If you have a furry best friend at home, you are all too familiar with the smells that accompany them. They can be quite a challenge to get rid of, right?
Well, they don’t have to be. Every dog has an inherent smell, and no matter how well you bathe and groom them, their bodily smells never fade. If your home is pet-friendly and you allow your dog to climb all over your furniture, inevitably, they end up smelling like your dog.
While you might be used to the smell, it’s quite apparent to guests coming over. To rid yourself of embarrassment and your house of the smells, we have created a list of some of the best options at your disposal. It’s essential to use the right tools and products, so you don’t damage your furniture (and hurt your dog’s feelings!).
So, without further ado, let’s get straight to the deets!
How To Get Rid Of Dog Smell Inside
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Regular Cleaning
There’s nothing like good ol’ cleaning to get rid of dog smells from your house. First things first, make sure that you vacuum everything. And yes, we mean everything! From your bed to your couch, furniture, under the furniture, stairs, carpets, and all other places. Pet hair lands up in all kinds of places and contributes to the smell in your home.
Remember to change the filters often, more regularly than you think you should. We understand that your dog isn’t the biggest fan of your vacuum cleaner, but this is a reliable way to get rid of pet hair, dander, and, subsequently, the smells.
Another important rule is to sweep and mop your floors often. Remember to use a pet-friendly cleaning product, because you never know what your dog will end up licking.
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Steam Clean Carpets & Rugs
Once you have gotten into the habit of regular vacuuming, sweeping, and mopping, you’ll notice a significant difference in dog smells in your home. However, you will also realize that some smells are just harder to get rid of merely with surface cleaning methods.
Your carpets, rugs, and even curtains are some such materials that can really absorb dog smells. To get rid of this, you have to steam clean them to drive the smell out of their fibers.
You can also choose to opt for professional steam cleaning services. But, when doing so, make sure that you inform them beforehand to use pet-friendly cleaning products. Ensure that your carpets, rugs, and curtains are completely dry before putting them back in your home.
It is also important to remember that any change in smells can trigger your dog’s inherent desire to ‘mark their territory.’ They are wired to want to urinate on unfamiliar-smelling objects to mark their territory. As such, it is best to use cleaning products that don’t have a strong scent or perfume, which can trigger your dog.
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Wash Your Pet’s Bed
It should come as no surprise that your pet’s bed is probably the smelliest item around your home. It’s where they spend most of their time – playing, sleeping, or just lazing around. The little bed that they can rightfully call their own is where most of the urine, saliva, fur, dander, and other odors get mixed up, forming a unique, rather horrendous smell.
Thankfully, most of the dog bed covers are machine washable. This should make things easier for you, as you can simply remove the cover and put it into your washer for a quick cleanse. You can even add some white vinegar or baking soda, as this helps remove any odors from the fabric.
Once you have washed the cover, make sure you air dry it thoroughly in sunlight, so that any remaining odors and bacteria are eliminated. You can even buy a pooch-friendly spray and use that on their bed to remove the remaining odors.
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Buy An Air Purifier
A good air purifier will do much more than just purify the air in your home. It will also trap and remove pet hair, dander, and even pet odors. When purchasing an air purifier for your home, buy one specifically designed to eliminate pet odors.
Moreover, the cleaner air and environment of your home will also ensure that your dog and the rest of your family breathe in fresh, clean air at all times.
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Find Specific Smelly Areas
Dogs have a curious way of marking their territory – they pee on it. If your dog has picked out a favorite spot in your home, they will mark the area as their own by peeing on it. It can be a spot on your couch, your bed, under your bed, on your furniture, carpet, and rugs.
However, there are other kinds of smells related to dogs, such as their barf odors, feces, and even just their inherent bodily scents.
Although you may have cleaned and sprayed your entire home, some spots are smellier than others. These spots have a persistent smell because it is where your dog regularly ‘marks their territory.’ To eliminate this, first identify the very spot where the smell is strongest.
Once you have done this, it is best to use a commercial cleaning product to deep clean the area regularly. Of course, you can always use homemade cleaners, but they may be less effective or take longer to work. Just make sure that whatever cleaner you are using is pet-friendly and doesn’t contain any toxic chemicals.
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Neutralize The Smells
If your furniture doesn’t have removable covers, then you can simply brush away the pet hair and dander using a soft bristle brush. After this, use a solution of water and 1/4th cup of white vinegar and wipe down your furniture with a damp cloth. Ensure that you don’t oversaturate the fabric or surfaces with water, as it may cause damage.
Alternatively, you can create your very own ‘no-smell spray’ by mixing two cups of white vinegar and four tablespoons of baking soda with water in a spray bottle. This little formula can be sprayed on absolutely anything. It will eliminate dog smells like magic, without causing any damage to furniture or fabric.
To use – spray the solution on any surface and allow it to soak for a few minutes. Blot it dry using a rag or cloth. If you are worried about how the solution will react with any fabric or surface, spray it on an inconspicuous area first to test it, and then try it on the entire area.
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Use Perfumes & Sprays
Most people who have pets at home face the issue of weird odors and smells emitted by their furry friends. Several pet-friendly companies have developed pet perfumes and sprays which you can use either on your furniture and around your home, or directly on your pet.
While this isn’t a long-term solution to get rid of dog smells, it works if you are expecting company and need to deodorize your home immediately. Moreover, pet-friendly perfumes that can be sprayed directly on your pooch will make them smell a little less dog-like and a little more fresh – if your dog allows you to spray him, that is!
Another tip you can use for your home is to light scented candles or keep potpourri baskets around your house. While these will work quite efficiently, they do pose a certain risk, especially around jumpy, enthusiastic dogs who are curious to explore anything new.
As long as you can keep the items at a safe distance where your dog can’t get to them, it should be a safe option. However, if your pet is especially jumpy and active, or likes to put anything new in their mouth, it’s probably not safe to use potpourri and scented candles around your home.
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Air It Out
There’s nothing like fresh air to drive out any unpleasant smells. If you are in the habit of keeping all your doors and windows closed, your dog’s smell will eventually get too strong to handle, even for you.
It is advisable to open up your windows at least once a day, letting in fresh air and sunlight. Turn on your ceiling fans and switch off any central heating or air conditioning. Don’t worry; it’s just for a little while.
Do this at least once a day. If you want to open up your doors as well, you’re welcome to do so. Just make sure that your furry friend doesn’t run out of the house and get lost!
Opening up windows and doors may not be feasible during harsh winters or summer months. During these periods, you can choose a time of the day when temperatures are mild. However, if that’s not possible, you can explore the other options mentioned in this list.
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Change The Air Filters
Air filters work best only when they are clean. On the days you decide to air out your home, take the opportunity to clean out or change your air filters every few weeks (or months).
More often than not, old, clogged air filters do not allow air to circulate properly throughout your home. This causes the air in your home to become stagnant, which increases dog smells around your home.
The best part is, you can change the air filters easily at home by yourself. If you’re not sure about what air filters to buy for replacement, simply bring the old air filter with you to your local hardware store. They will guide you through the process and give you the right replacement product.
It is a good idea to keep a garbage bag around you while changing the filters. Dispose of the old filters directly into the garbage bag, so you don’t end up making a mess around your home. It is also best to keep your beloved dog in a different room while doing this, so they don’t get excited and knock the filters over.
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Get A Professional
We completely understand if you are too busy to engage in a lot of the DIY tasks to deodorize your home. There is no shame in this. In fact, this is why professional cleaners exist.
Every few weeks, call in a professional maid service who can clean your home thoroughly. Of course, ensure that you inform them to use pet-friendly cleaning products only. The professional cleaners will do a better job than you can expect, deep cleaning everything in your home and using the right products to get rid of dog smells.
Moreover, it’s okay if you don’t want to invest in expensive cleaning products yourself. It can be an economical option to opt for a maid service once every few weeks for a professional cleaning, or deep cleaning of your home.
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Essential Oils
Honestly, essential oils are nature’s gift to humankind. Whatever your favorite flower, plant, fruit, or tree is, you will surely find an essential oil bottle of it. Essential oils are completely organic oils that need to be diluted before use. They are effervescent and smell natural, without any chemical or scented additives.
Essential oils can be used in an oil diffuser or simply sprayed with water directly around your home. The oils can be diluted to make the smells as strong or subtle as you want them to be.
You can even mix a few drops of your favorite essential oil into your laundry, making them smell fresh and pleasant after every wash. Take a spray bottle, fill it with water, and add a few drops of one (or a mixture of different) essential oils.
Make this your all-purpose spray bottle. You can use this absolutely anywhere without fear of damaging anything. Since the oils are organic and don’t contain any toxic ingredients, you can spray them on your dog’s bed, on your furniture, carpets, curtains, and anywhere else at home.
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Pet Odor Eliminator
Sometimes, you just need a quick solution to get rid of the dog smells from your home. Maybe you have some friends coming over, or a date planned for later. Thankfully, you won’t have to go through the whole ordeal of vacuuming, cleaning, and washing everything to get rid of the smell.
There are several pet odor eliminators you will find in the market, all in different price ranges. They are safe to use around your home and near your pets. Moreover, the variety of scents will make you want to use the eliminator even when you aren’t expecting company.
That being said, these pet odor eliminators may be safe to use around your dog, but not directly on them. So whatever you do, don’t spray it on your dog’s fur directly.
Final Words
If you have a dog at home, you will inevitably have dog smells. But, you don’t necessarily have to learn to live with them.
We have explored all of the options mentioned above and found that they work quite well to get rid of dog smells from home. Of course, it is best to observe how your pet reacts to the new smells. If you find your dog reacting to any one of these methods, just switch over to a different approach and see how they react.
Unless it is a very offensive new scent, your dog should be fine with your new cleaning techniques and sweet-smelling sprays.
With that, we hope you find the best methods that work for both your home and pet. On that note, we will sign off.
Until next time!
