We spend most of our time with our four-legged friends that some have been accustomed to their smell. Dog smell occurs for different reasons. One is that there are tiny microorganisms, particularly yeast and bacteria, that live on their fur and discharge stinky compounds. For some dogs, they may have a weird interest in rolling on the dirt or the dead remains of other animals. In other words, it is common for dogs to stink. However, such matter should not be tolerated.
This post will tackle 5 simple ways to get rid of that stinky smell.
1. Do a general cleaning
The very first step that you should do is to perform general cleaning in your house. Remember that you want to eliminate dog odour in the house, so pay attention as well to every corner and edges. This should include the hair, dirt, and any form of debris that your pooch had left.
- First, gently sweep the area to avoid dust particles from flying.
- Mop the surface to remove any dust or debris that was left from sweeping.
- Then, you need to take care of the carpets. Your carpet is a good collector of hairballs, dust, and dander. As such, consider vacuuming every carpet in your home. With that, you may want to buy carpets or rugs that are designed for dogs because they are easy to vacuum. Further, vacuum everything, including all the furniture and curtains for complete eradication of your pet’s dirt.
- Wash all of the linens used in the house as well as the couch cushion covers and pillowcases. All clothing materials should be included, especially when dealing with a serious odour problem.
- Wash your pet’s bed as well. As the personal space of your pooch, this may be filled with hair, dander, dirt, saliva, and even urine. If the smell still persists even after washing, consider washing its core or otherwise replace it altogether.
2. Deodorise all materials
After a thorough general cleaning, focus on removing the pet odour from all the furniture, carpets, linens, and beds. Here are the following suggestions upon washing such materials:
- Add a mix of the laundry detergent and a quarter cup of apple cider vinegar when washing the linens.
- Use pet odour removers available at the pet supply shops.
- Give a sprinkle of baking soda and brush it all around, spreading it into the fabric of the bed, carpets, and furniture. Give it time or leave it overnight to absorb the odours. Then hoover the area in the morning.
- Use bleach scrub by dipping it on a sponge and scrub it on the entire cupboard, table, and all.
3. Neutralise the smell
Give room fresheners a try. It might not remove the stink permanently, but it will help your house smell better. Recommended scented oils are lavender and lemongrass.
Further, it is time to address the main source of the problem, your stinky dog. Some owners complain that their dog smells bad even after a bath, which refers to the wet dog smell. As previously explained, wet dog smell is caused by natural oils and microorganisms emitted when the fur is exposed to water. In other cases, the dog might just smell bad all of a sudden. Consider getting rid of such stink from your dog as the most essential part of the process because everywhere he goes, he is carrying the stink. Here are some ways to follow:
4. Use deodorising shampoo
There are different deodorising brands available in pet stores. This type of shampoo is made specifically to get rid or cover the smell of the fur. However, double checking should be done to check if there are no harsh chemicals included in its content.
5. Apply lemon, vinegar, and baking soda
If the bad smell persists upon using commercial products, you may try using these home remedies that only require lemon, vinegar, and baking soda.
- LemonSquirt lemon juice on particularly smelly areas and let it be absorbed for about five to ten minutes, then rinse. After that, apply some conditioner to prevent dryness on your dog’s skin.
- VinegarApple cider vinegar is considered as a natural remedy for a number of pet ailments, even in humans. Articles have cited that the apple cider vinegar can:
- Be used as a cleanser in the urinary system
- Be used as a natural flea repellent
- Help skin problems
- Improve dog’s digestion
Fortunately, it can also be used with the deodorising shampoo in getting rid of the smell of fish from the dog’s fur. You may mix it with a couple of tablespoons per quart of water in washing your dog.
- Baking sodaApart from apple cider vinegar, baking soda is also a component that has a lot of uses. One of its uses includes covering foul stenches.
After applying shampoo on your dog, sprinkle an amount of baking soda all over your canine’s body. In most cases, your pooch may try to shake it off. As such, do your best to prevent him from doing so. After a few minutes, brush or rinse the baking soda off his fur.
If the smell strongly persists, you may try it all at once.
- Wash your dog using the deodorising shampoo.
- Massage the apple cider vinegar solution on his fur.
- Finally, rub baking soda all over the body and then comb it out after a few minutes.
Did you find this article helpful? Learn more tips in our grooming and pet advice blogs. Don’t forget to share it with your pet owner friends!
