The only thing worse than a house that smells like cats or dogs is a house that smells like a room full of Glade air fresheners. Why? Because a homeowner is trying to mask a smell that cannot be contained. And the key to eliminating pet odors is to go after the source. Here are a few surprising sources of pet odors.


10 SURPRISING SOURCES OF PET ODORS
In full disclosure, I am not a fan of plugin room fresheners. They work but when I smell a plugin room freshener, that over the top cinnamon or floral smell, my first thought is what is the homeowner trying to hide. So the key is to tackle the source and work yourself to the front door where you usually get a whiff. I am also a licensed Realtor in Denver so I have smelled plenty of odors.
These same suggestions work for sellers who are preparing to list their home. #realtortip
1. FRESH AIR
Never underestimate the power of fresh air. An open window allows fresh air to circulate.
2. CEILING FANS
Have you looked at your ceiling fan when it is not running? I was stretching the other morning and I looked up, in the middle of a hamstring stretch, and there was a 1/2″ of dust on the top of each ceiling fan blade.
I run that ceiling fan every night. Guess who sleeps directly under the ceiling fan? This one:

And, during the day she sleeps under one of my boy’s ceiling fans. I used this and a step stool to clean my ceiling fan blades.

3. VINEGAR
I love this multi-purpose cleaner. I made a video to share my list of favorite Made in USA cleaning. You can check it out on my Youtube channel here. Please follow (shameless plug trying to get to 100 followers).
Yes, it smells like vinegar, but it is effective at getting to the source of the smell; not masking the odor. And it is inexpensive.
4. BAKING SODA
A close second to vinegar is baking soda. I regularly dust (dump) baking soda into my carpets/rugs. And, 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 doors dozens of times a day. Think about what those cute little paws track in after four minutes of squirrel tag.
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 top of chairs, sofas and stairs. I buy these in bulk. . Just try it and see what clings to the adhesive sheet.
7. CLEAN UP THE BACKYARD
This one piggybacks on the entry rugs. If you can minimize the mess in the backyard you minimize the odors into the house.
When I skip a day (or four) and watch my dogs wrestling in the backyard I shudder at the thought of what they rolled in during recess. Ewww.

8. BRUSH DOGS REGULARLY
Elliott loves to be brushed. His older sister, Chloe, not so much. Chloe runs when she sees the hairbrush. But it makes a huge difference to brush our pets regularly. It reduces what travels into the house via tails and tummies.
9. WASH THE WALLS
This is a big issue at my house. Chloe and Elliott have their favorite spots to chill during the day.

And, when we repainted our walls to a lighter color I noticed the film of dirt on the walls. I bought these (made in USA) spray bottles, filled with vinegar, to stay on top of the grime.
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 stale air.
Rosemary is a great option to freshen up a space. I tuck mine into my candles in January.
I thought about tucking a sprig of Rosemary into Chloe and Elliott’s collars! #wink

Video Recap
Thank you for stopping by! Please share your tips in the comments!
