If you are like so many of us in the Maryland/DC/Virginia area, you are an animal lover. That’ a good thing. Animals bring so much joy into our lives. Long gone are the days when the family dog was banished to a dog house outside. I remember growing up in Baltimore. We were never without a dog. My father would build the nicest dog houses for them and in the cold, he would bring the dog in to sleep in the basement. Because everyone in my neighborhood had dogs that lived outside, I thought that that was the way it was supposed to be.
Fast forward! These days people treat their pets more like children (thank goodness!). My dog actually got Christmas gifts, as did most of the dogs in my neighborhood. He only goes outside when we are walking him. And that brings me to the point of this article. Dogs are sweet. Dogs are loving and affectionate. But dogs do not smell like humans. And that’s a good thing. A dog should smell like a dog.
My dog does not carry a bad odor. Most dogs don’t. However, there are times when the house can end up with an odor. For example, if you are away at work and the dog needs to use the pee pad. Entering the house, there likely will be an odor. Same holds true for cats. Litter carries an odor.
Most of my clients own either a dog or a cat. What do we as a company advise regarding pet odors? Obviously you can air out the house by opening the windows for a few minutes. And of course you can give the pet a bath. But there are some other things you can do:
a. A great product is Odoban. My company has been using Odoban products for years and we love it. It’s natural and it is a product that specializes in getting rid of odors. You can buy it from Home Depot. We do not use it in all homes. Each home is customized. However, if we find that a particular home has pet odors, we will bring in some Odoban.
Disclaimer: There is a cat breeder out there who warns against Odoban if you have an animal you desire to breed. I have no way of verifying this but will share the link anyway. Press HERE
None of my clients have animals that they are breeding so we have not had any issues.
b. Another useful tip is to use aromatherapy. Diffusers are great for making the house smell absolutely terrific.
c. Finally, we use vacuum scents. Below is a picture of one of the scents we use:
Whatever you do, just be certain to do something. If you live with your pet, that’s great. But keep in mind that pet odors can sneak up on us and it’s great to stay ahead of the game!