Cat vomit on the couch, mattress or bed: the fix for each surface

Pepper does not pick the washable surface. Find yours below: the first two steps are the same everywhere, and then the surface decides.

Every surface starts the same

1. Lift the solids. Use a spoon or stiff card and work from the edges in. Don't press down.
2. Blot with cold water. Cold, not hot: heat sets vomit into the fibers. Blot, never scrub.

Fabric couch

1. Read the tag. "W" or "W/S" means water-based cleaners are fine. "S" means solvent only, and "X" means vacuum only: blot the solids and call an upholstery cleaner.
2. Mist, don't soak. Spray Biokleen Bac-Out at Amazon on the spot until the fabric is damp, test a hidden corner first, and leave it wet for the time on the bottle.
3. Blot and dry on its edge. Press with a clean towel, then stand a loose cushion on its edge with a fan on it. Foam that stays damp is how the smell comes back.

Soaked through to the cushion? An extractor pulls out what a towel can't. See Vacmaster at Amazon. Use it after the cleaner has sat, and rinse the tank after every job.

Mattress

1. Strip the bed and send the sheets to the wash (next section).
2. Spray lightly. A mattress holds liquid like a sponge, so mist Biokleen Bac-Out at Amazon on the stain instead of pouring. Wait the time on the bottle.
3. Blot, then dry fully. Press with a dry towel until it comes up almost dry, then run a fan on it for hours. Sunlight helps. Don't remake the bed until it's dry.

Old stain, or it soaked in overnight? Rocco & Roxie's directions call for an overnight soak on older spots. On a mattress, repeat light passes rather than one wet one. See Rocco & Roxie at Amazon

Sheets, blankets and pet bedding

1. Scrape off the solids and rinse the stained spot from the back with cold water.
2. Wash with an enzyme booster. Add a scoop of ACTIVE Enzyme Laundry Booster to your normal detergent. It uses bio-active enzymes and is unscented. For a heavy stain, its directions call for a pre-soak of at least an hour in warm water. See ACTIVE Enzyme Laundry Booster at Amazon
3. Check before the dryer. Heat sets a stain that's still there. If you can still see it, wash again or air dry.

Hardwood and tile

1. Wipe up the pile with a paper towel, then wipe the spot with a damp cloth.
2. Use a cleaner that lists your floor. Rocco & Roxie's directions cover tile, wood and concrete. On wood, its directions say to let the first round dry fully before you add more. See Rocco & Roxie at Amazon
3. Wipe dry. Standing liquid is hard on a wood finish, so don't leave it sitting.

Protect the couch for next time

A waterproof cover turns the next one into a laundry problem instead of a couch problem. The Ameritex cover straps over the furniture and goes in the wash. It's sold as a dog bed blanket, so check the size against your couch. See Ameritex at Amazon

When to call the vet

The Cornell Feline Health Center says to have your cat seen promptly if she throws up more than once a week, or if the vomiting comes with any of these:

• tired or weak
• eating less
• blood in the vomit
• diarrhea at the same time
• drinking more, or peeing more or less

When it's a vet call, and the brushing habits that help: Why does my cat keep throwing up? The full carpet routine, with dried spots and wool rugs: How to clean cat vomit from carpet.