How to Get Rid of Vomit Smell in a Car, Carpet, or Couch

Why vomit smell lingers

Vomit is a mix of stomach acid, bile, and partly digested food. The sharp, sour smell comes from acids and the proteins and fats breaking down. Wipe the top off and the smell stays, because the liquid has already soaked into carpet padding, seat foam, or the gaps of a car seat. The smell lasts as long as any of it is still in there, and it gets stronger in a warm car.

So the order matters: get up the solids, neutralize the acid, break down what soaked in, then rinse and dry.

If it was a stomach bug, clean for germs too

Norovirus and other stomach bugs spread through vomit, and the virus survives on surfaces. The CDC’s norovirus guidance:

• Wear rubber or disposable gloves.
• Wipe up the vomit with paper towels and seal them in a plastic bag.
• Disinfect hard surfaces with 5 to 25 tablespoons of household bleach (5% to 8%) per gallon of water, and leave it on for at least 5 minutes. Then clean the area again with soap and hot water.
• Pick up soiled laundry without shaking it, wash it on the longest cycle in hot water, and dry it on high heat.
• Wash your hands well when you’re done.

Bleach discolors carpet and fabric. For soft furniture and rugs, the National Park Service’s norovirus guidance suggests steam cleaning instead. Never mix bleach with vinegar, ammonia, or other cleaners: the fumes are toxic.

1. Get up the solids, fast

The sooner you get to it, the less soaks in.

1. Put on gloves.
2. Scrape the solids up with a piece of stiff cardboard, a dustpan, or a spatula, working from the outside in so you don’t spread it.
3. Blot the wet part with paper towels, pressing down. Don’t rub: it pushes the vomit deeper into the fibers.

2. Cover it with baking soda

Pour a thick layer of baking soda over the spot. It soaks up moisture and neutralizes some of the acid. The McGill Office for Science and Society explains that baking soda reacts with acidic odor molecules, which is why it helps here, while it does little for many other smells. Leave it 15 to 30 minutes, then vacuum it up, or brush it into a bag if the spot is still damp.

3. Break it down with an enzyme cleaner

An enzyme cleaner contains enzymes that break down the proteins, fats, and starches in vomit, the stuff that causes the smell. Humane World for Animals (formerly the Humane Society of the United States) recommends enzymatic cleaners for pet messes because they break down the source of the odor.

• Use enough to soak as deep as the vomit went. On carpet, that usually means into the padding.
• Leave it as long as the label says, often 10 minutes to an hour. Some work best if you cover the spot with plastic so it stays wet.
• Don’t spray vinegar, bleach, or other cleaners on it first. They can stop the enzymes from working.

4. Rinse and extract

Rinse the area with clean water and pull it back out. A portable carpet and upholstery cleaner does this best because it sprays water and sucks the dirty water up in one pass. If you don’t have one, pour on a little water and press hard with old towels, standing on them for carpet, until they come up nearly dry.

5. Dry it fast

Damp padding grows mildew, which brings its own smell. Open windows, point a fan at the spot, and keep people off it until it’s dry. Once it’s dry, smell it up close. If you still catch a sour smell, repeat the enzyme step.

A couple of activated charcoal bags nearby for a few days soak up what’s left in the air.

Vomit in a car

Cars are the hardest place, because vomit runs into gaps and the heat bakes it.

• Check every hiding spot. Slide the seat all the way forward and back, look between the seat and the center console, under the seat, in the seat belt and its buckle, the door pocket, and under the floor mat. Use a flashlight.
• Seats and carpet: follow the steps above. Use the enzyme cleaner sparingly on leather, wipe it off after the wait time, and follow up with a leather cleaner.
• Seat belts: pull the belt all the way out, clip it so it can’t retract, clean it with enzyme cleaner and a cloth, rinse, and let it dry fully before letting it retract.
• Child car seats: take the cover off and follow the seat’s manual. Many manuals say to wipe the harness straps with mild soap and water instead of soaking or machine-washing them, which can weaken them.
• Vents: if vomit got in a vent, wipe what you can reach, and replace the cabin air filter if the smell comes out when the fan runs.
• Dry it out: leave the windows down in a safe spot in the sun, then keep a charcoal bag in the car for a week.

For other car smells, see how to get rid of a bad smell in your car.

Vomit on carpet, a couch, or a mattress

• Carpet: if the smell keeps coming back, it’s in the padding. Soak it deeper with enzyme cleaner and extract it well. See how to get smell out of carpet.
• Couch: check the cleaning code under a cushion first. Many cushions have a zip-off cover you can wash, but the vomit may have reached the foam. See how to get smell out of a couch.
• Mattress: blot and use enzyme cleaner without soaking the mattress, then dry it with a fan. A waterproof protector keeps the next accident out.

What doesn’t work

• Air freshener or scented sprays. They cover the smell for an hour. The vomit is still there.
• Rubbing with a towel. It drives vomit deeper and spreads it.
• Bleach on carpet or fabric. It strips color and doesn’t reach what’s in the padding.
• Mixing cleaners. Bleach with vinegar or ammonia makes toxic gas.