How to remove pet odor from your house (and get rid of dog smell)

Step by step: how to remove pet odor from your house

1. 1

   Sniff out the main sources

   Go room by room and smell the pet bed, the couch where the pet sleeps, rugs, the car seat, the litter box area and the pet itself. Odor is usually concentrated in two or three places. Fix those first and the whole house improves.

2. 2

   Wash the pet bedding and blankets

   Strip covers off dog and cat beds and wash them with throws, crate pads and soft toys in the warmest water the care label allows. Add 1/2 cup of baking soda to the load. Wash these weekly; most pet smell in a house lives in them.

3. 3

   Vacuum fur and dander everywhere

   Vacuum floors slowly in two directions, then do the couch, chairs, under cushions and pet resting spots with the upholstery tool. A rubber broom or damp rubber glove pulls embedded fur out of rugs first. Empty the canister outside.

4. 4

   Deodorize carpets and soft furniture

   Sprinkle baking soda over carpets, rugs and fabric furniture, work it in lightly with a brush, and leave it for several hours or overnight. Vacuum it up thoroughly. Test on a hidden spot of dark upholstery first.

5. 5

   Treat old accidents with enzymes

   Check carpets with a UV black light in a dark room. Soak each glowing spot with an enzyme cleaner deep enough to reach the pad and let it dry. Old urine is often the hidden reason a house smells of pets.

6. 6

   Clean the litter box properly

   Scoop at least once a day and, once a week, empty the box, wash it with warm water and unscented soap or baking soda, and refill it. Replace scratched plastic boxes, which hold odor in the scratches.

7. 7

   Bathe, brush and check the pet

   Bathe dogs with a dog shampoo about once a month, dry them fully, and wash collars and harnesses. Brush outdoors to remove loose fur. A smell that comes back within days of a bath can be a skin or ear problem for the vet.

8. 8

   Change filters and run a purifier

   Replace the furnace or AC filter, wash vent covers, and run an air purifier with a HEPA filter and an activated carbon filter in the main living area. Open windows for 15 minutes a day when the weather allows.

Where does pet smell in the house come from?

Most pet odor comes from a few soft surfaces and from urine you cannot see, not from the air. Find the source and clean it, and the smell drops fast.

For accidents, follow our step-by-step guides to dog pee smell and cat pee smell. Humane World for Animals recommends enzymatic cleaners for pet waste odors, adding a box of baking soda to the wash for soiled washables, and avoiding steam on urine spots because heat can set the odor.

Why does my dog smell even after a bath?

A dog that smells again within days of a bath often has a skin or ear infection, which needs a vet rather than more washing or perfume.

Veterinary dermatologists quoted by the American Kennel Club say secondary yeast or bacterial infections of the skin or ears are the most common medical reasons for an unpleasant dog smell, often starting with allergies. Signs include scratching, licking, head shaking, red or darkened skin, crusts, and a smell that gets stronger over time. They advise against home remedies such as hydrogen peroxide (especially in the ears), borax, bleach or strong vinegar, and say spray-on fragrances can irritate the skin further. A monthly bath with a dog shampoo is a reasonable routine for most dogs.

Do air purifiers and air fresheners remove pet odor?

An air purifier with activated carbon reduces odor in the air and a HEPA filter catches dander, but neither fixes a smelly bed or a urine-soaked rug. Use them after cleaning the sources.

The EPA’s guide to air cleaners explains that HEPA filters capture particles, while odors are gases that need an activated carbon or other gas filter, and that carbon works when the filter holds a large amount of it. It advises avoiding devices that intentionally produce ozone, a lung irritant, which rules out “ozone” odor machines in a home with people and pets. Plug-in fresheners and scented sprays only add fragrance on top of the odor; the ASPCA also warns that cats can come to dislike a litter box that smells of scented cleaners.

Mistakes to avoid

• Spraying air freshener on the couch instead of washing the throw and vacuuming the cushions.
• Bathing the dog every few days to cover a smell that is really a skin or ear infection.
• Cleaning the litter box with scented or ammonia cleaners, which can put cats off the box.
• Overlooking old urine in the carpet, which keeps the whole room smelling.
• Running an ozone generator to “kill” the smell with pets in the house.