How to Get Rid of the Dog Smell in Your House

by dogtoyadvisor | Last updated on November 18, 2020

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Today we want to talk to you about odors, particularly those left by dogs all around your home.

Does your dog have a pungent odor? Can you smell him everywhere you go? Is your dog the first thing you smell as soon as you arrive home?

If your answer is yes, you need to read this.

Our story

When we moved in together, getting used to each other’s pets was almost as challenging as getting used to one another, if not more.

Every weekend, we’d have three cats and one dog on one side and two very rambunctious Jack Russells on the other. Four days of complete chaos from Thursday to Sunday.

Dobby is actually a bit of a cat, he hates dirt, mud or any sort of filth.

Then we have Tommy and Coco. They love everything dirty and smelly. So much so, they quickly gained the moniker Stinky Winkies.

Stinky Winkies in the house!

You could literally smell them at a distance. It was very easy to know when they were home or where they’d been. You’d have this very pungent dog smell that would latch onto every piece of fabric they touched and remain long after they left.

Nothing worked when we tried to make it better. And we won’t even mention how it was when they had to take baths, which was often because they loved getting into trouble.

All we could do was cover the sofa and the bed (yes, they slept with us) and pretty much anywhere they’d spend time on and wash it all once they left, which was fine in warm weather but a nightmare in wintertime.

It got so bad our cats refused to go anywhere near their own bed because the stinky winkies had been there.

We decided to search for answers online and based on something we read, we tried regular baby powder. Fun as it was to apply and while it did disguise some of their scent, we noticed they started to get really itchy dry skin, so we had to think of other solutions.

After lots of trial and error, we managed to devise a coordinated plan to attack this issue and solve it once and for all. And now we’ll tell you how, so you can do it too.

How to Get Rid of the Dog Smell in the House

There are several steps you can take to reclame your home from stinky winkies. We found that keeping our dogs from smelling bad while keeping the house clean and fresh is the best way to deal with this issue.

Step 1 – Shampoo

First you’ll want to have the best product to clean them with.

We use dry shampoo, we’ve tried a few and picked the one we found was the safest for them, because they lick themselves often. Also, we like the scent of this dry shampoo over most others.

Dobby seldom needs a bath, only when it’s hot, but for Tommy and Coco it’s really useful because, even if they aren’t getting into stinky trouble, they’re short which means their paws and bellies will get dirty often.

This is a problem because, as every dog owner knows, they smell even worse when wet!

On the other hand, frequent wet baths remove the natural oils on their skin and can cause health issues.

That’s why we chose dry shampoo and this is the one we use for them:

Step 2 – Dog cologne

Then, you’ll want something to use when they don’t need a bath. Ideally you’ll want a pet cologne that will keep their smell in check long after the cologne scent fades.

That way, even when they’re not smelling good, at least they won’t smell bad and, if you have a stinky winky at your home, you’ll know just how precious that is!

Just remember that dogs have very sensitive noses so be careful about the scent you choose. For us, it’s either fruit scent or baby powder. Plus, some of the colognes we tried gave us allergies.

This is our favorite cologne and our dogs don’t mind it one bit either:

Step 3 – Cleaning products

The third plan of attack is dealing with the smell and the stains left around your home.

You’ll need an enzyme-based cleaner that will get rid of the smell once and for all, particularly if we’re talking about urine that basically serves as a marking for your dog to know when to pee the next time he wants to.

Regular detergents won’t do, you’ll need specific aid.

This is the one we use:

Step 4 – Candles

Once your home is clean, just focus on leaving it smelling fresh and clean.

The obvious, less expensive option is candles. But not just any type of candle, you’ll want odor remover candles. Also enzyme-based, this is the candle we use, not only because of the dogs but also to remove any kind of smell we aren’t happy with.

It works like a charm and there are several scents available.

Step 5 – Oil diffuser

Last but not least, if you’re looking for a more permanent solution, we got ourselves an oil diffuser. We love aromatherapy and this one blew our minds.

You can use any scented oil of your choice and it also serves as a humidifier. It will leave your home smelling fresh and clean without those very aggressive air freshener scents (which we’re also allergic to) you’ll usually find.

Also, they’ll look lovely wherever you place them, like a piece of home décor that leaves your home smelling nicely, what more can you ask for?

This is the one we have in our home:

Just Remember

No matter how stinky it gets, it isn’t the dog’s fault. Don’t lose out on spending great quality time with your dog just because he smells bad.

Everything can be sorted but you’ll never get that precious time back.

And now, you won’t have to! Try some of these tips or preferably all of them at once and say goodbye to dog scent forever!

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