How to Eliminate Pet Odors from Your Home

Often, people grow accustomed to the smell of their pets and don’t realize how overbearing it is until someone kindly points it out. In some cases, you might get a strong whiff when walking into your home after being gone for several days. Pet odors can get engrained in the deepest fibers in your home, which makes them difficult to deal with. So, how do you get rid of pet odor in the house and keep the bad smells away?

Why Pet Odor Occurs and Why It’s Important to Address

Pets emit odors from a variety of sources. These include feces, urine, dander and body oils. These things work their way into the many fabrics and fibers in your home, including upholstered furniture, carpets, rugs and more.

If you don’t clean weekly, these elements even build up hard surfaces and contribute to the smell. In addition, some climate conditions in your home could magnify pet odors, such as inadequate ventilation and humidity.

How Do You Get Rid of Pet Smell in the House?

Cleaning your home is the most effective way to eliminate unpleasant pet smells in your home. These are essentials for getting rid of the smells and preventing them from becoming overbearing in the future.

Daily Habits to Minimize Pet Smells

Your pets emit dander, pet hair and more on a daily basis. This means that pet odors can build up and get out of hand quickly. Depending on how many pets you have and the breed, vacuum your floors and furniture daily or every few days. Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter, and ensure that the filter is clean before each use.

On a weekly basis, clean your home thoroughly. Bathing your pets weekly is also essential for a cleaner, fresh-smelling home. Less frequently, launder your curtains and change your home’s air filter.

Cleaning Tips for Pet Accidents

Pet accidents are an unfortunate reality if you share your home with dogs and cats. Whether you’re potty training a puppy, your cat decides not to use the litter box or other factors are in place, smelly organic matter is problematic.

Often, pet owners clean up such messes with regular carpet and rug cleaning products. This, however, is ineffective. The smells may disappear for a short time, but they inevitably return. This is because the enzymes remain.

As a first step to clean pet accidents, soak up as much of the liquid as possible. Then, use an enzymatic carpet cleaner to neutralize the enzymes. Sprinkle baking soda or dry carpet cleaner on the moist area. After it dries, vacuum it up. The stains and odors will be gone.

Deep Cleaning Strategies

Deep cleaning your carpet, rugs and upholstery at least once a year is critical for a clean, fresh-smelling home. If you have more than one pet, aim to complete this chore twice a year.

First, vacuum the carpet to remove loose hair and debris. Use an enzymatic carpet cleaner as well as a quality steam cleaner or carpet cleaner throughout your home to deep clean the floor. Afterward, take advantage of charcoal bags and an air purifier to further eliminate odors.

DIY Natural Deodorizing Ideas

Commercial air fresheners are great at masking smells, but they don’t eliminate them. These are short-term fixes that don’t address the problem, and they bring potentially harmful chemicals into your home. Several natural deodorizing solutions are available to keep your home smelling great.

• Sprinkle baking soda on the floor and let it sit for roughly 15 minutes before vacuuming.
• Place charcoal bags in each room where your pets spend time.
• Use an air purifier to improve indoor air quality and extract odor-causing elements.
• When the weather is suitable, open your windows to improve ventilation and air out your home.
• Launder furniture covers periodically. Between these sessions, lightly spritz a mixture of diluted white vinegar and baking soda on the upholstery. To overcome the powerful smell of vinegar, add several drops of essential oil to the solution.

When Should I Call a Professional to Handle Pet Odors?

If you’ve done everything you can to eliminate pet odors without success, it may be time to schedule professional carpet and rug cleaning. This can give your home a reset. In addition, professional home cleaners can deep clean your entire home. They can return weekly to ensure that your home is thoroughly cleaned and chores don’t build up.

Pet odors are only one of several overbearing smells that you may contend with. Others include musty mildew, cooking odors, garbage disposal and trash can smells, and stale air. The easiest way to eliminate these and other odors is to clean your home regularly. For assistance with your routine and deep cleaning needs, learn about professional cleaning services from Cleanzen today.