Try to imagine this scenario: You spend $750 on a new sofa and chair — not on a whim, but after saving up and comparing different models. The beautiful pieces finally arrive at your home. The room looks better than you could have possibly imagined. Even your beloved cat seems to approve. Yes, I said your cat.

Even before the newness has worn off, the unthinkable happens. Your cat becomes stressed (from presidential politics, no doubt) and does what many cats do under stress: He sprays the sofa and chair. Argh!

Does any of this ring a bell? It was the subject of a recent column titled "Some Smelly Situations Cause Extra Toil and Require Extra Patience." This was Linda's story. She wrote in asking how to get the smell of cat urine out of her furniture — the kind of smell that brings tears to your eyes. She had already given Nok-Out a noble try by spraying it on the affected areas, but the smell remained.

Knowing we needed to get this right — and soon — I asked Nok-Out's owner Ted Price to weigh in on this painful situation. You may also recall that we were given a science lesson in that column. Nok-Out, Price explained, is an oxidizer. It neutralizes even the worst odor upon contact. But it must come in contact with the actual source of the offending odor — it can't just sprayed around the source. Price explained exactly how Linda needed to apply Nok-Out in order to to completely eliminate this offensive odor. And sure enough, we heard back from Linda within a couple of weeks:

DEAR MARY AND TED: I'm happy to let you know that it worked! With Ted's tutorial in mind, I poured another gallon of Nok-Out on the arms of the furniture, allowing it to really soak in, and then I let it to dry over a number of days. This time it finished the job! There's no more odor. Thank you. Ted, you have an awesome product! — Linda

I know what you're thinking: A whole gallon of Nok-Out? That's a lot of liquid! And it's not exactly cheap (although it is reasonably priced if you apply the discount code "DPL"). But keep this in mind: Nok-Out is quite strong when used at its full strength. You can dilute Nok-Out using a 4-to-1 ratio of 4 parts water to 1 part Nok-Out. You'll still get the same results, but you will save money.

So, let's think this scenario through: Would you haul a $750 sofa and chair set to the dump instead of simply spending $50 to fix the problem? Probably not. I know Linda wouldn't — and she didn't! She attacked the odor. She put enough Nok-Out on the cushions to soak into the upholstery — as deep as the stuffing — and come in contact with every smidgen of cat urine. The odor was fully oxidized. And since Nok-Out is as harmless as water, it didn't affect the upholstery in any way.

Nok-Out is nontoxic, so it is completely safe to use around pets and kids. It's a clear liquid, and it contains no perfumes or chemicals, yet it neutralizes one of nature's most difficult odors.

DEAR MARY: I have only been reading your column for about a year or so, but I have really enjoyed it, and I have learned a lot. You've previously talked about mold issues, and how to kill mold using Nok-Out or a vaporizer. I think my husband is showing certain symptoms (cough, shortness of breath, exhaustion, dizziness) of mold-related illness. Even if mold isn't causing his symptoms (we are exploring other causes), I imagine that it can't hurt to spray Nok-Out through a vaporizer. Do you recommend using a vaporizer or a humidifier? Thank you for all you do. — Dee

DEAR DEE: Either a vaporizer or humidifier will work for this application, provided it produces cool mist and has a good-sized tank. The tank should be able to hold enough Nok-Out to run for a few hours before a refill is needed. When using Nok-Out in a vaporizer or humidifier, use it full strength.

Good luck with your project!

Mary invites questions, comments and tips at [email protected], or c/o Everyday Cheapskate, 12340 Seal Beach Blvd., Suite B-416, Seal Beach, CA 90740. This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com, a personal finance member website and the author of "Debt-Proof Living," released in 2014. To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.