Top 10 Tips to Keeping a Dog-Stink Free Home
2/17/17
We love our dogs but sometimes the smell can be just too much. Being a Professional Dog Trainer and mildly OCD lol. With dogs flowing in and out of my home, keeping a fresh smelling and clean home is crucial to my sanity.
Here are 10 ways I have found work to keeping a pet stink free home.
- Vacuum / Dust DAILY!
- Bedding, Blankets and Dog beds
- Air Purifier with Hepa Filter
- Glade Plug-ins
- Wax Melts / Incense
- Brush Your Dog
- Pet Cots – Mesh
- Doormats/Rugs
- Keep Dogs OFF furniture (or teach them to only lay on blanket)
I know, not what you wanted to hear, just one more time consuming thing you have to do today. Well let me convince you, it is not time consuming and will make a world of difference in the smell of your home. Dirt, dust and dander are all the culprits to a stinky home and increased allergies. Here is how I clean my home in a timely fashion. Every night I watch at least one show on TV, when commercial hits I get up and flip on the vacuum and move quickly one room at a time and wipe down surfaces with a quick swipe. In a one hour show there is a minimum of 15 minutes worth of commercials. So turn on your fitbit get in some steps and keep your home clean during those annoying commercials
Yes I’m telling you to do laundry. I know one more tasks I am having you do, but its simple one and very important to keeping a fresh smelling clean home. At a minimum, once a week I collect all bedding off human beds, floating blankets and strip the covers of dog beds. Fabrics have a way of harboring STINK, so lets stay on top of that! My ritual with blankets and dog bedding is to wash in HOT water with a mixture of Free & Clear detergent (allergen free) with a cup full of distilled White Vinegar. Dry on Low Heat with your favorite dryer sheet. When it comes to the guts inside your dog bed these cant be put in the wash so what do you do? I find it best to purchase water proof liners for the guts of your bed, if that isn’t feasible, when the cover is in the wash spray bed til its damp with Downy fabric refresher wait til completely dry before placing clean cover on.
These are not only great at filtering dog smell but the allergens that come with them. So if you have allergies of any kind or have asthma an Air Purifier with Hepa Filter is crucial for your home. You can easily find these in Target, Walmart or even on Amazon.
Changing Home Air Filters & adding a fragranceAt least once a month change out your home Air filters. The air in your home is only as clean as the filters it runs through. Changing these out regularly ensures for an allergen free home with clean fresh air. An added bonus is to add a few drops of your favorite essential fragrance oil to the filter or you could have stuff a few fabric sheets in there. An a quick and simple step to healthier and more fresh home.
Can’t get easier this, place one plug in in each room of your home. Fill with your favorite scent and you don’t have to even think about it for another month. I personally like to stock up on refill packs whenever they go on sale on Amazon. That way you never run out of your favorite.
A prettier option for your home is Wax Melt Warmers, you can get the warmer that plugs into the wall in any design that matches your décor. The waxes come in any scent you could dream of and are very inexpensive. They are subtle but get the job done with a décor that is eye catching.
Another option is Incense, if you have allergies this may not be the best option for you. If allergies are not a factor in your home then you cant get anything better to cover up any smell in your home with a relaxing scent of burning Nag Champa. My personal favorite scent of Nag Champa is Romance.
You love your dog, but face it he stinks. You can spend hours a week bathing him and the stink but keeps crawling back. Well here is super secret for you. Brush your dog and throw away the stink. That’s right if your can spend two commercial breaks brushing your dog from head to toe with a Sleek Ez brush, you will literally bathe your dogs half as often. The reason being is that the “stink” comes from dirt, dander, dead hair, yeast and oils trapped in the undercoat. Even bathing cant remove all of this without proper brushing. By using the Sleek Ez tool it removes all of the above without breaking the healthy hair on top. You will be amazed at the results this minimal effort will provide. http://www.sleekez.com/products/5-sleekez-dog-grooming-shedding-stick-1
If you are open to removing pet beds, the best replacement is Mesh Pet Cots. Believe it or not these are actually the best thing your dog can lay on. Because they are raised about ground no weight is pressed on your dogs hips and joint, making for a much more comfortable nap. Because they are mesh it makes then especially easy to clean, rinse with water and a vinegar solution, air dry and you’re done. You can find these on any dog supply website or Amazon. My personal favorite is Mahar 4legs4pets Pet Cots, they are very well made, and you cant blame a girl for the custom color options. https://4legs4pets.com
One of the best ways to control dirt, which leads to stink is containment. By placing a doormat out side the door and a rug inside the door, that creating two localized spots to catch dirt dust and dander as people and pets come inside. It is best to purchase rugs light enough to fit in the washing machine and make this part of your weekly laundry routine and daily vacuum routine.
This is one of the hardest rules for pet owners. I’m not judging even I as a dog trainer, allow my dogs on furniture. Just remember your furniture can also trap dog smell. So here is a reasonable comprise, teach your dog to only lay on a blanket on furniture. This controls the smell to one spot. Easily eliminated with a washing.