How to Get Rid of Pet Odors

Learn how to get rid of pet odors in your home with these simple tips and tricks. It IS possible to have a clean and fresh smelling home with pets!

Did you know that May is National Pet Month? Yep! This month is all about celebrating our little fur babies and showing them just how much they mean to us. We have a cat and three dogs {a goofy Golden Doodle, a feisty Havenese-Poodle cross, and a sweet little Shitzu-Poodle cross} that pretty much rule our household. They’re kind of a crazy bunch but we all love them to pieces and can’t imagine life without them!

Pets bring so much love and joy into our lives, but, unfortunately, they also tend to bring a lot of pet odors and messes. Dirt, dander, pet accidents, and, of course, that lovely “wet dog” smell – there are definitely some stinky scents that come with being a pet owner! Although pet messes and odors are pretty much impossible to completely avoid, there are a few simple tricks to stop them from taking over your home. Today I’m partnering with Febreze and Swiffer to bring you some of my favorite tips for how to get rid of pet odors. It is possible to have a clean, fresh smelling house AND pets!!

How to Get Rid of Pet Odors

If you have a pet, you’re probably very familiar with the messes and pet odors they leave behind. Unfortunately, they’re just one of those things that comes along with owning a pet. Not to worry though – there are lots of simple ways to help prevent and eliminate those unpleasant pet messes and scents. Depending on the type of pet{s} you have and where you live, you might need to tweak a few of the suggestions, but they’re all pretty quick and easy to do.

Know your pets’ favorite hangouts.

To cut down on cleaning time, know your pets’ favorite hangouts and target those areas first. Focusing on these higher pet traffic areas can help the mess {and odors!} from spreading to others area of the house. Plus, if you’re short on time, even cleaning these few areas can go a long way in freshening up your home.

If your pet always likes to lie on a specific chair or a certain spot on your bed or sofa, consider putting down a blanket for them. When the spot starts to take on that pet smell, just switch out the blanket and toss it in the wash with the rest of your laundry. Quick and easy!

Clean pet messes as soon as possible.

Cleaning up pet messes quickly and effectively is definitely a must for a fresh smelling home. For a thorough clean every time, follow these steps:

• Pick up any solid waste first and throw it in the garbage.
• Blot {don’t scrub!} the mess with a dry rag towel to absorb any excess moisture.
• To help completely remove the odors and any remaining mess, lightly saturate the area with an enzyme cleaner. This will work to break down the proteins in any biological stain and provide a more effective cleaning. Be careful not to use too much cleaner, however, as it can be hard to remove the residue. It’s always better to add too little and repeat a second time than to oversaturate.
• Let the cleaner sit for 30 minutes {or as directed on the packaging} and then blot the area again with a damp rag or cloth. I like to use a white rag so I can see when it starts to come up clean with the blotting.
• Repeat the last 2 steps until the stain is completely gone.

Do a daily Swiffer.

A quick daily Swiffer of your floors will gather up all of that fine dust, fur, and debris, and will help to cut down on how often you will need to deep clean. Just a 5 minute sweep of those higher traffic areas with your Swiffer is all it takes to keep things tidy. You can even get wet pads for those muddy paw prints or stuck on dirt or grime.  As an added bonus, the Swiffer Sweeper is so quick and easy use that it’s a great task to pass on to your kids! Plus they have refills specifically made for pet messes.

The Swiffer Sweeper is also great for being able to reach under furniture pieces and other tight spots that are hard to reach with the vacuum.  Oreo loves this task as she will usually find a missing toy or two under the sofa as well. 🙂

The Swiffer Sweeper pads are amazing at trapping and locking in all of that fine dust and dirt. You’ll be amazed at what you pick up! The pads actually hold a lot of debris so be sure to use them to their full potential. To make them last longer, I’ll pull off the loose pet hair and dust bunnies to throw in the garbage at the end of a session. I can then re-use one pad several times before it needs to be replaced. If you like a little added scent when you clean, look for the Swiffer Sweeper Pet refills with the added Febreze Odor Defense.  This will get rid of any odors that the messes may be causing. You can find them in both the dry and wet pads to use for almost any type of mess you might encounter on your hard surfaces.

Vacuum

Dirt, dander, fur balls, and other debris tracked in from outside can quickly build up around your home and start to create that “not-so-fresh” pet smell. Regular cleaning with your vacuum helps to pick up a lot of those pet messes and it can actually tackle a lot more than just flooring. Play around with the different attachments to clean the following areas as needed….

• floors – be sure to get into all of those corners that fur balls like to collect
• carpets and area rugs
• furniture {be sure to get under those cushions and in all of the little crevices}
• throw pillows
• dog beds
• curtains
• down floor vents

For a little extra freshness, try adding a few drops of your favorite essential oils to your vacuum filter.

Use an air purifier.

An air purifier will help to pull out dust, dander, and other household allergens from the air. Look for ones with a charcoal filter to further help eliminate those pet odors. Place your air purifier close to those areas that your pet tends to spend the most time or any areas of your home that are particular troublesome {like a basement that’s harder to air out}.

Clean all of your pet’s accessories.

Gather up any soft pets toys, blankets, and pet beds and throw them in the washing machine.  Try to schedule a regular time to do this so it just becomes part of your regular washing routine {I like to do it once per month}. Check the labels for any special washing instructions and use the hottest water possible for extra disinfecting. For extra smell removal and to keep beds and blankets fluffy, add 1 cup of vinegar to the fabric softener dispenser.

Freshen up quickly with Febreze Fabric and Febreze Air.

If your home is in need of a quick refresh, Febreze Air Heavy Duty Pet Odor Eliminator has up to 2 times more odor eliminating power than regular Febreze Air.  Just give it a light spray in those extra troublesome spots for instant freshness.  Our dogs get put in our laundry room to dry off if they’re particularly wet and muddy when they come in from outside, and this works great for those wet dog smells that linger once they’re released!  If you prefer a lighter scent, Febreze ONE is a great alternative {although it’s not made specifically for pets} and contains no dyes, aerosols, or heavy perfumes. {I love the bamboo scent especially}. For more odor fighting ideas, check out these 9 Ways to Use Febreze.

For freshening up those hard to wash soft surfaces and fabrics, Febreze Fabric Pet Odor Eliminator works amazing! Give it a spritz on throw pillows, curtains, area rugs, or upholstery for a nice, light scent.  Apply it with a sweeping motion to lightly mist your fabrics and then just sit back and let the product do the rest. I love that this actually works to eliminate the odors and not just cover them up.

Develop a regular cleaning routine.

I find that having a regular cleaning routine helps to keep me on track and make my cleaning routine much more manageable.  Here’s a quick summary of what I add into my cleaning schedule to keep the house smelling fresh and clean! Your routines might look a little different depending on your specific pets and the size of your home, but hopefully this gives you a good starting point.

• Daily: 5 minute Swiffer of the high traffic areas and any specific trouble spots. If there are any muddy prints, I’ll also bring out the Swiffer WetJet and spot clean. Do a quick check to make sure there aren’t any unexpected pet messes that you might have missed.
• Every Few Days: Vacuum the carpets and other high traffic areas.  Use the Swiffer Sweeper under furniture that fur balls, dust bunnies, or other debris tends to accumulate.
• Weekly: Dust all hard surfaces with the Swiffer Dusters. Freshen up fabrics as needed with Febreze Fabric Pet Odor Eliminator.  Spot clean floors where required. Clean food and water bowls.
• Monthly: Wash soft toys, bedding, and dog beds. Remove cushions from sofa to vacuum underneath. Wash floors.

And there you go! I hope that helps you tackle all of your pet odors with confidence. Now go give those fur babies some love! Those cuddles will definitely make all of the cleaning worth it. If you have any other great odor fighting tips, let me know!

You can find all of the Swiffer and Febreze products on your next Target run {because who doesn’t want an excuse to go to Target?} or at other major grocery, retail, or home improvement stores. For more product information, check out these sites…

SWIFFER – website or Facebook
FEBREZE – website or Facebook

For more tips on how to keep your house clean with pets, check out this post.