Some Tips for Getting Pet Odor Out of Your Home & Belongings

For as much as we love our four-legged family members, they can make our clothes, furniture, and bedding at the home smell, well, pretty funky. Even worse, our beloved pets can leave behind odorous stains, which can be particularly tricky to remove from certain materials. Pet stains on the carpet can be especially stubborn to get rid of given how porous carpet fibers are and how absorbent the padding underneath can be.

So, what to do when all your stuff at home smells like Fido? For starters, you can invest in rugs and other textiles that are washing machine-friendly. Use washable rugs in your home if possible. Put into the washer if spot-cleaning the rug is no longer working to keep the smell out.

Here’s how to get rid of pet odor in the house, clothes, and other belongings using neutralizers and cleaning strategies.

Start with Stain and Odor Eliminator
The smell of pet urine is the worst. But urine stains can easily be removed with the help of a Stain and Odor Eliminator. To get pet urine smells out, spray Stain and Odor Eliminator directly on the stain, and then use a microfiber cloth to rub the urine and liquid out of the rug. Keep scrubbing the stain with vinegar and cloth until the stain is gone and the odor is not there. Put a clean microfiber on the wet spot and apply pressure to get more of the stain out.

Treat each carpet stain differently.
All pet smells are not created equally. It’s important to start by determining the type of stain—urine, vomit, and so forth) and then choosing the appropriate cleaner for the surface. For general carpet accidents, like an upset stomach, it’s best to have an enzymatic cleaner on hand. This will work fast and effectively to remove new stains and odors. If it’s a set-in stain, a couple of rounds of an oxy-powered cleaner can help break down and remove the offending spot. For dog urine, especially marking, such as our Famous Pet Stain & Odor Remover Cleanser, to avoid any possible staining in the future.

Hardwood matters.

Much like carpet stains require their own special treatment, so do pets’ stains and odors on hardwood floors. [Cleaning] hardwood floors can be as simple as [using] a mop and hot water if you get to it early enough. Unfortunately, if you’re away when the accident happens, stains and especially odor can absorb into the wood. Enzymatic cleaners work well to break down and draw out these stains.

Keep your pets nice and clean.

If you don’t want your stuff to smell like a stinky dog, then you might want to consider giving them a weekly bath—or more if they get dirty. Bathe pets with gentle, natural shampoos or use grooming sprays for a quick spritz in between bath times to keep them clean and fresh-smelling.