How to Keep House Smelling Good With Pets | Complete Guide
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Do you have a pet? If yes, you must know how tough it is to keep the house smelling good with pets. Maybe pets are more than animals you-they are like family members. But we are sure that you never like the pet smell in your house.
A house with an annoying pet smell can create various sorts of problems. It not only bothers your breath but also embarrassed you in front of your visitors because they can notice the smell as soon as they enter your home. Luckily there are lots of activities that can keep your house fresh even if you have pets. This article will discuss some of these actions that can remove unpleasant pet odor and keep your house fresh.
Contents
How to keep house smelling good with pets
Proper maintenance and cleaning of the house are essential if you have pets. Besides, there is some action that can help you to keep your home smelling good. Let us see-
1. Keep clean your pet supplies
It is an effective way to keep your house fresh and smell-free. You just need to clean all of your pet supplies regularly. For example, wash pet’s bedding and pillows once a week and regularly clean their dishes and toys. Even you should clean each thing about your house that comes in contact with the pets like the bed, couch, etc.
2. Vacuum the odor source
Pets usually leave a smelly trail whenever they move around your house. This trail includes various stuff like hair, dander, traces of urine or faces, and mud. It is essential to remove these odor sources. You need to vacuum your entire house regularly. Do not forget to attach necessary attachments if required.
You should vacuum the floor, furniture, under furniture, baseboards, cushions, carpets, mats, rugs, and each area where pets spend lots of time.
3. Don’t cover up the odor
There are various artificial room fresheners like candles and plug-ins that make a room smell pleasant. But the use of these fresheners does not means you are removing offending odors; you just cover up them. You can apply neutralizers or natural ionizers to the sources of the foul odor to eliminate them effectively. If your pet has an accident, then this will be useful.
4. Clean old pet messes with an enzyme cleaner
Many pet owners often hide or clean the messes improperly, which is the main culprit behind pet odor. The use of enzyme cleaner can solve this problem. If there are recent pet messes in your house, spray the enzyme cleaner on the infected area. Allow the cleaner to be soaked for about half an hour. Then use a clean cloth to blot it dry.
Hopefully, the odor will eliminate completely. The enzyme cleaner is the best to clean old pet messes because it breaks down the proteins in vomit, feces, urine, and other biological stains.
5. Use baking soda
Baking soda is a common, low-cost, and eco-friendly household item. It is one of the best cleaning products; in fact, it can effectively absorb the pet smell. It is quite easy to use baking soda; just sprinkle it on the carpet and onto the furniture and leave it overnight. Vacuum it the next day and get a smell-free house. As a bonus, baking soda will also remove the stain-causing pet accident.
6. Clean the carpet
To smell your house fresh in spite of having a pet is a tough job. An overall cleaning regularly is mandatory, but some specific space needs a little bit more of your attention. Carpet is one of them. It might take time and expend much effort. But be patient; you can do this cleaning work using detergent powder or wet shampoo.
You can even dry clean your carpet. Sprinkle some powdered cleaner on the carpet and allow it to sit for 30 minutes. Vacuum the carpet for removing the dry cleaner.
7. Clean furniture
Pet smell or any other household smell prone to hide in furniture. The cat’s hair is one of the main culprits of carrying smell. So you should also clean furniture regularly. Do not forget to check the best cleaning method for each piece of furniture as they need a special treat to ensure their longevity.
Take a suitable brush to clean upholstery. Take some water into the bucket and add a few drops of liquid dish soap. Dip the brush into the bucket of water and rub the entire surface of the furniture. Wipe with a wet cloth. Finally, wipe with another dry cloth to dry out the furniture surface.
8. Keep the filter fresh
It is another essential matter to consider. If the pet’s awful smell enters the furnace or air conditioning filters, the smell will keep circulating throughout the home. The easy and possible way to solve this problem is, you have to clean these filters frequently. You should clean or change them at least once a month.
9. Give your pet a bath
Pets love to play with soil, toys, and other things, which often means getting into messes. A regular bath can help you get rid of these messes. You should give a regular bath to the dogs and some other pets. Put some favorite bath toys into the bathtub along with the pet. Use a bucket or hose to wet the pet’s fur. Use appropriate pet shampoo on the fur and rub with your hand gently. Rinse thoroughly to remove the shampoo, and use a soft and dry towel to dry their fur.
During the bath, give some extra attention to the paws and the behind areas. No need to wash the pet’s eyes, face, and ears with water and shampoo. Water in the ears and cause infection.
10. Clean the litter box
You should scoop their litter boxes daily. These boxes grow bacteria that can be pretty smelly. You should run a thorough cleaning to remove the smell completely.
Vinegar is a good cleaning agent and also useful for removing the smell. Pour some vinegar into the box and allow it to sit for 30 minutes. Take a brush and scrub out stains along with the smell. Rinse the box with clean water and let it air dry. The plastic litter box grows bacteria over time so, you should change them at least once a year.
11. Wash your bed regularly
Many pet lovers love to sleep with their pets. If you are also one of them, then it is important to wash your bed often. It is essential to ensure your germ and fur-free bed and also smell-free. Remove bed covers, pillow covers, sheets, and blankets from the bed. Machine wash all the beddings along with the blankets. To remove ugly pet odor, add a one-forth cup of vinegar to the wash liquid. Dry the bedding under the sun.
During cleaning the bedding, take a handful of baking soda and sprinkle it over the mattress. Allow it to sit for two/three hours, then vacuum up before making the bed.
12. Clean the cage
Do you have rabbits, birds, rats, or any other pets that live in cages with bedding? If yes, then the cage can make your entire house stink. Carefully bring out the pet and place it in any safe place like a second cage. Remove all things from the cage and through the bedding. Wash all toys and bowl with warm water. Clean the cage’s bottom with soap and water.
- Leave the cage outside for air to dry. It will help to remove the bad smell.
- Put another fresh bedding and the cleaned toys and dishes.
- Now return the pet into the cage.
13. Keep opening the window
The easiest way to remove the smell from the house is proper air circulation. Whether it is spring, summer, or fall, keep open your windows. Let circulate fresh air into the house and blow away bad smells out the other. If it is winter, open a single window at a time and keep it open for a few minutes only. It will help to remove the bad smell.
14. Clean the walls
Pets often lie down, touching the walls, and leave behind their natural body oil. This natural oil is a little smelly. If the wall color is light, you can identify the oil stain also. You should clean your walls with an enzyme cleaner to remove the smell. If the problem is serious, you may have to repaint the wall.
15. Use an air purifier
Even after cleaning the entire house, there may still be some smell in the air. If you have allergies, then the smelly air may be harmful to you. An air purifier with a HEPA filter can solve this problem because this filter can effectively reduce dust and other allergens in the air and purify it for better breath.
You should replace the air purifier every few months or according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
16. Groom the pet
You must know that pet hair and dander are also a big source of the odor. You should brush your pet’s hair frequently to minimize shedding. This is an easy way to control excess fur and remove dirt.
You should often brush your pet’s teeth to ensure its good oral hygiene and fresh breath. Just remember that a well-groomed pet looks good and also smells good.
17. Use a deodorizer
There are lots of deodorizers available in the market that are specially produced to target the pesky pet smell. You can purchase any of them or make it at your home. The deodorizer making process at home is-
- The first process- Pour some white vinegar into an empty spray bottle. Add five to ten drops of your favorite essential oils such as vanilla, lavender, lemon, etc. Spray the vinegar solution everywhere in your house.
- The second process- Pour a one-fourth cup of baking soda into an empty spray bottle. Fill the bottle with water. Shake it well and spray it around the house.
18. Clean pet messes immediately
You should never leave nasty pet messes for later; clean them as soon as possible.
- Pick up solid waste and put it into the dustbin.
- Blot the liquid mess to absorb excess moisture.
- Spray enzyme cleaner on the mess and let it sit for half an hour.
- Wipe the area using a cloth and let it dry.
You can clean your pet’s vomit, feces, and urine following this way.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Does vinegar kill pet odor?
Vinegar is a natural deodorizer that can effectively remove any smell, including a pet accident. Just spray vinegar into the air or on the pet bedding, which is enough to remove the smell.
How do I get rid of the pet urine smell in my house?
Like vinegar, baking soda is also a natural odor removal agent. Sprinkle it generally on the stained area or old pet accident. Leave it overnight and then vacuum.
Does Febreze Pet Odor Eliminator work?
Yes. The Febreze Pet Odor Eliminator comes with a pleasant scent at a fair price. It can effectively mask pet smells.
What is the best thing to absorb pet odors?
The artificial chemical deodorizer is not enough to remove the pet smell—the best thing is to use something natural like vinegar, baking soda, essential oils, etc.
Can I bathe my dog every two weeks?
Overwashing can irritate a dog’s skin. According to expert opinion, you can bathe your pet weekly or every two weeks.
Wrapping up
Overall cleaning of the entire house is the prime condition to keep the house smelling good with pets. Try to mop your floor daily. Vacuum or steam clean your carpets. Never forget to clean your pet’s paws whenever it enters the house from the outside. It is also essential to keep your pet clean along with the house. You can also cover up the furniture with plastic to prevent storing smells from pets.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
[…] Read next: How to keep the house smelling good with pets […]
[…] Read next: How to keep house smelling good with pets […]