How To Remove Pet Smells From Your Home When It's Time To Sell
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We are a nation of people who love to cuddle with our pets. It is undeniable. Long gone are the days when our pets were simply working companions whose place was by the hearth - and that was if they were even allowed in the house to begin with. Now, they not only cuddle with us on the sofa to watch TV, they snuggle with us in our beds, go on long holiday trips in the car, even out to dinner at out favorite restaurants.
All of this one-on-one time means that many of our home's furnishings are going to hold the distinct smell of our pets, and even the most rabid of animal lovers amongst us may not want the whole house to smell of a dog that needs a good washing – not if we want to enjoy the company of human guests or to entice potential buyers to make an offer on our home. So how do you get rid of that smelly animal smell? We’re happy to tell you that it’s relatively easy.
All of this one-on-one time means that many of our home's furnishings are going to hold the distinct smell of our pets, and even the most rabid of animal lovers amongst us may not want the whole house to smell of a dog that needs a good washing – not if we want to enjoy the company of human guests or to entice potential buyers to make an offer on our home. So how do you get rid of that smelly animal smell? We’re happy to tell you that it’s relatively easy.
Start off by taking all of the furniture apart – pillows, blankets and the like – and vacuuming everything thoroughly. If the sofa and chairs have removable slipcovers or cushion covers, take those off for washing (see details in the next paragraph). Get into the crevices of the furniture as deep as possible to remove all the hair, and flip the bed mattress to get both sides. On the floors, make sure to get under all of the furniture and in the corners, where “hair bunnies” tend to gather.
Next, gather your deodorizing supplies. It’s simple; all you need is a big box or two of baking soda and a bottle of apple cider vinegar. Wash all of your linens, blankets and cushion covers in a mix of oxy powered laundry detergent and a ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar. There are also pet odor removers available at pet supply stores, but generally speaking, they are not much more effective than the home remedies.
On the carpets, bed and furniture, sprinkle baking soda liberally, using a cleaning brush to spread it around and into the fabric. Let it all sit overnight so that the baking soda has a chance to absorb the odors.
For the bed, you might want to do this in the morning so that you can clean and remake the bed at the end of the day. Follow up by vacuuming all of the baking soda from the bed, carpet and furnishings and returning the bed linens and cushion covers or slipcovers to the furniture.
This will get rid of a great deal of the smell, but to really do a thorough job, you might want to rent a carpet cleaning machine with an attachment for furniture – or call a cleaning company to do it for you. Always start with neutralizing as much of the smell as possible before the shampooing, though, or all you will be doing is creating a gross hybrid of pet smell and perfumed shampoo. Not a good combination. And don’t use carpet shampoo on the furniture, or you could end up with ruined and smelly furniture.
Make an odor neutralizing and fabric spray that does not have any scent but will neutralize odors by:
1) Place 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar into a spray bottle (preferably with a fine mist).
2) After the foaming action stops, add 2 cups water, then shake well.
3) Spritz the air.
4) Also spritz any water safe fabric/carpet.
Finally, if you do want to use a perfumed product to help neutralize the smell, make sure that it is non-toxic to animals. Many products that are safe for humans are not always safe for dogs. Some home air fresheners – sprays, plug-ins and scented oils – can be harmful to a pet’s health, so when in doubt, just stick with the tried and true baking soda solution.
Next, gather your deodorizing supplies. It’s simple; all you need is a big box or two of baking soda and a bottle of apple cider vinegar. Wash all of your linens, blankets and cushion covers in a mix of oxy powered laundry detergent and a ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar. There are also pet odor removers available at pet supply stores, but generally speaking, they are not much more effective than the home remedies.
On the carpets, bed and furniture, sprinkle baking soda liberally, using a cleaning brush to spread it around and into the fabric. Let it all sit overnight so that the baking soda has a chance to absorb the odors.
For the bed, you might want to do this in the morning so that you can clean and remake the bed at the end of the day. Follow up by vacuuming all of the baking soda from the bed, carpet and furnishings and returning the bed linens and cushion covers or slipcovers to the furniture.
This will get rid of a great deal of the smell, but to really do a thorough job, you might want to rent a carpet cleaning machine with an attachment for furniture – or call a cleaning company to do it for you. Always start with neutralizing as much of the smell as possible before the shampooing, though, or all you will be doing is creating a gross hybrid of pet smell and perfumed shampoo. Not a good combination. And don’t use carpet shampoo on the furniture, or you could end up with ruined and smelly furniture.
Make an odor neutralizing and fabric spray that does not have any scent but will neutralize odors by:
1) Place 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar into a spray bottle (preferably with a fine mist).
2) After the foaming action stops, add 2 cups water, then shake well.
3) Spritz the air.
4) Also spritz any water safe fabric/carpet.
Finally, if you do want to use a perfumed product to help neutralize the smell, make sure that it is non-toxic to animals. Many products that are safe for humans are not always safe for dogs. Some home air fresheners – sprays, plug-ins and scented oils – can be harmful to a pet’s health, so when in doubt, just stick with the tried and true baking soda solution.