What Can I Use to Offset the Smell of Dogs in a House?

The smell from your dog's fur can rub off on your furniture.

Dogs make great pets but they can be hard to clean up after. These animals produce a natural odor in glands on their skin that sometimes rubs off on your household furniture and even your clothes. Some dogs, especially older ones, also accidentally urinate and defecate on the floor or carpet if they cannot get outdoors in time. These things all leave behind a lingering odor that makes your house smell like your dog. Cleaning your home with products designed to reduce bad odors should help alleviate the smell.

Absorbents

Absorbents are products such as gels or powders that absorb the offending smell in the air, on the carpet or on the furniture. Baking soda is one type of powder absorbent. Open a box of baking soda and set it on a table in any room with a strong dog smell. You can also sprinkle the baking soda on the carpet or couch, wait five minutes and vacuum the powder up. Other products that help absorb dog odors include commercially made odor absorbing gels. Just place a container of the odor absorbing gel in a room to help minimize the bad smell.

Deodorizers

Deodorizers help neutralize a bad odor by breaking down the contaminant causing it, according to the CleanPros Online. They often contain ingredients such as hydrogen peroxide, sodium percarbonate or natural enzymes. Some examples of deodorizers include odor crystals, fabric deodorizer sprays or deodorizing powders that can be applied to carpets, furniture or dog bedding to remove the bad smell. Once the crystals or powders are vacuumed up or the spray dries, the odor evaporates.

Disinfectants

Disinfectants also kill bad odors by breaking down the contaminants with enzymes or chemicals, according to Doctors Foster and Smith. These types of cleaning agents include soap, bleach, vinegar and lemon juice. Disinfectants sometimes stain or discolor fabric if applied directly, so they are often diluted with water and sprayed on the fabric. Washing dog bedding, couch pillows and slip covers that your dog comes in contact with in these disinfectants also helps remove the odor. Disinfectants are also used to clean hard surfaces such as kitchen floors or hardwood floors where dogs sometimes urinate.

Air Freshener

Air fresheners are often used to mask or disguise a bad odor. They do not eliminate the original odor but can make it less obvious by scenting the air with a strong, pleasant smell. Air fresheners include scented candles, air freshener sprays and scented oils. Air fresheners are useful as a temporary fix to an odor problem and can be used to freshen the air after disinfecting or deodorizing a room.

References

• CleanPros Online; Elements of Successful Deodorizing; Jeff Cross
• Doctors Foster and Smith: 3 Keys to a Clean Smelling Home
• “Good Dog, Bad Dog”; Mordecai Siegal et al