A lot of dog owners joke about dog hair being part of the decor in their home. But when it comes to stinky dog smell, the joke stops there. Honestly, no one really likes to live in a home that is always smelling bad. We all love our dogs but we don’t need our homes to constantly smell like a dog that hasn’t been washed in a long time. Here’s the info you need to learn how to eliminate dog odor from your home, easily and naturally.
How to eliminate dog odor from your home easily
If your dog likes to spend time with you on the couch, your living room is going to feel like it has a permanent doggy smell. Sure, we think it isn’t too bad. But, you know what it’s like when you go out for the day and walk back into your house later to realize the smell has permeated every room.
You can get used to it, but can your guests?
And if you’re house is closed up and heated in the winter months, that smell can become unbearable for friends coming over to join you for a meal.
Is that doggy smell healthy for you, your family, your friends and your pets? I don’t know. But there’s no need to put up with it any longer.
Is air freshener safe to use?
Firstly, you don’t want to mask the smell with a substance that will cause health problems for you and your dog. Commercial air fresheners often contain a dangerous cocktail of nasty chemicals that are not healthy for humans or animals to breathe.
Many of the air fresheners you see for sale contain formaldehyde-producing vapors as well as benzene, toluene and xylene. This is not what you want in your home.
Instead of masking the smell the best approach is to remove the smell. Don’t worry, you don’t need to remove your dog!
Is there a natural alternative instead of air freshener?
A lot of people like to use pure essential oils in their home instead of bought air fresheners. This is a great way to get a natural scent in your home but you need to be careful using them around pets.
Do your research and make sure you take into account all your pets because sometimes cats and dogs react differently to the same essential oil. You will also need to consider birds and any other pets that may be exposed to the scent.
Surprisingly, there is one very simple and effective home remedy to use. If you want to learn how to eliminate dog odor from your house then place a bowl of vinegar in each room.
You need to be careful that pets or kids don’t knock it over. You can always place it on a shelf away from harm. The top of the bowl needs to be open for the vinegar to work.
If you want to disguise the bowl of vinegar, get creative and place it behind a photo frame or vase. You can also use a decorative bowl and make it a feature. Use your imagination and you’ll start to see convenient places for it in each room.
When the effectiveness starts to wear off, replace the vinegar. Just let you nose decide when it’s time! (it depends on the breed of your dog and the size of the room).
Natural remedies for dog smell in carpet and furniture
The couch is one of the most obvious places to remove dog smell from. But if you have a dog that likes to sit or roll around on your carpet then you’ll need to remedy the stink there too.
One of my favorite natural products for removing dog smell from your home is baking soda.
If you really want to know how to eliminate dog odor properly from the couch, make sure you leave a heavy sprinkle of baking soda on there overnight. You can also put the baking soda on in the morning before you go to work and leave it for the whole day. (If you use this method be sure to close the doors and keep your dog out of that room that day).
If your couch has hard to get places in the upholstery, you may want to consider using a small toothbrush to gently push the baking soda into the creases.
After you’ve left the baking soda on there for a day (or a night), vacuum it all off.
You can do this on the carpet too. I usually only need to use a lighter sprinkle on the carpet. Leave it on to do its work and vacuum it off after a few hours.
Get washing
You’ll need to do more washing than you’re already doing to remove that stinky dog odor.
If you have a couch cover, take it off and wash it weekly.
If you don’t have a cover on your couch you may want to consider getting one (see prices and styles HERE on couch covers).
That way, you get to wash the cover and use the baking soda on any remaining odor on the actual couch itself.
And don’t forget the dog bed!
So often your dog’s bed is the source of the odor in your home. The bed itself adds to the odor in your room and it also compounds the smell on your dog.
If your dog gets washed but goes straight back onto a stinky dog bed you’re not really helping the problem.
The best way to deal with the dog bed is to invest in a fully washable dog bed or a waterproof dog bed with a removable washable cover. Either way, this type of bed gives you the best chance at removing stinkiness.
If you need some ideas for a new dog bed, take a look at these here.
You can get washable dog beds (or washable covers) in a variety of shapes and designs for small, medium or large dogs. From crate beds to luxury faux fur donut dog beds, there’s a washable bed to suit your dog and your budget.
Have you tried waterless dog shampoo?
Until you try this product you won’t know how good it really is.
Whether you wash your dog yourself or get a groomer to do it, there is always a certain amount of time between washes when your dog begins to get that doggy odor back again.
Using a waterless dog shampoo is easy and cost-effective.
This is a dry dog shampoo that is gentle (see price here) and can be used on dogs or cats. You simply apply it to your hands and work it into your dog’s coat. You can then brush your dog if you want to and he or she will look good and smell great.
Not only does it get rid of the stink, it also makes your dog’s fur look clean and shiny.
If you own a breed of dog that is not meant to be washed often, try the waterless dog shampoo to remove that doggy smell.
Dry dog shampoo is a very convenient product that you can get it in two different scents.
Let the fresh air in
This sounds obvious but so many people don’t open up their house during the day. Many people are at work all day or studying and they simply don’t ever open up windows or doors to get cross ventilation through their home.
If you have a problem with doggy odor inside, this is a very simple solution. If the weather is warm and there’s a breeze, this is the best time. And if you can open up windows on both sides of the house you’re more likely to get the full effect of cross-ventilation to really remove that odor.
Sure, this is not possible for everyone. If you live in an apartment there is a good chance you won’t be able to open windows on two sides to get a breeze flowing through. However, if this is a practical possibility for you, try it. It really helps in combination with some of the other tips mentioned above.
We all love our dogs, but we don’t need to put up with dog smell in our homes. If you really want to learn how to eliminate dog odor from your home try some or all of these ideas.
You’ll be pleasantly surprised what a difference you can make in one day.
If you’re expecting guests to drop by or you’ve invited family over for a celebration, use these home remedies one or two days before your guests arrive.
Or schedule a day once a week for everyone in the family to pitch in and do one task each to remove that doggy smell. Even kids can help to sprinkle baking soda or carry the dog bed to the washing machine.
Once you make it a regular routine in your family you’ll notice the ongoing difference in your house. Even your dog will thank you (actually no, your dog will still go out and roll in smelly stuff – because he’s a dog!)
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✅ An elevated dog bath can save your back! To see more on the bath above, Click Here (for details and the price)