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How to Clean & Get Rid of Smell in Ottoman? (Quick Guide)

Your ottoman can get smelly over time because moisture gets into it and causes a musty smell in them. And it’s a matter of concern as nobody would like to use or sit on a smelly ottoman. Moreover, it can ruin the environment of a living room. 

Therefore, it’s normal for you to want to know how to get rid of the smell in ottomans. So to give you a permanent solution, this article will break down all the effective ways to get rid of the ottoman’s smell.

How To Get Rid Of Smell In Ottoman?

To get rid of the musty smell from ottomans, first, use silica packs to absorb moisture. Then leave small pouches filled with baking soda or odor-absorbing charcoal for a few days to soak up odor from ottomans. And to get rid of the chemical smell from a new ottoman, leave it outside in daylight.

Moisture is the main reason behind the musty smell in ottomans. So first, soak up moisture by using silica packs to keep ottomans dry. Then, leave small pouches filled up with either baking soda or odor-absorbing charcoal for days to weeks to absorb the bad smell from the ottomans. 

And if there is a chemical smell coming from a new ottoman, leave it outside under sunlight in the daytime. Gradually, the smell will go away. 

How To Get Rid Of Smell From Ottoman Bed Storage?

It’s understandable if you are tired of your smelly ottoman bed storage. So to help you get rid of this smell from your ottoman bed storage. An easy step-by-step guide has been given below.

Cleaning

Clean the inside of your ottoman bed storage first. Just wipe everything off with white vinegar or Murphy Oil’s Soap and let it dry fully.

Get Rid Of The Root Of Musty Smell

The musty smell in your ottoman bed storage is the result of moisture being soaked up by it. So first you need to get rid of the root of the musty smell which is moisture.

A cost-effective way is silica packs. Just put a few silica packs inside the storage to absorb all moisture and keep your ottoman bed storage dry. 

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Absorb Odors

The next step is absorbing odors.For that make small pouches and put some baking soda or odor-absorbing charcoal in them and leave those pouches inside the ottoman storage for a few days or weeks until the odor goes away.

Well, baking soda absorbs the moisture and the odor together. 

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Spray Essential Oil

Lastly, spray your favorite essential oil inside the ottoman storage. It will make the odor go away, spray it occasionally to get a fresh feeling. 

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How To Get Rid Of Chemical Odor From New Ottoman?

Chemical odor coming from a new ottoman might feel a little disturbing so to get rid of that here is a step-by-step guide is given below. 

Remove Plastic Wrappers 

After bringing a new ottoman in home first, remove all the plastic wrappers or protecting covers on the ottoman. Remove The ottoman cushion from the upholstered ottoman and open the ottoman storage(If it’s an ottoman with storage, otherwise, it’s not needed)

Allow It To Air Out 

Then leave the ottoman in a place full of ventilation. Open the windows of the room and place a box fan in one window to draw air out of the place.

And keep another fan on the opposite window to blow air in the place. And let the ottoman air out for a day or more. Fresh air is the best odor-removing method just give enough time. 

Or keep the ottoman outside in a covered area and leave it there under daylight and fresh air to air out. Do it for a few days. 

Get Rid Of The Smell

Now, sprinkle some baking soda on the ottoman and let it sit for an hour or more. Then vacuum it out.

Baking soda helps to reduce the smell from the fabric of an upholstered ottoman as well as it helps to remove the chemical odor from leather ottomans too. Remember that baking soda doesn’t remove the leather smell, it only dissipates the chemical smell. 

How Do You Clean An Ottoman?

Cleaning ottomans might seem difficult but it’s just a little tricky. However, to rescue you here are some effective ways of cleaning an ottoman. 

Dust The Ottoman

Regular dusting is the easiest way of keeping your ottoman clean. Just take a cloth or dust cleaning brush and dust off the dust inside out of the ottoman. Dust the ottoman storage as well. 

Vacuum The Ottoman 

Vacuuming is another effective way to clean ottomans because it deeply cleans all dirt and dust that dusting can’t remove.

To clean all nitty-gritty holes and ravines of the ottoman, use the hose extension of your vacuum cleaner. And clean the underneath of the ottoman to remove the dirt and dust. 

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Shampoo The Ottoman 

This way is recommended for fabric-upholstered ottomans. So to clean this type of ottomans you will be needing bleach-free plain carpet cleaner or a mild detergent will do the job.

Just make a sudsy solution of detergent and warm water and apply it with a damp sponge or cloth. Scrub lightly to make the dirt comes off the ottoman. And then wipe off the suds with a dry cloth and air dry it. 

But remember to dust/vacuum the ottoman before shampooing to remove stains. 

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Steam Clean The Ottoman

It’s an alternative to shampooing. If the fabric of the Ottoman is heatproof then run your steam cleaner over the ottoman to clean it. The heat coming from the vacuum will remove all dirt, dust, and stain. 

Dry Clean The Ottoman 

This way is for fabric-based ottomans with storage. For dry cleaning take any suitable non-water-based-solvent and apply it on the stained areas of the ottoman.

Don’t rub just press to remove the stains. If it’s a stubborn stain, it will need many reapplying. So be patient while cleaning. 

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Use Baking Soda To Clean The Ottoman

Baking soda cleans excellently too. Just sprinkle some baking soda or make a solution by mixing it with water and apply it over the ottoman. Leave for some time. And then vacuum the loose baking soda or wipe off the solution and let it air dry.

Wax The Ottoman

If your ottoman is a leather one, you’ll be needing to wax it once a year to get rid of any make or scratches. 

*No matter what method you adopt, remember to dust/vacuum your ottoman first to remove dirt/dust from it*

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How To Clean:

Upholstery Fabric Ottoman

To clean upholstery fabric ottoman, the best cleaning solution is either a bleach-free carpet shampoo or a bleach-free mild detergent. Take some warm water and 1/4  cup of detergent and make a sudsy solution.

Apply it using a damp cloth or sponge. Scrub gently to make the stain cone out off and then wipe off the excess. And air dry the ottoman. 

Polyester Ottoman 

First, vacuum out the ottoman and soak up any wet spot by using a paper towel. Then sprinkle some baking soda to allow it to absorb moisture for 20 minutes and then vacuum it too.

Lastly, to remove stains use a solution of detergent and water. Apply it and scrub gently then wipe off with a dry cloth and dry it. 

Knitted Pouf Ottoman 

Brush regularly with a soft-bristle brush to keep it clean and remove any crumbs or debris. Only if needed dry clean it and to remove any stain blot with a damp cloth or sponge.  

Faux White Fur Ottoman

Brush it with a pet hair brush to remove dust and dirt. And apply a solution of detergent and water to clean any stain. Then use a handheld dryer to fluff up the faux fur and renew the look. 

Suede/Microfiber Ottoman 

To clean suede/microfiber ottoman first, scrap out stains with a plastic spoon. Then make a mixture of mild detergent and water to make suds. Apply the suds to the stained area and blot it using a cloth to lift the smudges. When the stains are gone blot again to dry it out and brush it with a suede/ microfiber brush to restore It. 

Leather Ottoman 

Apply a cleaning solution such as saddle soap and warm water to the stains and dirt. Then take a soft cloth and wipe away the stains. Air-dry it fully and lastly apply a leather wax or conditioner to keep the leather new and shiny as before. 

How Do You Get Water Stains Out Of An Ottoman?

To remove water stains from an ottoman, first, blot the areas instantly where water has been spilled. Then damp a towel in white distilled vinegar and dab lightly onto the stained areas to remove the stain.

Let it sit for a few minutes and then soak up the vinegar with a dry cloth or paper towel. And rinse it with a damp sponge.  And air-dry it.

How Do You Reupholster An Ottoman? 

Reupholstering ottoman is easy yet tricky. 

So first you got to remove the legs and hardware from the ottoman.

Then take out old materials and stuff again with your preferred materials like wool, polyether flakes, textile surpluses, etc. and use a wooden board to hold the materials in. 

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After that attach an upholstery fabric and close it with several nails. Lastly, join the legs again. 

Big storage ottomans are prone to get smelly after a long time use. Regular cleaning of ottomans is the best way to get rid of smell in them. However, before adopting any cleaning or smell removing method know the upholstery fabric first and then apply.