diluted
- Can blot the fabric or leather
- Wearing gloves is highly advised
- Spot testing required
Why should you buy this leather odor remover?
This odor eliminator doubles as a cleaner too, which means you can have two products in one item. Nok-Out Odor Eliminator is great for people with allergies and animals and can eliminate pet odors and smoke smell.
3. Griot’s Garage Leather 3-In-1 Spray – Best Multipurpose Leather Cleaner
Griot’s Garage’s 3-in-1 spray works best with leather car seats but can also be used on leather couches. Griot’s Garage has created a fantastic formula that has a balanced pH level specific for leather. As its name implies, the leather spray acts as a cleanser, conditioner, and protection.
With its cleaning properties, this product also acts as an odor remover, making your leather couch smell and look clean. The bulk of leather cleaners in the market only cleans the leather couch’s surface, but Griot’s leather cleaner goes deeper.
The product works by going deep into the material to destroy the cause of the bad smell. Moreover, it leaves a pleasant but not powerful smell replacing the foul smell.
Features:
- Has a pH-balanced formula
- Has a spray-on nozzle
Pros:
- Safe for Aniline and pigmented leather
- Safe on delicate leather
- Can remove stains and unpleasant odors
- Acts as a cleaner too
Cons:
- Doesn’t restore the leather smell
- Leaves a tacky or sticky feel
Why should you buy this leather odor remover?
It has the correct pH in its formula that is safe for leather and even on the most delicate ones. It also has a spray-on nozzle where you can apply it onto the leather couch easily.
4. Chemical Guys Leather Odor Eliminator – Best Leather Odor Eliminator
This odor eliminator is another car product that also works with your leather couch at home. It’s an all-around odor eliminator that can be used on numerous surfaces and places that needs a refreshing smell.
Chemical Guys use natural enzymatic ingredients to produce a concentrated solution for leather odors. The formula is also water-based, and you can dilute the concentration into 2 gallons of distilled water. The product eliminates any bacteria that might cause a foul odor and replace it with a lovely leather smell.
Chemical Guys Leather Odor Eliminator is made to last a bit longer than other odor removers. Its formula prohibits or reduces the foul odors over some time. However, the scent it leaves behind might be too overpowering for some.
Features:
- Has a unique but not overpowering fragrant
- Highly concentrated
- Water-soluble
Pros:
- Last longer than conventional products
- Has a fragrant scent
- Doesn’t stain
Cons:
- Leaves an oily feel
- The scent’s a bit strong
Why should you buy this leather odor remover?
What’s good about Chemical Guys’ Leather Odor Eliminator is the pleasant leather scent it leaves on the leather couch. It also lasts longer than other leather odor removers.
5. Sunny & Honey Pet Stain & Odor Miracle – Best Pet Odor Remover for Leather
It can’t be helped if your pet may sometimes sleep, drool, urinate, or defecate on your leather couch. If you’re a dog owner, you might ask yourself, “how to get dog smell out of the leather couch?” It is a challenge to remove your dog’s or any pet’s odor on a couch, let alone a leather one. Good thing there’s Sunny & Honey’s Pet Stain & Odor Miracle.
Its enzyme-based formula can remove organic matter like urine, feces, vomit, blood, and drool. The product is also biodegradable, infused with fragrant essential oils, and non-toxic to kids and pets. It also received a Leaping Bunny certification, which means the manufacturer did not use any animal testing.
Features:
- Easy application with spray-on nozzle
- Child- and Pet-safe
- Natural formula
Pros:
- Cruelty-free
- Suitable for any pet stains and odors
- Best on any surface or fabric
- Non-toxic and scented
Cons:
- Has a strong mint scent
- Not suitable for asthmatic people
Why should you buy this leather odor remover?
It will solve your leather couch dilemmas in an instant. Sunny & Honey’s product is cruelty-free and has natural ingredients that are non-toxic to your children and pets.
6. COLOURLOCK Mild Leather Cleaner – Handy Spray-On Leather Cleaner
This product is made in Germany, and by leather experts, it boasts its cleaning and odor-neutralizing powers. COLOURLOCK’s Mild Leather Cleaner is best used in materials such as clothes, cars, and especially leather furniture. The product can remove dirt and stains while eliminating odors caused by mold, mildew, cigarette smoke, urine, sweat, or pets.
Most leather cleaners only mask the odor, which means the foul smell can return. Worse, it can smell fouler than before. Rather than masking the foul smell, this product quickly neutralizes it once sprayed, leaving no foul smell behind. It is effortless to apply with its spray-on bottle, simply spray the solution to the affected area and wipe it.
Features:
- Easy to use with a spray-on bottle
- Suitable for any leather
Pros:
- Neutralizes odor instead of masking it
- Suitable for classic and modern leather
Cons:
- Needs to be applied numerous times
- Spot testing needed
- Scent not specified
Why should you buy this leather odor remover?
It is made in Germany, one of the leading car manufacturers globally, which means they know their leather. It is easy to apply and can remove any odor from most foul smell causes on a leather couch.
7. Green Gobbler 30% Pure Vinegar – Best Vinegar Solution for Leather
Cast a spell on your leather couch and banish that unpleasant and irritating smell with this next product. The Green Gobbler’s 30% Pure Vinegar solution can clean your sofa while eliminating any foul odor. Compared to other chemical-based odor removers, it is made from corn alcohol (ethanol) and has no dyes or harmful chemicals.
Although it’s perfect for cooking, it has been noted several times that vinegar has cleaning and odor removing properties. According to NSF International, vinegar is “about five percent acetic acid,” which quickly breaks down materials causing the foul smell.
Green Gobbler’s vinegar solution is as potent as it is. However, it is still concentrated and might burn or dissolve leather, so it’s best to dilute it in water.
Features:
- Natural vinegar from corn
- Multi-purpose cleaner
Pros:
- Chemical- and dye-free
- More potent than regular vinegar
Cons:
- Does not indicate if its kid-safe
- Spot testing needed
- Caution still needed
Why should you buy this leather odor remover?
Vinegar has impressive cleaning properties where it can also remove foul odor on any surface. The Green Gobbler’s 30% Pure Vinegar solution is chemical-free but is best diluted.
8. Sof Sole Mink Oil – Best Oil-Based Leather Conditioner
If you don’t want to use products in liquid form, this product is the right one. Sof Sole Mink Oil is an oil-based leather cleaner that helps condition and preserves any leather goods, including your couch. Its patented oil formula forms a layer on the leather surface, making it waterproof.
It’s easy to apply. Simply get a clean cloth, get a fair amount of the product, and work your way into the leather. Let the oil sit for a while, and any excess can be wiped off from the leather couch. For the best results, you may put another layer of the product. However, before applying it, do a spot test on hidden places to see its effect on the leather.
Features:
- Oil-based formula
- Easy application
Pros:
- Makes leather water-resistant
- Enhance color consistency
- Softens leather
- Mild smell
Cons:
- Darkens leather a bit
- Only 10% mink oil
- Spot testing needed
Why should you buy this leather odor remover?
If you want to rejuvenate your leather couch while eliminating foul odor, this product is best for you. It makes your couch waterproof so that no stinky smell can form.
9. Zero Odor Odor Eliminator – Best Leather-Safe Multi-Purpose Odor Remover
Everyone wants a product that is versatile but can pack a punch in terms of removing odor. As the name implies, Zero Odor Odor Eliminator can permanently remove foul smells on your leather couch. It has patented molecular technology that seeks odor particles and bonds with them. Once they’re bonded, the odor molecules transform into odorless ones.
It is non-toxic, non-allergenic, and biodegradable. However, you need to do spot testing first to know the effect of this product on your leather couch. If there are adverse effects, you need to dilute the formula for a better and subtler effect.
Features:
- Patented molecular technology
- Leaves no scent
Pros:
- Doesn’t mask odors
- Prevents odor build-up
- Non-allergenic
- Biodegradable
Cons:
- Spot testing needed
- Small amounts are highly advised
- Needs to be diluted
Why should you buy this leather odor remover?
With its patented molecular technology, Zero Odor Odor Remover is the best in the market. It prevents any foul odor build-up and safe for anyone with asthma or allergies.
10. Weiman 3-in-1 Leather Cream – Best Cream-Based Leather Conditioner
If you have a baby in the house or an older adult, you may sometimes ask, “how to get urine smell out of the couch?” It is especially worrying when the couch is made of leather. Weiman’s 3-in-1 Leather Cream can help you solve that problem.
The product lets you clean, conduction, protect, and deodorize leather surfaces in an instant. Weiman’s leather cream can rejuvenate your leather couch with natural oils and safely remove residue that makes the foul smell.
The leather cream doesn’t darken the leather. However, the product is only suitable for finished leather. Using the product on suede, nubuck, Natuzzi Brand, or any unfinished leather is not advised.
Features:
- Has a special formula
- Revitalize, restore, and removes foul odor
Pros:
- Doesn’t darken leather
Cons:
- Needs to be used regularly
- Needs to rub it in the leather
- Can only be used in finished leather
Why should you buy this leather odor remover?
The product can make your leather couch look and smell brand new. It doesn’t darken the leather and has a unique formula that revitalizes your sofa.
Ways on How to Get Smells out of Leather Couch
In general, there are several ways on how to get smells out of a leather couch. However, you may need numerous attempts to get the right approach to get rid of that musty smell. Here are some of the home remedies on how to clean a leather sofa:
- Using Sunlight
Sunlight is best for removing any foul odor and moisture that will create a stinky smell on your leather sofa. It has “a detrimental effect on a number of microorganisms” like fungi and odor-causing bacteria.
However, close supervision is needed when you’re drying leather furniture under direct sunlight. Too much sunlight can dry and fade the leather, ultimately causing severe damage.
- Using White Vinegar
Another natural remedy for a stinky leather couch is white vinegar. It can get rid of the musty and mildew odor out of any leather furniture. Vinegar is acidic, and it’s been known as an excellent disinfectant.
Nonetheless, do not wholly use white vinegar. Instead, dilute it with water first before applying it to the leather. You can also put it on a spray bottle so you can quickly spread it on the couch’s surface and creases. As a precaution, do not put too much vinegar solution as it will excessively moisturize the leather.
- Using Baking Soda
It’s sometimes hard to find ways on how to get smells out of a leather couch. An excellent way to do it is to use baking soda. This household product can remove that funky smell on several kinds of leather, including suede. Most foul odors from strong acids and baking soda act as a neutralizer and control the pH level.
To get the best results, scatter the baking soda on the leather sofa and brush it to rub it in the leather. Leave it overnight and vacuum it in the morning with an upholstery attachment.
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- Hire a Professional
If you can’t do it yourself, you may need backup. Hiring a professional cleaning company specializing in leather furniture is another way of getting rid of stinky odors on leather. This option can be expensive, but you can get guaranteed results.
- Using Leather Cleaner
If a professional cleaner is not within your budget, you can buy a leather cleaner that removes the foul odor. These cleaners are specifically made for leather and have a balanced pH level. Leather cleaners can remove any stinky smell on your leather sofa while giving it a good clean.
Considerations When Buying an Odor Removing Leather Cleaner
Leather cleaners come in different forms and formulas. Before picking the right one, browse these factors on buying an odor removing leather cleaner:
- Type of Leather
Cowhide is the most popularly used leather, and most leather sofas are made from this leather. However, some leather cleaners are not safe to use on some types of leather.
- Scent
Ideally, you want to remove the foul odor and replace it with a more refreshing fragrance. Some leather cleaners have scents that are either mild, subtle, or strong. You also need to consider any allergies that you or anyone in the house may have.
- Ingredients
Some leather cleaners list their ingredients, but some do not. You want to find active ingredients on your leather cleaners. Moreover, you may wish to have chemical-free leather cleaners, so you may want to do more research about the product.
- Ease of Use
There are leather cleaners that come in a spray bottle, which is very handy when cleaning. Other products need to be diluted first before being applied to the leather. It’s a matter of preference on what your level of difficulty you want the cleaner to be.
FAQs
Most leather cleaners can remove urine, feces, vomit, and drool from your pets or a person.
Vinegar diluted in water can be used in removing foul smell on leather. However, a cleaning agent that is specifically made for leather is the most effective odor remover.
Smoke, especially from cigarettes, can linger on leather couches. Use a leather conditioner to neutralize the smoke smell and replace it with a neutral one.
You can use baking soda to balance out the funky smell of your leather couch. A leather cleaner can also do the job of removing foul odors.
Conclusion
Every furniture in your home is an investment and a remembrance of good (and sometimes sad) times. On the question “how to get smells out of a leather couch?” pick only the best products and right approaches. You need to take care of them, especially leather ones, to use them longer and get your money’s worth.