Şebnem Oğuz · ODORGO founder · Last updated: October 6, 2026
The sofa is sound. The fabric isn't worn, the frame doesn't creak, the color has held. It has one flaw: it smells.
Maybe the cat claimed a corner, the dog slept on the same cushion every evening, or the sofa spent a winter in a damp room. A sofa like that usually ends up on the curb. Yet the fabric is fine; the odor sits between the fibers and in the foam underneath. Reach it there and the sofa is saved.
Why does a sofa smell, and why doesn't wiping fix it?
Upholstery behaves like a sponge. Liquid and moisture pass through the fabric and sink into the filling below. You wipe the top, the part underneath dries, and when the air turns humid it smells again. The perfume in fabric cleaners covers that for a few days.
ODORGO is fragrance-free. Its plant-derived oils attract the odor molecules, bind them and neutralize them. The trick is getting the liquid down to the depth the odor reached.
Which method goes with which odor?
| Odor | Where it comes from | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Pet urine, marking | Liquid that sank under the fabric into the foam | Pet Spray, then a machine wash |
| Dog and cat coat odor | Skin oil and hair | Remove the hair, spray; wash the cover |
| Sweat and daily use | Armrests, headrest area, cushions | Wipe with diluted liquid; wash once a season |
| Cooking and cigarette smoke | Settles into the fabric from the air | Spray; wash for heavy odor |
| Damp | Upholstery left in a humid room | Dry first, then wash |
How do you use the Multi-Purpose Liquid on a sofa?
ODORGO Multi-Purpose Odor Eliminator Liquid 500 ml is twice as concentrated as standard ODORGO. You add it to water or to a machine, together with detergent, not instead of it.
- Carpet and upholstery washing machine: add 50 mL to the tank and wash as usual. The machine pushes water into the fiber and pulls it back out, so dirt and odor leave together. For a whole sofa set this is the least tiring route.
- Removable covers and cushion covers: wash them in the washing machine on the program on the care label, with one capful in the detergent drawer.
- Wiping: add 15 mL to 1 liter of water. Wring the cloth out well and wipe the armrests, the side surfaces that are not wood, and the floor where the sofa stands.
Other uses in laundry and cleaning are in our Multi-Purpose Liquid tips.
What do you do, in order, when a cat has marked the sofa?
- Find the spot where the odor is strongest. Urine spreads wider than it looks; lift the cushion and check underneath.
- If it is still wet, blot with a dry cloth. Rubbing pushes the liquid deeper.
- Shake ODORGO Pet Odor Eliminator Spray 250 ml well, then spray the spot and the area around it.
- Let it dry. If the odor is still there, spray once more.
- If you have an upholstery washing machine, wash the area with 50 mL of Multi-Purpose Liquid in the tank.
- Open a window, and stay off the sofa until the fabric is dry all the way through.
The spray is water-based; you can use it on any surface that water does not harm. On water-sensitive fabrics and surfaces (unfinished or untreated wood, silk, leather, electronics, etc.), test on a small hidden area first.
For the same accident on a carpet or hardwood floor, the dog and cat urine odor guide goes through it surface by surface.
Why does the odor come back after washing?
Most often because the sofa never dried. Moisture left in the foam makes a smell of its own within two days. Wash on a clear day, stand the cushions upright and air both sides. You can also leave ODORGO Odor Eliminator Gel 250 g on a flat spot in the room; opening the lid is enough.
There is a limit. Visible mold stains or foam that has broken down go beyond odor removal; show that sofa to an upholsterer.
What is in ODORGO, and what isn't?
The formula is mostly water and five plant-derived essential oils: pine needle, anise, clove, cedarwood and lime. The Multi-Purpose Liquid is vegan. It can be used in homes with children and pets.
One note: the light plant scent after application soon fades. ODORGO is made to take bad odor out, not to add a scent.
Keep your sofa fresh
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a smelly sofa be saved without throwing it out?
Yes, in most cases. The odor comes from molecules lodged in the fibers and the foam, not from the fabric.
How much Multi-Purpose Liquid goes into an upholstery washing machine?
50 mL in the tank. Your usual wash program stays the same.
Does the liquid replace detergent?
No. Detergent takes out the dirt and the Multi-Purpose Liquid takes out the odor; the two are used together.
What do I do if I don't have an upholstery washing machine?
Spray the spot, let it dry and repeat if needed. Wash removable covers with one capful of the liquid in the detergent drawer.
Can it be used on a leather sofa?
Leather is a water-sensitive surface. Test on a small hidden area first, and apply it if you see no problem.
Does it stain the fabric?
No, not on ordinary upholstery fabric. On water-sensitive fabrics such as silk, test on a hidden spot first.
When can the sofa be used after washing?
Once the fabric and cushions are dry all the way through. Foam that stays damp makes a smell of its own.