[caption id="attachment_50159" align="alignleft" width="150"] Photo: Febreze[/caption]
"Mommy, her house smells bad." A six year old blurted this out after visiting a friend's house.
Have you ever been embarrassed by the animal smell in your house? If so, you are not alone. According to a recent survey, 24% of Americans feel that pet smells are the most offensive odors within a home. What can you do? Following these tips will help to keep your home smelling clean and guest ready.
Keep House Clean:
Let's start with the obvious — cleaning your home on a regular basis is a must if you want to get rid of unwanted pet odors. Vacuuming, dusting, mopping, and washing fabrics are a few of the most important tasks. 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 (details later). 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.
Keep Your Pet Clean:
Another must is to frequently clean and groom your pet — from baths to brushing, keeping your furry friend fresh will go a long way in keeping your home smelling likewise. Even little things like nail clipping and tooth brushing (if your pet will allow it) can have a big impact. If you have a particularly difficult candidate, a grooming service may be the way to go.
Clean Pet Accessories:
Not only does your pet need to be kept in tip top shape, all of its accessories need to be maintained as well. Clean your animal's bedding, toys, dishes, cage, and litter box on a weekly basis. Be sure to clean dog beds at least once a week. For tips on cleaning dog beds, click here.
Air Out Your House:
Even in the colder months, opening windows and doors once a week for even ten minutes can make a huge difference in your home's air quality.
Change Your Filters:
Install a HEPA air filtration system and replace any filters in your home on a regular basis. Additionally, be sure that the air ducts are periodically cleaned.