How to get rid of the smell of vomit - effective means for cleaning a sofa, carpet, mattress, car interior

Sometimes it seems that it is impossible to remove the smell of vomit - no matter how much you wash the contaminated areas, the stench does not go away. The fact is that vomit consists of food debris mixed with gastric juice, and sometimes bile - which means that putrefactive processes in them are much more active and faster than in other biological fluids. To get rid of an unpleasant odor, you need to not only thoroughly wash the stains, but also treat them with special products that will stop the activity of putrefactive bacteria.

How to remove vomit smell from car?

A person who vomits while driving a car can seriously stain the interior - vomit gets on the seat belts, upholstery, and floor mats. All these things are made from different materials, so they can be cleaned with improvised means to varying degrees.

The most reliable way to get rid of stains and unpleasant odors is professional dry cleaning and car washing. However, the cost of this procedure is often prohibitively high. In this case, you can do the cleaning yourself.

Regardless of which method is chosen subsequently, cleaning should begin immediately after the trouble occurs. If leftover vomit is not removed immediately, it will penetrate deep into the tissue, making cleaning more difficult.

1. To wipe up vomit, you can use paper napkins, toilet paper, or other material that absorbs liquid well. In this case, the movements should be wet, not rubbing. Then the stains should be covered with something absorbent - for example, soda powder, potato or corn starch.
2. As soon as the opportunity arises, you should begin cleaning. The faster it is done, the greater the chance that there will be no stains or stench left in the car.

Store-bought cleaning products

It should be noted that any cleaning products remove particles of vomit from the surface, but do not always solve the problem of odor in the cabin. Fabrics can give off an unpleasant odor even after very thorough cleaning.

The products from the following list most often turn out to be effective and eliminate the unpleasant “smell” from the car along with stains:

• Runway foam upholstery cleaner — easy to apply, suitable for all types of fabrics. It can also be used to wipe parts made of plastic and velor - moldings, dashboard.
• ABRO foam interior cleaner - Easily copes with cleaning fabrics, carpets, as well as surfaces coated with nickel and chrome.
• Upholstery cleaning foam Liqui Moly Polster-Schaum-Reiniger - like the previous product, it copes well with stains on fabric and velor upholstery and rugs.
• Hi-Gear Leather Cleaner — designed for interiors covered with leather.

Homemade remedies

Since vomiting consists of food debris mixed with gastric juice, which has an acidic reaction, you need to try to neutralize it:

1. Dissolve ¼ cup of soda in a glass of warm water and wash the affected areas on the upholstery using a sponge.
2. When the solution becomes dirty, it is poured out and a new portion is prepared.

For complete cleansing, it may take 5 changes of solution or even more.

After cleaning the car, you need to open the windows and put it outside so that it is well ventilated. Naturally, you should not forget about safety and leave the vehicle unattended.

If the soda did not have the desired effect and ventilation also did not help much, it is worth covering the places where there was previously vomit with dry ground coffee or activated carbon (these options are only suitable for dark upholstery). You can also place a wide container of vinegar in your car overnight.

Enzymes (enzymes)

Stores sell products that are made on the basis of enzymes that can break down biological substances. They were developed to eliminate the smell of urine, but they also cope with the consequences of vomiting. They should be applied generously, and if not only the upholstery, but also the filling is damaged, then to enhance the effect, you should generously pour all the affected areas and let them dry. The smell will disappear completely after 2-3 treatments.

How to remove the stench from the sofa if vomit gets on the upholstery?

As in the case of a car, it is important not to get confused and immediately blot everything that gets on the sofa with paper towels or napkins. If you don’t have anything like this at hand, cat litter will also work - the granules will almost instantly absorb all the liquid, after which they will need to be swept away with a broom.

• If the sofa is covered with covers, they are then removed and sent to the wash.
• Regular upholstery will have to be washed with soapy water (if this is permissible for a particular type of material).As a detergent, you can use washing gel or clear shampoo - the product is dissolved in a small amount of lukewarm water, whipped into a lush foam and applied to the fabric with a sponge. The water should be warm, up to +30 ºC, since at higher temperatures the protein contained in the vomit coagulates, which means it will be much more difficult to get rid of stains and odors.

When there are no visible traces of vomit on the sofa, the wet areas after washing are covered with soda or starch and left until completely dry, and then vacuumed.

If the stench does not disappear, you should buy enzyme products. You can also try to remove the smell from the sofa using essential oils - mix baking soda with a few drops of oil and pour it onto the damaged part of the sofa, and after a few hours vacuum it up.

What can I do to remove the smell of vomit from my carpet?

The most difficult carpets to clean from vomit are long-pile carpets made from natural materials. It is better to dry clean them, otherwise there is a risk of irreversibly ruining an expensive item.

The easiest way to get rid of the smell on the carpet is by washing - either by machine (if the size of the carpet allows) or by hand. This method has only one drawback - it will be difficult to dry a wet carpet in winter. Therefore, this option is only suitable for the warm season. In other cases, you should resort to dry or foam cleaning.

Of all the products on the market, the best results in eliminating odor are shown by:

• Vanish Gold manual carpet cleaner — by the way, it is suitable not only for carpets, but also for upholstered furniture with fabric upholstery.
• Odor neutralizer for textiles, carpets and clothing Astonish - you need to make sure that it does not get on surfaces made of leather, suede and natural silk.
• Carpet cleaner Dr. Beckmann - Suitable for wool products.

If the contamination is not severe, the already mentioned soda will help in the fight against the smell of vomit. It should be poured onto a fresh stain and after a few hours, vacuum the carpet.

How to clean a vomit stain from a mattress?

If vomit gets on the mattress, it will be difficult to remove the smell. The fact is that the liquid penetrates inside very quickly, staining the filler. You need to act immediately - blot the bad-smelling slurry with toilet paper or paper towels, and then, without sparing, spill the stains with a product with enzymes that break down organic matter (for example, Ultizym Carpet Cleaner or Binatec).

In the absence of special means, you can resort to soda - pour it in a thick layer over the entire contaminated surface and leave it to absorb moisture, then vacuum the mattress. However, in most cases, such treatment is not enough - you will still have to purchase a special product.

So, in order to remove a vomit stain from a mattress, sofa, carpet or any element of the car interior, and at the same time remove the stench, you need to start cleaning immediately after the trouble has occurred. The best results are demonstrated by cleaning products with enzymes - they simply “eat up” all the organic matter, the decay of which is the cause of the bad smell.