How to Get Out Pet Pee Stains on Microsuede Furniture

Pee stains, whether from animals or humans, are always a big problem when it comes to furniture. Not only are they a serious health issue, but they are persistent, smell horrible and tend to be nearly indelible. Given the sensitivity of microsuede, you may have given up your furniture for lost if it is upholstered in this fabric and you have experienced a bedwetting accident. Fortunately there are some tricks you can use to remove the stains, particularly if you were able to get most or all of the urine out of the fabric before it dried.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Dustbuster
• Foaming suede upholstery cleaner
• Cleaning rags
• Suede brush
• Fine-grain sandpaper

1. Clean off the couch. Vacuum it with the dustbuster to get all dirt and other debris off the stained area. Many times people actually make stains worse because, when they start cleaning, they actually rub new dirt into the already-damaged area.

2. Treat the stain with the foaming upholstery cleaner. It is important to use a foaming agent because liquids can make the stain worse. Apply the foam, and let the cleaner sit on the stain for up to 20 minutes. Use short, dabbing motions--not scrubbing ones--to remove the cleaner. In many cases this will lighten or even remove the stain. If it does not, retreat the area as many as three times, letting it dry in between each treatment.

3. Vacuum the area again. This will help restore the nap. If the stain has lightened acceptably or disappeared, you are finished.

4. Brush the microsuede. This will help restore the nap and relieve any dark areas that are still a problem. Do not scrub, but note which direction makes the area closest to the color of the rest of the upholstery, and lightly brush the microsuede in that direction.

5. Sand off the stain. This step is serious and permanent, so be very tentative when you perform it. If the stain will not lift out, use fine-grain sandpaper (800 grit or higher) to actually sand it off. Use light, gentle pressure, and rub in only one direction. Do not use circular motions or scrub back and forth. Work in good light so that you can stop the second you feel that you either have completed your task or that you are harming the material more than helping. Do not get carried away, or you will sand your way right through the upholstery.

Tips & Warnings

• If the entire piece of furniture is soiled anyway, go ahead and clean the whole thing rather than just the stained area. Lifting up all of the problem areas--even if they do not all appear to be on the same level of severity--will give you a clearer perspective on how much of a problem the pee stain on microsuede actually is.
• Test all cleaning methods on a small, unnoticeable part of the furniture before tackling the entire piece.

References

• How Do I Get Urine Smell Stain Off a Microsuede Couch?
• Work Boots Blog