HOW TO FRESHEN A HOUSE WITH DOGS

If you think your home smells like a dog or, even worse, a kennel, it likely does. There is nothing worse than when you suspect your home smells like dogs. As a dog owner and Realtor who shows homes, I can smell a home with pets when I walk through the front door for a showing. Here are surprising ideas to freshen a house with dogs.

how to freshen a home with pets — Photo by John Becker, WBIR

These same ideas could be applied to stinky children & spouses. I have those, too!

10 Easy Ideas to Freshen a House with Dogs

I am not a fan of plugin room fresheners. They work, but when I smell a plugin room freshener with an over-the-top cinnamon or floral smell, my first thought is, what is the homeowner trying to mask? Here are some inexpensive ways to freshen a home with your four-legged family members.

1. FRESH AIR

Never underestimate the power of fresh air. An open window allows fresh air to circulate.

2. CEILING FANS

Have you looked up at your ceiling fan when it is not running? I was stretching the other morning and looked up in the middle of a hamstring stretch and there was a 1/2″ of dust on the ceiling fan blades.

I run that ceiling fan every night. Guess who sleeps directly under the ceiling fan?

10-easy-ideas-to-freshen-house-with-dogs

And, during the day she sleeps under one of my boy’s ceiling fans.

3. VINEGAR

I love this multi-purpose cleaner. It is on my list of favorite cleaning products. Yes, it smells like vinegar, but it is effective at getting to the source of the smell; not masking the odor. My daughter suggested I mix a little Dawn dish soap with the vinegar.

4. BAKING SODA

A close second to vinegar is baking soda. I regularly dust (dump) baking soda into my carpets/rugs.

Depending, on how much dog DNA is embedded in the carpet fibers- I repeat this step 2-3 times over a few days. It works. I found this article with more details.

5. WASH ENTRY RUGS

Think about this: our dogs run in and out the door dozens of times a day. Think about what those cute little paws track in our homes.

And, those entry rugs are the first line of defense to stop those muddy paw prints. Eww.

6. LINT ROLLER

A lint roller is a great way to snag random dog and human hairs on the tops of chairs and sofas.

And, guess where buyers stand when they take in the main floor? Usually behind the couch or an armchair. I buy a pack of lint rollers online to keep in different places.

Tip: Lint rollers work well on stairs with carpet!

ELLIOTT THE BERNESE MOUNTAIN DOG RESCUE LOVES TO CHILLS ON THE CARPETED STAIRS

7. CLEAN UP THE BACKYARD

This suggestion piggybacks on the entry rugs. If you can minimize the mess in the backyard, you minimize the odors in the house. When I skipped a day (or two) to clean up the backyard and watch my dogs wrestling in the backyard I shudder at the thought of what they rolled thru during recess. Ewww.

8. BRUSH DOGS REGULARLY

Elliott does not love to be brushed. His cousin Russell loves to be brushed. Brushing our dogs in between baths makes a big difference.

9. WASH THE WALLS

This is a big issue at my house. d Elliott’love to chill and lean against the wall that looks down to the entry. When we repainted our walls to a lighter color, I noticed a film of dirt on them. I keep the vinegar in a spray bottle to stay on top of these spots.

10. FRESH GREENS OR FLOWERS

Fresh flowers, greenery, or herbs are an organic way to freshen your home. I think that is why we don’t notice the stale air during the holidays. From October through December, we have an abundance of fresh garland, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, Christmas trees, cider, and baked goods to fill our homes.

And, then by January, we have cold temps, over-active thermostats and furnaces and stale air. Rosemary is a great option to freshen up a space. This indoor herb garden minimizes odors in the winter.

I thought about tucking a sprig of Rosemary into Chloe and Elliott’s collars! #wink