What to Do When Your House Smells Like Dog
Published: Last updated: by Jessi Larson Affiliate Disclosure: We hope you love the products we've recommended! As an Amazon Associate we earn a small share from qualifying purchases.Oh, the dreaded dog smell. Our furry friends are so cute and so cuddly, yet there is just a certain smell that their presence adds to your home.
The challenging part: The odor is often hard to pick up on when you’re living in the house day in and day out. It’s like your nose becomes immune.
The other day I returned from a weeklong business trip, and as soon as I walked in the house, I was greeted by the sharp smell of dog. It’s not like our dog Toby got extra stinky in the week I was gone; my nose simply adjusted while I was away and could now smell it clearly.
Other times, however, it’s crystal clear that your house is being overcome by the smell of dog, even if you haven’t left.
So what do you do when your house smells like dog?
Don’t panic. There are plenty of things you can do to get rid of the funky odor and get your home back in order once again.
1. Air it out
If the weather allows, open up the windows and start getting some fresh air in your house. That will get clean air moving in and the dog-smelling stench moving out.
2. Get a purifier
You can also use an air purifier to filter out pet dander and odor and keep the air in your home fresh.
The LEVOIT LV-H132 Air Purifier with True Hepa Filter removes 99.97% of dust, pollen, smoke, odor, mold spores and, most importantly in this case, pet dander.
3. Wipe down your pup’s belongings
Use gentle, safe cleaning products to clean anything that belongs to your dog. This includes their kennel, bed, collar, leash and anything else they use frequently.
The collar and leash are items that are often overlooked, yet get exceptionally smelly since they are always in close quarters with your dog.
They’re also exposed to the elements like rain, dirt and debris – especially if you have an active dog that rolls around in anything they see. (Toby’s collar gets exceptionally stinky after he goes swimming in the lake and rolls around in the grass.)
To clean these items, we put them in an old pillow case that is then knotted at the end and pop them in the washer and dryer. This way the collar and leash get clean without clanking around during the process.
When you think about it, carpets are kind of gross. They soak up pet dandruff and odors (among other things!) and keep them trapped inside.
Toby sheds A LOT. Because of this, we vacuum frequently to deal with the hair on the surface. But we soon realized that we need to do more and invested in a carpet cleaner. You can also hire a carpet cleaning service.
This removes deeply embedded dirt, dander and debris in the carpet that was causing the odor in the first place, resulting in a fresher smelling house.
5. Sweep and mop the floors
You’ll also want to sweep your hardwood, linoleum and tile floors to pick up dog hair and dander. Afterward, give them a good rinse over with whatever method is appropriate for that surface.
6. Wash the linens and fabrics
Next, wash all linens and fabrics that your dog comes into contact with.
The obvious culprits are their bed and any rugs that they sit on frequently. If your dog sleeps in bed with you, then you need to wash your bedding even more frequently than normal.
And if your pup is allowed to sit on the couch and it’s made of fabric, be sure to give it a good clean a few times a year. Here’s how.
7. Bulk up on Febreeze
Febreeze is a dog owner’s best friend. What’s great about Febreeze compared to other brands is that it cleans away odors versus simply masking them. A few sprays and your house will smell better ASAP.
8. Keep your dog clean
And finally, this goes without saying, but be sure to keep your dog clean. I know it’s hard when there is so much going on in life and dogs always seem to be getting into something.
To start, make sure you’re giving your dog regular baths, as often as is recommended for their breed. And in between, try out freshening wipes, especially if your pup gets a bit of dirt or drool on them.
Lastly, when they come inside, always check their paws to make sure they’re not tracking something yucky in the house.
Conclusion
As you know, being a dog owner is harder than it looks. Pet odor is something that we all deal with, and every single pup parent – even the most fastidious cleaners – has had their house smell like a kennel at one point in time.
With these tips and tricks, however, your house will be smelling like a rose.
Getting a New Dog?
2 Comments
Jessi,
My parents have 13 bulldogs in their house. Its a kennel inside the home. They’ve been there breeding these dogs over 20 years.
The stench is horrible. The parents actually smell as well. Their bodies and clothes are clean, yet anywhere they go they still smell like a kennel. It’s really bad. Is there ANYTHING that can be done to get the smell out of the home? The parents are both in their 80’s and are still breeding the english bulldogs.
throw the whole parent away. Get a new one.