Last update: 4 days ago
If you own a dog, you are familiar with the pet odour that can haunt your home. It’s nearly impossible to get around that problem unless you are the owner of a teeny tiny dog breed.
Your house would feel so much cleaner if our house smelled amazing all the time. Well, if you own a dog, or did in the past, then you know how many different smells our little companions exude. The overwhelming dog smell should be removed and controlled at all costs. Otherwise, your house will become a bearer of the foul odour.
And those odours are the problem that we are here to help you battle.
So what neutralises a dog’s smell?
If you live with a dog, you know the smell we’re talking about. It’s not bad exactly… but it’s definitely there. That warm, slightly musty “wet fur meets sofa” aroma that hits you when you walk in after a long day.
The best way to tackle it isn’t to drown your home in heavy fragrances. What really works is using natural and enzymatic cleaners that deal with the smell at its source, not just the surface.
Baking soda and white vinegar are the best examples of those natural household options. For the tougher stuff like accidents, drool spots, or that one corner your dog loves a bit too much, enzymatic cleaners are the real MVPs.
Here’s how to get rid of dog smell in the house
Eliminating the musky dog odour when it has already set in can be a task quite hard to accomplish. All of the furniture in our homes absorbs smells, and if one has already set in, it can be tough to remove. Of course, there are different tips and tricks; however, we suggest protecting your furniture, especially if it’s brand new.
Most odour-removing tricks will work to a certain degree. However, if the fabric or your house has been exposed to dog smells for months, and you haven’t taken any actions, then it may take months to remove it or at least suppress it.
1. Wash your dog properly
Washing your dog regularly is very important. But to remove the odour entirely, you’ll need to know how to do it properly. Most people know the basics but don’t know how to do it right. Here are five tips to follow whenever you are cleaning your home.
- Invest in high-quality dog shampoo and conditioner.
A high-quality shampoo and conditioner are important if you want your dog to smell nice. They have different formulas than the cheap ones. They are also much better for your dog’s coat, keeping it nice and shiny. - Buy quality food.
Quality food is essential for your dog! A quality diet will keep your pet’s inner odour in check. If your dog has foul breath, this may be the issue.
Investing in quality food is mandatory to ensure your dog smells good, and most importantly is healthy. Talk with your vet and ask him what diet would best suit your pet’s breed. - Make sure they have a healthy set of teeth.
The diet is important, but just like humans, dogs can have problems with their teeth. There are numerous chewing products out there that could keep your dog’s teeth in check. We suggest that you consult with a veterinarian on what would be best for the health of your dog’s teeth, and what product will keep your pet’s mouth odour in check. - Don’t let your dog stay wet.
Every person knows the strong and musky smell of a wet dog. A strong smell like this can haunt any home, no matter the size. You must dry your dog properly to keep the wet dog smell under control. However, don’t spray your dog with human perfumes after a shower! Most human scents may irritate your dog’s nose, or cause problems with their skin. Instead, you can buy ones specifically made for dogs. - Invest in baby wet wipes or dog wipes.
Dog wipes are great for cleaning your dog in between baths. As you can’t wash the dog daily, it’s important to find a way to keep them clean in between baths. Make sure you wipe their feet and fur daily.
2. Wash dog bedding and blankets weekly
Your dog’s bed is often the biggest offender when it comes to lingering pet smells. Every time your dog curls up for a nap, a little bit of oil, dander, and fur gets left behind. Day after day, it all builds up. Before you know it, that “dog smell” is drifting through the house like an uninvited guest.
The fix is simple, but it does need to be regular. Aim to wash dog beds, blankets, and even those well-loved fabric toys about once a week. Use a gentle, fragrance-free detergent and make sure everything is completely dry before it goes back on the floor. Even a little dampness can turn the bed into a mildew magnet, which somehow smells worse than wet dog.
3. Clean your couch
Couches are basically smell magnets, especially if your dog’s allowed up for cuddles, naps, or that dramatic post-walk flop. All that fur and dander straight into the fabric, and before long, the sofa smells like it belongs to your pet… not your living room.
Start by giving the couch a really good vacuum, and once that’s done, mix up a simple DIY cleaner that actually works:
What you will need:
- Mix 50% hot water with 50% vinegar;
- Add a bit of liquid soap and stir;
- Put the whole thing in a spray bottle.
Lightly mist the couch and blot with a clean cloth. Go easy, you don’t want to soak the fabric. With this solution, you can also clean all of the furniture around the house. White vinegar is especially good at removing dog smells and other foul odours.
And if none of that quite does the trick, there’s no shame in calling in the pros. Professional upholstery cleaning can be a lifesaver, and it’s pretty nice to sit back with your dog on a freshly cleaned sofa and enjoy the results.
4. Removing dog smell from the carpet
Carpets are brilliant at soaking up dog smells – unfortunately. Even if the carpet looks spotless, that familiar doggy whiff can linger. For a natural solution, baking soda is your go-to. Sprinkle it generously over the smelly area, leave it overnight, and vacuum thoroughly in the morning. It absorbs moisture and tackles odours right at the source.
If the smell is still hanging on, it’s time to step things up. A professional carpet cleaning or a carpet cleaner with an enzymatic pet formula can work wonders. These break down organic residue like urine and oils that standard cleaners can’t touch.
5. Wipe skirting boards, doors, and walls at dog height
It’s surprisingly easy to forget about walls and trim, but they quietly pick up all sorts of invisible dog-related grime. Tiny splashes of saliva, oils from fur, and dirt from all those enthusiastic rubs against the wall add up—and before you know it, they’re feeding that overall “dog smell” around the house.
Use the mild vinegar mix and wipe down skirting boards, doorframes, and the parts of the wall your dog can reach. Pay extra attention to entryways, favourite snoozing spots, and feeding areas. It’s a quick job, but it makes a surprisingly big difference to how fresh your home smells.
6. Mop hard floors
Your floors might look clean, but they’re sneaky little smell-holders. Muddy paw prints, the odd splash of drool, and natural fur oils all settle in over time. That’s why mopping makes such a difference. It’s the step that actually lifts out the stuff you can’t see, but can definitely smell.
Use pet-safe floor cleaners and give extra love to the busy spots: by the front door, around food bowls, or wherever your dog likes to sprawl dramatically. And once you’re done, dry the floors properly. Damp patches can cling to smells and invite them right back, like an uninvited guest who didn’t get the hint.
7. Open windows regularly to ventilate the house
When windows stay shut, especially in the colder months, smells just hang around. Try opening your windows every day, even if it’s just for ten minutes while you make a coffee. If you can, open windows on opposite sides of the house to create a nice cross-breeze. You’ll feel it straight away – the air lightens, the space breathes, and those dog smells get shown the exit. Bonus points: the whole place just feels fresher and more alive, instead of warm, stuffy, and faintly “wet dog.”
8. Clean dog bowls and the feeding area
Give your dog’s bowls a daily wash with warm, soapy water, then dry them properly so bacteria don’t get a chance to move in. While you’re there, take a quick look at the floor underneath and around the bowls. Food has a talent for bouncing, sliding, or being kicked into corners you never notice until your nose does.
And here’s one people often forget: your dog’s collar, lead, and harness. They soak up sweat, oils, and outdoor “adventures” and then bring those smells straight back home. Most fabric or nylon ones are easy to hand-wash with a gentle detergent—hang them up to air dry and enjoy the instant freshness boost.
9. Introduce a nice aroma in your home
After you’ve done all of the steps above, it’s time to introduce some pleasant scents to your home. Having your home cleaned, it’s time to set some new smells in. To help you with this, it’s best to use essential oils. They are a great addition to the tips mentioned above. There are some important rules to follow when it comes to essential oils and pets. Here’s how to safely use essential oils around your pet:
- Don’t use too much of the essential oil at one time.
A dog’s sense of smell is 10,000 to 100,000 times more sensitive than ours. This means that certain smells can be a lot more overwhelming to dogs than to us. We can’t know exactly what may irritate them. Because of this, it’s important to use a small amount of essential oils at a time and do so in a well-ventilated room. - Don’t put undiluted essential oils on your dog.
Humans may be able to apply some essential oils directly to our skin; however, that’s not the case with dogs. In fact, dog skin can irritate much more easily than human skin. That’s why it’s important to use small amounts of essential oils and make sure that they’re diluted. - Don’t allow your dog to consume essential oils.
It’s a serious problem. Make sure that you do everything possible and keep essential oils out of the reach of your dogs. Even well-diluted essential oils can cause a lot of harm to your pet.
The three best essential oils to battle dog smell
- Lavender
The amazing scent of lavender can be a perfect fit for those who enjoy the smell of the flower. It has a nice blend of fresh and floral scents that is very calming. You can use it once or twice a day in areas where you wish to control dog smells (like their favourite spots). However, please don’t use it more than once every two to three days and don’t use it directly on the dog. Also, the oil should be diluted and used in small quantities. - Chamomile
The chamomile scent has the amazing ability to remove any bad odours, like dog smell, and set in a beautiful, fresh aroma in its place. The best thing is that chamomile oil can be used directly on your dog (again, in small quantities and diluted). You can use it to reduce the bad dog odour in your house. - Clary Sage
The essential oil from Clary Sage can be used to freshen linens and places such as your couch or your dog’s bed. Clary Sage has an amazing, fresh smell that is worth trying in the everlasting battle of canine smells!
Why is the dog still making the house smell awful?
If your house still smells a bit… off, even though you’re cleaning regularly, your dog might be the culprit. But if the smell is strong, sour, or downright unpleasant, it can be a sign that something else is going on.
Dogs that always seem damp, have greasy-feeling fur, or can’t stop scratching might be dealing with a skin issue like dermatitis. Ear problems can add their own special brand of stink, and bad breath that could knock you sideways is often a dental thing rather than just last night’s dinner. Have a quick check for red or irritated skin, sore-looking hotspots, or any discharge coming from the ears.
If anything looks or smells unusual, it’s worth booking a vet visit. Sorting out the root cause won’t just make your home smell better, it’ll make your dog a whole lot more comfortable too.
Takeaways
- Keep on top of baths and bedding washes. It’s amazing how much the dog’s smell disappears once their favourite blanket gets a spin in the washing machine.
- Don’t underestimate baking soda and vinegar. They’re old-school for a reason and work wonders on lingering odours.
- Let the house breathe. Open the windows when you can, and consider a HEPA air purifier if smells tend to hang around longer than you’d like.
- If your dog suddenly smells stronger than usual, it might not be a cleaning issue at all. A quick vet check can rule out health problems and give you peace of mind.
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