COVID-19 lockdowns saw an explosion in dog ownership. Most Australian families now have at least 1 furry friend within the family and this trend is set to grow. This is not a surprise as owning a dog can have huge positive effects on your quality of life.
However, if you’re not actively maintaining your household and keeping it clean while raising a pet (both inside and outside), you may quickly get overwhelmed.
This article lists 10 of the best, most practical tips for keeping your home clean while owning a dog. Let’s go!
1. Wash your dog’s paws regularly
The source of canine odour is usually in the paws. Wash your dog’s paws when he comes in from being outside to help reduce the smell of dirt/ammonia on his paws, which in turn will reduce odours in your house.
2. Limit carpet area in your home
Limit carpeted areas because dogs tend to want to mark these areas as their own by urinating or defecating there, making it more difficult for you to get rid of that smell no matter how hard you try. If you are unable to remove them altogether, at least keep your dog off these carpeted areas until you can fully clean them well enough for your pet not to be interested in marking them again. Also, remember this tip if you have children!
That’s right, kids are just as susceptible to having accidents on the carpet.
3. Keep up with the vacuuming!
A quick way to get rid of odours is to vacuum your carpets often, if not daily. No one wants their home to smell like dog hair 24/7, so simply run that sweeper every time you notice it has filled up or has pet hair on it.
4. Store great cleaning chemicals
Invest in some good chemicals for cleaning your floors and other surfaces around the house, especially in places where your dog may have an accident.
For example, buy some white vinegar and scent-free laundry detergent at the store and spray down those hard-to-reach places (like behind toilet bowls) that dogs can’t always cover up. Vinegar is especially useful for odour neutralisation because of its high acidity, which helps remove that stinky smell. Clean your floors every day with these products and you won’t even have to think about the odour!
5. DIY cleaning methods
While we’re on the topic of vinegar, try mixing it with water in a spray bottle to use as an air freshener if you find yourself without any store-bought products or just want something more affordable than buying those expensive sprays all the time. It’s always good to have this mixture around instead of wasting your money on other products full of chemicals when vinegar does the job just as well (if not better).
6. Regularly walk your dog
Make sure your dog is getting enough exercise through outdoor walks! The more active he is, the less likely he or she will spend a lot of time inside your home marking his territory. We recommend sporting a comfortable dog harness so your dog doesn’t pull too much on their walks.
7. Buy an air purifier
Invest in a good-quality air purifier if you find that you are still having trouble with removing those odours from your house even after trying out some of our other tips. People tend to forget about using these products, but they can make a huge difference when it comes down to removing pet smells from the house!
Look for an air filter that says it targets certain chemicals/odours and is allergy relief and even prevents smoke damage – this way, you’re getting a multi-purpose cleaning machine that can help with more than just pet odours.
8. Don’t wear shoes in the house
Your shoes pick up so much dirt and bacteria, especially if you wear them outside, where there are tons of dog odours everywhere. That means your shoes bring all that grossness inside every time you wear them, so always remember to take them off at the door! Plus, your pets will love not having their space interrupted by a stinky shoe.
9. Invest in a good steam cleaner
The heat from these steam cleaners will kill any germs or bacteria hiding in your carpets that might be causing the smell to worsen over time. Keep this type of cleaning equipment around for pet accidents too – it speeds up the process of removing those strong odours immediately instead of waiting another day or two for it to work.
10. Watch your pet’s diet
Well-balanced dog food should help reduce those “off” odours and help keep those smells away due to too many foods that contain added chemicals people don’t even think about. If you take care of your pet’s overall health, you’ll be surprised at how much better your home will smell!
