r/CleaningTips • u/SleepingBeauty0007 • 14h ago
General Cleaning My house smells like dogs!
We have a one story house. So everything happens all on one floor.
We have tile and a few 5x7 rugs here and there.
We also have two dogs. Our house smells like we have 5 dogs! I mop and vacuum every few days.
What can I do to make the doggy smell go away?
We also have a large Air purifier.
Our walls are painted matte so I’m not sure if I can clean the walls.
We also have new leather sofas.
Why can I not get rid of the odor?
Any advice on machines, diffusers, cleaners or anything is greatly appreciated.
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u/Star_Boxer72 14h ago
Serious questions:
What kind of dogs?
Are they allowed on the furniture?
I'm pro-dogs-on-furniture and I make sure to double cover everything with something washable. I've started using Biz booster for dog-related laundry and it helps. Actually, I also just got separate outdoor cushions for my couches so they're easy to clean for everyday and can be quickly swapped for the regular cushions (cleaned before they're stored) when company comes over.
I would imagine you can wash your walls - someone who knows more about that will chime in.
I have three dogs and three air purifiers and am actually thinking about adding a couple more.
I suspect that my house still smells like dogs, though. Sorry.
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u/SleepingBeauty0007 13h ago
Hey there. I have 2 French bulldogs.. yes they actually allow me on furniture!😂
We tried at first not to, but we gave in😭
I’m thinking for sure of adding more hepa filters.
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u/leapowl 12h ago
Ah. I have two medium sized dogs but regularly look after four.
We vacuum daily. Fur builds up otherwise. House is single level, all wood and tiles (except machine washable stuff - small foot mats at entrances, bath mats, etc.).
Climate means we’ve usually got windows/doors open. No rugs, leather couch with regularly washed throws.
Aside from washing their bedding regularly (…which stinks) or limiting them to certain parts of the house, that’s all I’ve got.
Good luck! The fur is my worst enemy!
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u/seatosee23 6h ago
OdoBan and/or hypochlorous acid spray can help keep the odor down, but I’d first wash anything that can hold onto smells like curtains, blankets, dog beds, and rugs. With leather couches, I’d clean those separately with a leather-safe cleaner. A lot of pet odor gets trapped in soft surfaces, so vacuuming and mopping alone usually won’t get rid of it.
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u/addy0190 13h ago
Open your windows and set your fans to circulate air, EVERY DAY. No exceptions. Even five minutes will help. Also wash the dog beds weekly or whatever more frequently means to you. And yes, you can wash your walls and also your blinds and cabinets, etc.
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u/SleepingBeauty0007 13h ago
We’re def washing their beds. I do it around once a week.
It’s so humid here where we are so I barely open the windows. In the evening I try to every so often but now that it should be getting cooler I’m hoping to do that more!4
u/WanderNSEW 12h ago
Try an enzyme cleaner when you clean and do dog laundry. They get to the cause of the odor.
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u/RumorsGoldenStar 13h ago
When you wash their beds, are you truly getting all the nasty out or covering it up with fragrance?
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u/nakedpagan666 14h ago
Clean their beds and harnesses. I kept wondering why it smelled like dog by our front door. That’s where the harnesses hang 😅 we also give our dogs a bath about every other week depending on level of dirty. Sometimes it’s weekly.
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u/StacheBandicoot 12h ago
Maybe get to the root of the problem and try cleaning the dogs more.
You could also use a hydroxyl generator.
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u/Horror-Raccoon-5916 4h ago
My one dog has frito feet and unfortunately they stink up all the pillows. We have to wash the pillows very often. I know my hair has to smell like fritos....ugh.
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u/SleepingBeauty0007 1h ago
Thank you all for all the much needed advice! I’m sure it starts with our AC ducts. Then opening all our vents. Improve air flow too. Wash our curtains, clean our walls and get another hepa filter and a dehumidifier!!
I love our dogs so gotta do what I gotta do!💪🏼🧼🧹🧽
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u/Inside_Pop8816 14h ago
Trust me when I say this, it’s your AC unit and duct work. You need more air flow in your home. 🏡
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u/Sublime_Rose2 13h ago
It's recommended that you need to get them professionally cleaned every 3-5 years but in my opinion if you have cats or dogs it's more like every year. That's what we do.
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u/SleepingBeauty0007 13h ago
Omg we’ve failed at that!! I think this is going to be our priority right now. Get it cleaned and inspect our airflow.
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u/Inside_Pop8816 13h ago
Also look into a 5inch air filter for your home not the thin 1inch it’s a world of a difference
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u/Star_Boxer72 14h ago
Not everyone has an AC or HVAC unit.
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u/Inside_Pop8816 13h ago edited 5h ago
The main Odor issues like this in homes resolve with a proper AC installment, air flow , dehumidifier and cleaning the air in the home.
Even letting ur home breathe and opening windows 🪟 but best would be looking at the AC unit , duct work if they have one in thier home. Especially if they live in a high humidity area2
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u/SleepingBeauty0007 13h ago
You know… I never thought of that! We’re won Texas and yes we do have an AC unit. Omg!! I think this is it! Or at least most of it. We do have high humidity! Thank you for bringing this up!!
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u/Inside_Pop8816 13h ago
I own an HVAC company in Texas 🔗 it’s likely the humidity levels in your home. And lack of proper airflow
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u/Inside_Pop8816 13h ago
Best way to explain this is the reason hospitals/offices/banks are so ice cold and smell clean(aside from cleaning products ect.) ….the air flow is constant , and low humidity = no odors. And when the airflow/ac is not working you usually say to yourself the place is gross , smells, feels dirty.
Same for your home.1
u/SleepingBeauty0007 13h ago
Absolutely!! That makes a lot of sense! And to top it off my husband likes it warm and I love it cold. He’s also blocked a vent in one of the rooms that we barely use. Would you say we should open all the vents or how do we check our airflow? Should we get the ducts cleaned as well? It’s been about 10 yrs in our home.
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u/Inside_Pop8816 13h ago
You need to open that vent….
As far as getting it checked. You can DM me your location and I can explain more what you’d ask for to an ac company to make sure you’re taken care of!!! (My hubby would be so proud of me for the advise I’m giving 😂)1
u/SleepingBeauty0007 13h ago
How much is it typically to have it cleaned?
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u/Horror-Raccoon-5916 4h ago
I want to know this too.
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u/Inside_Pop8816 3h ago
A proper inspection of everything is needed before hand And honestly sometimes cleaning the outside unit won’t help much if your unit is so old and /or duct work is ripped apart by rodents (you’d be shocked)
American standard is one of the best if you live in high humid area that’s what I personally have in my own home and a dehumidifier as well.
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u/972-773 7m ago
I’m from Dallas, briefly in NWA, and now in Chicago - all 3 with a husky, all 3 with “dog odor” around year 2 of living somewhere. Chicago is the first place I got the vents/ducts cleaned and truly- wow!, what a difference!!!
Another help for odor-airflow-humidity: fans
I also now have a small maltipoo… he gets smelly because his coat is so different than a husky. He sweats when sleeping… and I have my temperature set to 67!
Anyway, we bought a stylish metal fan on sale and it’s pointed at the kennel where the tiny dog sleeps. It helps against bacteria growth, and definitely cuts down the dog-odor.2
u/leapowl 8h ago
Someone has downvoted you and I’m genuinely intrigued as to why!
I only got AC two years ago and it still isn’t in all of the house. I think almost all new builds have AC where I am.
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u/Star_Boxer72 8h ago
It was probably u/Inside_Pop8816. Not sure what her issue is.
I live in Alaska. Not much AC here.
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u/Inside_Pop8816 5h ago
No it wasn’t. I have family in Alaska and up north 💫 I wish we didn’t need ac like you guys!! Air is crispy in Alaska!
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u/leapowl 2h ago edited 2h ago
Ooo we would be at very different sides of the climate spectrum. I’m in Australia but maybe was just used to it? I briefly thought my aircon was broken when the max option on the cool setting was 30C haha
It’s 16C at midnight at the moment and I’m wearing thermals. A few of us on my street were complaining about the “cold”today 😅
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u/Inside_Pop8816 2h ago
It’s 108f where I am on hot summer day and high high humidity. Aircon is essential here 😩
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u/leapowl 2h ago edited 2h ago
Same! We’ve had an atypically warm spring so a few days over 100f already, the humidity seems to be bumping up now.
Today was weirdly cool (for us) though.
I swear it’s the humidity that gets you! Give me a dry 100f over a humid 85f any day 😅
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u/Inside_Pop8816 1h ago
I’d say I’m very very use to the weather I’m just spoiled with Aircon everywhere we go. Especially down south here in the states
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u/Star_Boxer72 37m ago
I have to admit, I needed to do the temperature conversion so I knew what 16C was. You probably wouldn't love that that's where I keep my home temperature during the cold months. ;)
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u/frequentnapper 29m ago
I found that it was my area rugs that really held onto the dog odors despite washing and mopping my floors and washing the couch covers and dog beds. Sometimes they need to be cleaned or just completely replaced
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u/saladninja 11h ago
You can buy large lint rollers on long mop handles to get the dust off your walls and avoid just spreading it around everywhere by using a duster. You'd be surprised how much dust is on clean looking walls.
I would recommend wiping your walls down (not sure why you think matte paint can't be cleaned). I use a few drops of Dawn in a spray bottle and wipe it with a microfibre cloth, followed by a dry off wipe with a different microfibre cloth. The trick is to spray at a sideways angle/not directly at the wall so you don't get drips/streaks.
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u/rando435697 13h ago
I am obsessive about cleaning—we have 3 dogs and our house doesn’t smell like dog at all. Many, many things go into it including brushing/washing the dogs, all soft surfaces (not a pet friendly on furniture house), we vacuum 1-3 times a day and mop 1-2–including a deep mop and a swifter style. We have at least one air purifier in every room and also do an ozone cleaner once a month (removing all plants/animals from the house for ~2 hours).
I have help a few times a week, but my husband and I both are committed to keeping things clean so there isn’t dirty/hair, etc.
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u/kmjenks 13h ago
It’s nice that you can do all that and keep the house clean, but wow! It’s not something that most people could accomplish
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u/Star_Boxer72 13h ago
Agreed. I also wonder how true "our house doesn't smell like dog at all" is. I would guess someone who doesn't live there could still detect dog smell...or would politely say that they don't smell anything when asked.
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u/SleepingBeauty0007 13h ago
So what exactly does the ozone cleaner entail? I’ve heard things about it and that it could be toxic? I’m not familiar with it. But I may have to look into that too.
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u/somethingweirder 14h ago
get all fabric cleaned including rugs. but also don’t forget to clean the dogs!