How to Get Rid of Dog Smell at Home

Mary Simpson
by Mary Simpson
What’s that smell? As soon as you enter your home, it hits you – the smell of dogs that live there. What do you do to get rid of it?


If you’re a pet owner, you know the funky smell I’m talking about. It’s not necessarily related to incontinence, it’s something else that’s less specific. But it’s dank, it permeates the house and it smells like, well, dog. So how do you get rid of the smell? If you’re like me, you’re not looking for a heavily scented spray to mask the smell. I’m into clean and the only way for your home to smell clean is to get rid of the odor-causing bacteria that’s lurking in all those soft surfaces.


Related: 8 Sure-Fire Dog Constipation Home Remedies


Intrigued? Read on, because these tips will not only help you transition your home into one that smells clean and fresh, but help you keep it that way.


  1. First off, dogs can emit a funky smell through skin oils, infections, or through poor dental health which leads to drool. If your vet deems either situation to be abnormal, make sure your pet is treated. Teeth cleaning or a medicated shampoo may be a big step forward to solving a smelly issue.


  • Next, let’s kick off this new regimen with a deep clean of your entire house. Remove slipcovers, pillow cushions, blankets and wash them all. Vacuum every area of the floor and beneath the seat cushions – treats and errant bits of kibble love to hide there. Eliminate dust bunnies, wash nose prints from windows and wipe down furniture edges where pets can rub their faces to mark their scent.


  • If your furniture isn’t slip-covered, sprinkle baking soda (or a baking soda-based product) to absorb odors. Leave overnight, then vacuum up the next day. It can help neutralize odors. If you opt to steam-clean (highly recommended), go through the neutralization process first. This simple step can help prevent a heavier pet odor from being activated when water is introduced in the steam clean process.


  • For carpets, steam clean them. For hard floor surfaces such as hardwood, tile or linoleum, wash them down with an appropriate cleaning solution. Then damp mop it up with hot water and buff dry.


  • To keep the smell of dog at bay, ensure that he is thoroughly dried after bathing and not allowed to free-range through the entire house. Nothing impregnates carpets and soft furnishings with the smell of dog better than a wet dog rolling around on it.


  • Include your dog’s stuff in your cleaning schedule. Plan to vacuum his dog bed every week and wash the bed cover every other week. Fabric is quick to pick up every scent your dog brings with him. Rubber toys are often dishwasher-safe and soft toys can be tossed in with his bedding every other week.


  • Use slipcovers on sofas and chairs. This not only makes it easy to clean up pet hair (just throw it in the wash) but that funky smell of drool dogs can often transfer when laying around.


  • Consider investing in an air cleaner that is specifically designed to remove pet dander, odors and other allergens from the home. It will run continuously and act as a strong back-up to the cleaning schedule you have now established.
Mary Simpson
Mary Simpson

Sharing space with three seriously judgy Schnoodles and two felines who prefer to be left alone. #LivingMyBestLife

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