Have you ever walked into a house and the first thing you smell is dog? And sometimes it’s wet dog or dirty dog? You know what we’re talking about!
Typically, dogs should be bathed about every month or so to keep them smelling fresh (FourLeggedGuru – Dog Grooming Tips), however, there are always those times when your dog will get into something stinky – their own version of doggie perfume – and you’ll need to give them a bath. Those are the once-in-a-while times. . What we’re talking about is a constant smell of dog in your home. Here are some tips to help you remove the dog smell without removing the dog!
Also See – Are Professional Groomers Worth the Expense
Where to Start
Begin by taking everything off your furniture. That means removing pillows and blankets from couches as well as throws or anything else that happens to reside there permanently. Take bed linens off, especially if your dog sleeps with you at night. If your sofa cushions have removable covers, take them off. Then you’ll want to vacuum everything really well. That means using the hose and furniture attachment on your vacuum cleaner. Get into all of the crevices of your furniture and even flip the mattress on your bed and vacuum it as well. On floors, make sure to get under all of the furniture and in the corners, you know, where there’s enough dog hair to knit a sweater.
Supplies
Two common supplies you can use to deodorize your home are baking soda and a bottle of apple cider vinegar. When you wash linens, blankets and covers use an oxy powered laundry detergent plus ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar.
Sprinkle baking soda liberally over any carpets and vacuum well.
A vinegar-baking soda spray is great to treat any blood or urine stains. This is when you’ll want to use white vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar. Here’s a recipe:
- 2 cups white distilled vinegar
- 2 cups lukewarm water
- 4 heaping tablespoons baking soda
- Spray bottle
Deep Cleaning
If you have wall to wall carpeting, you may want to consider renting a commercial rug cleaner. You can even get a carpet cleaner with an attachment for furniture or you can call a cleaning company to do it for you.
The Dog
Since you are cleaning and deodorizing your home, it’s a good idea to do the dog at the same time. This is especially true if she has rolled in something really smelly!
For Cat Lovers – Read This Before You Give Your Cat a Bath
Have you dealt with dog smell before?
Photo Credit: istockphoto.com
