There’s a fine line between a dog-smelling house and covering up a dog-smelling house. Both of which will have guests secretly covering their noses and trying to escape. Being a dog owner comes with great joys, but a stinky house sure doesn’t top the list.

There are 5 things that every dog (and cat) owner should do to ensure their house smells welcoming, clean, and fresh. If you aren’t doing these things, you may be knee deep in a smell that you can’t even sense any more.

Keep Your House Smelling Good

Obviously, you need to be on top of any accidents in your house. You should use a pet cleaning spray and clean everything completely. Even this isn’t enough to keep the pet smell out. Your dog has dander that gets left behind as he roams around the house. He leaves his mark without marking his spot. His toys, bed, bones, food, and accessories leave their scent throughout your house.

Skip the Febreeze and other chemical-filled freshners, as they only mask the odor. Your nose may feel happy for 30 minutes, but the underlying issues still exist. 

Baking Soda and Essential Oils

Baking soda is your friend. Spread it over all carpets and rugs once a week. Let it sit for a few hours before vacuuming it up. Baking soda is 100% safe and natural and will neutralize odors. After you’ve vacuumed, diffuse (pet-safe) essential oils throughout the house.

Air Purifier

Air purifiers keep your house fresher and are a great way to cut down on allergies and odors in the air. When choosing an air purifier, take note of the square footage that it covers and any ‘inserts’ it requires. Utilize oils or other natural options instead of chemical-filled items. Run the air purifiers as often as you can (all day if possible), you will notice a difference in the small - and any allergies or breathing issues that may be happening under your roof. 

Carpet Steamer

Investing in a carpet cleaner is necessary when you are a pet parent. Even a fully potty trained dog still leaves behind enough of a scent to need scrubbed every month. Remember that when you steam your floors, you must keep your dog (or cat) off of them until they are completely dry.

Laundry

Your dog’s bed, toys and blankets all need to be cleaned regularly. That chew toy you brought home may entertain your dog, but it also leaves behind tiny fragments of itself in your carpet or on your rugs.  Any toys that are played with or rolled around with need cleaned. If your dog’s bed is too big to fit in your washing machine, consider replacing it with one that has a removable cover.

Baths

You can clean your house every day, but if your dog is not smelling fresh, your house will not smell fresh. Make sure you give your furbaby a bath before his scent fills the room.