There are lots of ways that visitors can tell that you are a pet person from your home. Perhaps you have lots of photos of your beloved companion on the wall, or lots of toys and bowls around. Perhaps they can tell from the moment that they walk in because of the smell. Dog odor is something that pet parents can become a little immune to. We may not realize how much our living rooms smell of dog because it is so normal to us. But, this can be off-putting for our guests. That is why we need some help now and then to minimize the smell in the home.
The first option is to mask the smell
If you are expecting company, but your pet pooch just rolled their wet fur into the furniture, you can try and mask the scent a little. Air fresheners and deodorizers are a big help here. They can take the edge off a little. Be careful when using any plug-in products or spray, however. These options can have a high chemical content that may put your family and pets at risk. Natural scented candles are better, but they may be a tell-tale sign that you are trying to cover something up. Baking soda also works surprisingly well when sprinkled into the fabric.
Unfortunately, one of the sure-fire ways to deal with dog odor in the home is to clean regularly
You may end up feeling like you spend half your time cleaning up after your pets. But, a regular, effective cleaning regime can help to deal with their mess and their odor at the same time. Vacuuming is a big part of this. Regular efforts to remove dirt and hair mean that the odor won’t linger so badly. A good pet vacuum should handle floors, carpets and upholstery with ease. The best also have filters to deal with any allergens.
You will also want to wash the upholstery to get the worse of the dirt and smell out. Those deodorizers can only handle so much. Give the sofa cushion covers a good wash and air dry to get the worst of the smell out. The same goes for the dog bed. A lot of that doggy odor will come from this cozy little corner of the room. That is why it helps to get a dog bed that has a removable, machine-washable cover. Regular washing helps keep their bed more pleasant for all concerned, but remember to use a safe washing powder, especially if your dog suffers with any forms of allergies.
Of course, you will also want to clean your pets regularly enough to stop odor from their coats and other places. Regular grooming of the coat, ears, glands and other problem areas is essential in the fight against doggy odor and hygiene issues. You don’t want to bathe them too often, but a pet-friendly shampoo with oatmeal and botanical oils can work wonders on smellier pups. If you have concerns about grooming them yourself at home, or about the right products, employ the help of a local groomer.
The other option is to take preventative steps to stop the odor from penetrating the room in the first place
The odor can’t offend anyone if you don’t give it a chance to develop. Instead of spending so much time washing and vacuuming the carpets, why not take them out and opt for hard floors instead. It is certainly much easier to wash muddy prints off a hard floor too. Dry off pets in the hall or wash muddy coats outside before they come into a living space. If you are sick of their bed causing a smell in the living room, keep their beds out of that room altogether. You may also want to train them to stop them from jumping up onto the sofa to reduce the problem.
Small, consistent efforts can all add up to a cleaner, odor-free home. Keep up with the grooming and cleaning so that there is less chance of bad odors building up. Keep your pets off the furniture, especially if they have just been out playing in who knows what. Finally, think about the smell through the eyes, or should that be the noses of guests.