Dog Smell Eliminator
I know what you are thinking, “My dog doesn’t smell!”
That’s what I thought, too, until we were preparing to move out of our home in Arizona two years ago.
We listed our home for sale and immediately had several people book appointments to come tour it. Before the first appointment, I cleaned and sanitized our home from top to bottom.
You could have eaten a meal on the floors they were so clean! Or so I thought…
The candid feedback from the first couple that walked through the front door was, “Ooooh, it smells dog in here!”
I was stunned, shocked, and, to put it mildly, totally annoyed.
But after investigating this mystery “dog smell” that I was evidently desensitized to, I figured out that it was the entry rug by the front door that DID have an odor of big dogs when you put your nose next to it.
Sulley layed on that rug every day of his life, so, yeah, I wasn’t surprised that it smelled like him.
Needless to say, I chucked Sulley’s smelly rug in the garbage and went to work deodorizing other carpeted areas where the dogs frequently laid. I used a product called Odoban and it worked perfect!
No more dog smell and we accepted an offer on our house the next day!
So, whether you think your house smells or not, if you have big dogs, it does. Trust me.
I recommend keeping Odoban on hand and lightly spraying any areas where your dog frequently lays as a part of your cleaning routine.
Consider getting Ruggable rugs for your entry and walkways. They are completely machine washable and easy to keep clean and free of that dreaded dog smell.
How to Keep House Clean With Dogs – 9 Sanity-Saving Tips
If you have a wet-mouth large or giant breed dogs such as a Mastiff, Newfoundland, Saint Bernard, Great Dane, or any other drooly molosser breed dog, I highly recommend you move all feeding and water bowls outside.
Yes, this will make more work for you, potentially.
You will have to fill the food bowls inside, then walk them out. Then bring the dirty bowls in, sanitize them, and take them back out with fresh water.
And if your big dogs are anything like Junior and Sulley, that fresh water after meals only lasts three milliseconds before it’s as viscous as honey with dog slobber, requiring yet another rinse and refill.
But here’s the deal. What you expend in calories walking the bowls in and out during feeding time, you will gain in cleanliness inside your home.
I feed my Mastiffs outside all year round and always have. They ate outside during the summer in the Arizona desert before we moved and they eat outside now during the cold Michigan winter. They are fine and my house stays relatively clean.
But if that is not enough to convince you to feed your large dogs outside, here are a few other tips for keeping your house clean during mealtimes if you are brave enough to keep them indoors.
Only use deep stainless steel bowls, like these. Put another way… a big head in a shallow bowl equals one ginormous mess.
A deep stainless steel dog bowl will contain your dog’s jowls from drooping over the edge and will be easier to sanitize and keep clean without harboring bacteria that can make your dog sick.
Secondly, if you are feeding indoors, consider a WeatherTech mat like the IndoorMat, All Purpose Mat, BootTray Mat, or SinkMat for under the bowls.
WeatherTech mats are made in the USA and are extremely versatile and durable. We use these mats in our vehicles and absolutely love their quality construction and how easy they are to keep clean.
Dog Hair Removal
I always laugh when people recommend short-haired dogs to people who aren’t fond of shedding dog hair everywhere.
We’ve had Great Danes, Labrador retrievers, and Mastiffs and ALL shed. All have thrown enough hair to fill a giant size pillow at least twice a year, if not more.
With a few exceptions such as the Standard Poodle, Giant Schnauzer, Bouvier des Flandres, and Afghan Hound, large dogs shed a lot. And big dog owners need to be prepared for how to maintain a clean, relatively dog-hair-free home.
In this video, I put the top dog hair remover tools to the big dog test. In the end, a few products rose to the top and are those that I rely on today to help me keep my car and furniture clean with dogs.
Dog hair removal isn’t just for your furniture and clothes. It’s for your dog, too.
Brushing your large dog (outside) regularly will dramatically cut down on how much dog hair ends up in your home.
The type of brush or comb you use will depend on your dog’s coat – hair length and texture. However, for most big dogs, especially those with short hair, the Furminator Undercoat DeShedding Tool will do a fantastic job.
Furminator also makes a DeShedding Shampoo and DeShedding Conditioner as well which are fantastic!
And lastly, consider adding omega-3 fatty acids to your dog’s diet, or better yet, feed a raw diet to help improve the overall quality and health of your dog’s coat.
At this point, you may be asking, “What is the best way to clean the shedding dog hair that is currently all over my house?”
Let’s move on to tip #8 and I will tell you.
KEEPING YOUR HOUSE CLEAN WITH DOGS | TIPS FOR LIVING WITH PETS
My home is a dog-loving household. It’s also one that I like to keep clean. Dog owners totally understand my struggle for a clean house. With four or more furry feet challenging that task daily, I’m very familiar with doggie footprints across my comforter, hair and fur everywhere and kibble that must be carried into another room before being consumed (although I’ve yet to figure out why). It is possible to apply a variety of techniques to help you catch the dirt and debris that comes along with pets and clean effectively when you do. Here’s a list of my top ten favorites.
With a pet, even a “non-shedding” pet, you need to vacuum constantly. Besides dog hair, dirt, leaves and other debris comes into the house on their paws and their fur, as they love to roll around in the yard. By the time you are done vacuuming the house, it’s time to do it again. My favorite keep-it-clean tip is a robot vacuum. It’s really made a huge difference at my house. It can run when I am gone or asleep at night. Some models can even be programmed to run on a set schedule.
Every pet owner has a lint roller collection. Take one of those and add it to your cleaning caddy. It is the perfect tool for tackling lamp shades, throw pillows, overstuffed furniture and pretty much anywhere Fido has been.
Keeping your canine’s nails trimmed is a preventative measure for limiting unsightly nail damage. Scampering about with too-long nails results in marred hardwood floors, scratched leather and punctured upholstery. Modern Dog loves the Zen nail clippers!
Even the most perfectly housebroken dog can have an issue when they have a stomach bug or ate something they should not have eaten. Keep a cleaner on hand that is designed to tackle pet odors and stains. Use it on stains as soon as you see one, following package directions, so your chance for removal is higher. Try the powerful cleaners from Skouts Honor for both indoor and outdoor messes.
Door mats really help with doggie paws even if you can’t train them to wipe their feet. Place a good quality doormat outside the door and a washable throw rug inside the door. These two items will catch a lot of dirt and debris simply from your dog walking across them.
If your best friend has chosen a few frequent nap spots, throw a cover over those. Keep a couple spare sheets on hand so you can swap out as you clean the house. Not only will you protect furniture from dog hair and potential stains, but it will help keep doggie odors down. The sheets can easily be thrown in the wash whenever need.
One spot that is nearly always a mess in a pet lover’s home is around the food bowls. Between bits of kibble and dribbled water, it can really get dirty. Placing a rimmed tray under the food dishes is a good way to catch some of the mess and allows for easy clean-up.
Getting a flea infestation in your house is one of the worst messes. Sprayings, combings, bombings, flea baths and more vacuuming are necessary chores. Stay on top of flea control by making it a priority. Grab your calendar or your phone and set up regular reminders to use flea preventions, or change flea collars.
Being prepared to wash paws on days with inclement weather is one way to cut down on dirt and mud tracked in your home. Add a hook by the door to hold a towel for wiping paws. You can use a rimmed baking sheet to hold a half-inch of water outside the door. Then, place your dog’s feet in the water and dry them off. Alternatively, you can use a dog paw washer. You add water and dunk your dog’s paws up and down in the washer, which contains soft brushes to get between the pads.
To avoid clawed-up carpet and a dirty couch, opt for decor made of durable, sturdy materials. Indoor/outdoor rugs have a low pile that’s not easily torn and can be hosed down outside should any messes occur. Whenever possible, use stain-resistant fabrics in high traffic areas like the living room. They’ll be easier to clean and keep your home looking fresh. Loving on your dog is a lot more important than being stressed over muddy paws and shedding, but you can use these steps to make things a bit easier. In addition to being a dog lover, Lea Schneider is a professional organizational consultant who applies her organizing expertise to her own home. Lea writes her tips on keeping her home clean for The Home Depot. If you are researching vacuums for your house, you can view a wide assortment here.
Click here for more Modern Dog approved picks to help keep your home spick and span!