How to remove the smell of mold from upholstered furniture?

High humidity in an apartment or private house is a very common problem. The risk of its occurrence is increased by disturbances during construction or repairs, lack of ventilation and heating problems. And high humidity can very quickly lead to the appearance of mold - fungus on walls and household items. And it can be very, very difficult to get rid of it. And if the treatment of hard surfaces (walls) does not yet cause any serious difficulties, then it is much more difficult to remove fungus from a sofa or armchair. Let's try to figure out how to remove mold from upholstered furniture in a little more detail.

Why does the smell of mold appear from upholstered furniture?

The smell of dampness and mold, which eats into the upholstery, is often always a consequence of the fact that the fungus has infected a particular product. But sometimes furniture gets this aroma if it is in a damp room. Fabrics absorb odors quite quickly, but if you react in a timely manner, the appearance of mold in them can be avoided.

The risks of dampness and mould are particularly high in the case of:

• poor floor insulation, constant presence of dampness in the basement;
• leaking roof and/or water pipes;
• regular ingress of liquid, traces of which do not have time to dry (or do not have such a possibility due to cold and/or dampness in the room).
• Another reason why a sofa or armchair may smell disgusting with dampness is that it has not been cleaned properly enough. An attempt to wash stains at home most often leads to this result - furniture cannot dry from excess moisture, so it stagnates and begins to emit an unpleasant odor.

It is worth noting that it is necessary to determine what caused the unpleasant phenomenon before looking for how to remove the smell of dampness from the sofa. After all, if the causal factor is not eliminated, the effect of any action will be short-lived - the smell will return again.

How do you get rid of mold and damp smell?

Specialists can really reliably clean a sofa or armchair - in almost every city there are companies that put upholstered furniture in order and are responsible for the work performed. But if necessary, you can remove mold from the sofa on your own. To do this, you need to prepare:

• a significant amount of rags (rags);
• a bucket of clean warm water;
• bleaching or disinfectants (we will tell you about the choice of them a little later);
• rubber gloves to protect hands (choose thick products);
• various products for cleaning upholstered furniture.

It is also a good idea to use goggles and a mask to prevent detergents and disinfectants from getting into your eyes and respiratory tract (they can provoke irritation, allergies and other unpleasant reactions).

A step-by-step approach to self-cleaning furniture

If you are thinking about how to remove mold from the fabric of the sofa, and if you do not have a special washing vacuum cleaner with high power and do not have the opportunity to rent it, all work to combat mold and the smell of dampness should be postponed to the warm season. At the same time, the affected furniture should be taken out into the fresh air (at least on the balcony) - this is the only way to make it dry after the end of all manipulations. In addition, it is still better to use chemicals in an area with good ventilation. If the sofa or armchair remains in the room or on the balcony, it is worth putting a dense layer of waterproof film under it to protect the floor surface. Next, proceed step by step:

• prepare the disinfectant solution according to the instructions;
• apply it with a sponge or brush to the areas affected by mold and eliminate visually noticeable fungus;
• repeat the application of the disinfectant and wiping the affected areas, periodically rinse the cloth until the water is clean;
• leave the product for a while;
• treat the upholstery with a disinfectant and wait for it to take effect;
• blot a damp cloth with a dry cloth or paper – it will absorb excess moisture;
• if the sofa or armchair has a pronounced smell of dampness and mold, it is necessary to use a cleaner for upholstered furniture - use it in accordance with the instructions, and do not forget to soak for some time on all elements of furniture (treat even hard-to-reach areas);
• re-remove excess moisture using a dry cloth or paper;
• leave furniture in clean air or in a well-ventilated area until completely dry.

How to choose a disinfectant for the treatment of upholstered furniture?

When choosing how to remove the smell of dampness from the sofa and how to remove mold, it should be understood that the product for such purposes must have the appropriate characteristics. First, it must destroy the fungus (have fungicidal properties). And secondly, it should not damage the upholstery. That is why the products that are usually used to remove mold on the walls cannot be used in this case. They contain chlorine, which eats away the color and leaves light spots on the fabric.

Therefore, when thinking about how to remove black mold from the sofa, it is better to give preference to products with a different composition, for example:

• Ganzin-Combi. It has powerful antifungal properties. It is available in concentrated form. Easy to use.
• Septolain. It has antifungal, detergent, disinfectant and deodorizing qualities. It will help not only to remove mold, but also to reliably remove various contaminants. It will also help to get rid of unpleasant odors.

Prevention of mold on upholstered furniture

To reduce the risk of mold and other contaminants, as well as parasites (dust mites, lice, etc.), experts recommend:

• properly care for furniture, carry out professional cleaning once a year;
• regularly clean the furniture with a vacuum cleaner - this procedure should be carried out once every 1-1.5 weeks;
• use protective covers that reduce dirt and may be water-repellent.
• After accidental contact with liquid on the sofa, immediately remove it with napkins or towels, after that it is worth covering the damp area with soda to absorb all the moisture (it can be removed with a vacuum cleaner after 10-12 hours).

In addition, of course, in order to prevent the appearance of mold, it is very important to maintain an optimal microclimate in the room - to eliminate the cause of excess dampness, normalize ventilation and air humidity.