I have to admit, as much as I love dogs, that ‘doggy smell’ is not something I tolerate well in my home and my dream car. A normal dog smell are made up from sweat and oils produced by our 4-legged friends and we know we all want to get rid of dog odors.
Additional do smells are produced from time to time, for example as a result of puppy training accidents or after rolling in something rather undesirable!
So how do we get rid of dog odours around your home and your car?
We have some options for your try, pet cleaning products, pet vacuums, steam cleaners, brooms, mops and air purifiers will not let you down.Â
As we shouldn’t be shampooing our pooches to often, as much as we would like to make them smell of roses, the best way to control our dog smell is by sweetening our home.
Vacuum Regularly -Â
On the whole, aim to keep pet hair at bay by hoovering regularly. A good pet hair hoover will tackle this.
Hoovering these days needn’t be a chore, with powerful lift away and cordless vacuums to fulfill all requirements.
Remember not only floors but soft furniture, and get right into the crevices with attachments. It’s helpful to keep the filters of the vacuum clean too.
If you are like me and love the outdoors, always off in the car with my dog for some weekend treks and walks in the wood then a handy cordless vacuum might solve the removal of pet hair around the car seats and boot.
To ensure your work suit is not covered in dog or cat hair when you get to the office or attend that important business marketing meeting.
To keep the car fresh you might also want to use some of the cleaning tips discussed below which were supplied to us thank to the team from Rangers cat.
Steam clean your carpetsÂ
Of course, hoovering doesn’t wash the carpets. Steam cleaning the carpet is an added benefit, though probably not something you’ll do as regularly.Â
For puppy pee accidents on the carpet, a 50:50 solution of white vinegar and warm water soaked into the affected area for half an hour, then washed out with cool water and dried, should do the trick as a home remedy.
Once thoroughly dry, a couple of tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda scattered into the area and hoovered after 15 mins, can eliminate that rather unpleasant scent.
Pet Safe Cleaning ProductsÂ
If you’d prefer a more commercial ready prepared odour removing cleaning product, something like zoflora Fresh Home odour remover and disinfectant is pet safe and carpet friendly (but check colour fastness first).
If you have lots of hard floors, regular sweeping and mopping of these is essential too. Steam mops are great for hard floors, but we like the Shark steam mops with the added benefit of a carpet glider, meaning it can be used on all the floors in the house.
Steam cleaning uses heat and moisture to remove dirt without chemicals, which is great for homes with pets and children. Apart from vacuuming the sofas and upholstery, you can remove odours and hairs in other ways too.
Machine washing furnishings
Machine washing soft furnishings according to their care instructions is an obvious tip, but for removing hairs from soft fabrics, a simple tip is to wear a rubber glove, wet it, and wipe over the affected area.
Aside from floors and soft furnishings, a regular dusting of the home will remove hairs and dander. Damp dust with a lint free cloth and then dry.
It goes without saying that ventilating the home can help to eliminate odours. Do this as often as weather conditions permit! Keeping our furry friends regularly groomed is a sure fire way to help reducing odours.Â
Air purifier your rooms
However, if you live in a crazy busy city area and keeping windows open is not a viable opportunity, using an air purifier is your best bet. According to the Fresh Air Purifier Guide, specialised units can remove up to 99% of particles in the air within a confined compartment.
Bathing Your DogsÂ
Also, How often to give a dog a proper bath will vary depending on factors such as breed, fur, and activity level/type; some dogs will need a bath even up to once per week and others just a few times per year.Â
Bathing your dog is important to avoid fungal and bacterial skin problems however too frequent a bath can also cause irritated skin, which can lead to problems. Strike a balance!
These are just a few simple things we’ve found in our attempt at keeping doggy smells at bay. Hope they can be of some help.
Last Updated on February 15, 2021 by Gemma Tyler
Gemma Tyler is a freelance journalist with 15 years of experience writing for consumer publications. She has tested and reviewed a wide range of household items from vacuum cleaners to washing machines and dehumidifiers to steam irons. Her attention to detail and exhaustive testing certainly makes her an expert in her field.
