Eliminate Pet Smells With These Simple But Effective Tips

While a home may well smell cleaner without pets, most devoted pet owners are willing to put up with that in exchange for owning a furry companion. But, do you have to put up with a smelly home as a pet owner?

No, absolutely not!

Here are some effective tips to help you eliminate unwanted pet smells, and create a harmonious home for you and your cherished pets to share: 

Eliminating urine

Even if your pet has been litter trained, or they understand that they should wait to go outside to pee and poop, nothing can stop them from sometimes having an accident, or creating a mess out of sheer laziness!

Urine can smell terrible at the best of times, but when left to soak into a surface or item of upholstery, the smell can intensify and worsen. Fortunately, cleaning up pee and getting rid of the smell is made easy with the following advice:

• Apply a ¼ cup of Hydrogen Peroxide with a teaspoon of baking soda and a squirt of castile soap, and lightly scrub at the stain until it, and the smell, disappear.

 

For persistent urine odors, you may need to get rid of the odor-inducing enzyme with the use of a specialist enzyme cleaning product, that can be doused, poured and soaked into the affected area. 

Keeping on top of pet hair

A healthy coat is directly related to an animal’s diet, and the better your dog or cat’s diet (i.e. the better it meets their dietary and nutritional needs), the less likely they are to regularly shed their fur.  

As well as a healthy diet, you can follow the tips below to manage pet hair in your home:

• Frequent grooming can keep pet hair under control, and doing this outside is an even more effective way to minimize mess
• Use a damp sponge to help collect fur from surfaces and dispose of it
• Regularly vacuum your home, including floors and furniture (vacuums with HEPA filters are the most effective)
• Invest in an air purifier to help with pet dander that may be floating around in the air

Getting rid of general pet odor

Cats and dogs omit a certain odor, and if they spend a lot of time inside your home, you might start to notice a doggy tinge to the air – if you don’t notice it, you can bet your bottom dollar that visitors to your home will! While scented candles and air fresheners can help, as can throwing the windows open from time to time (weather pending), it can also be helpful to do the following:

• Empty and clean litter boxes regularly (at least once a day)
• Add some essential oils, such as lavender, when bathing your pets
• Dry bathe them using baking soda to absorb any lingering smells
• Wash bedding, toys and anything else your pets play with or sleep on, on a regular basis

Many pet owners also find it extremely beneficial to have a cleaning company come in once a week (or more often if required) to help clean all areas that the pets spend time in, thoroughly. They will use pet-friendly cleaning products to ensure that not only is your home clean and free from pet pongs, but that it’s safe for your cherished pets, too.