For most pet owners, controlling pet odors is a constant battle. Sometimes the pet itself is the source of unpleasant odors, but most often it is habitat odors caused by the pet living in the home. Whether it is soiled carpets, cages, or bedding, pet odors can linger long after the pet is gone. Even if you don’t own a pet, persistent odors from previous owners or tenants can affect your home’s indoor air quality for months or even years after the animal and its owner have moved out.

How to Get Rid of Pet Odors

There are some simple steps that you can take to keep your home smelling clean and fresh, while at the same time keeping your pet in peak health.

1. Remove the Source of the Smell. While ditching the family pet is probably not an acceptable solution to persistent pet odor problems, there are other sources of pet odor you can remove. Always clean soiled areas immediately. This includes carpets, furniture, floors, and walls. Sop up excess moisture with paper towels or other absorbent material and sprinkle baking soda on the area for extra odor control. Establish a daily routine to keep cages and pet areas clean by inspecting and removing sources of offensive odors.
2. Increase Air Flow. When you bring outdoor air into your indoor environment it reduces the overall odor level. Open doors and windows when possible. You can also use exhaust fans increase ventilation. For extreme circumstances, consider a whole-house ventilation system.
3. Regularly Groom Your Pet. If you have a hamster, a husky, or anything in between your pet will benefit from regular grooming. Bathing and brushing help to remove dirt, reduce dander, and keep fur shiny and healthy. Also, be sure to keep your pet’s ears and teeth clean.
4. Wash or Change Pet Bedding. For pets with disposable bedding like hamsters, gerbils, rabbits, or reptiles, be sure to change bedding often to reduce odor. For dogs and cats, bedding should be laundered regularly. Use a mild detergent and an added cup of baking soda to help neutralize tough pet odors. To protect your own laundry, be sure to run an empty cycle before washing the next load.
5. Keep Litter Boxes Clean. Litter boxes can be a key source of unpleasant pet odors. Scoopable litter allows you to remove offensive contents. Be sure to scoop litter at least once each day and completely change the box’s litter often. Whenever you change the litter, be sure to scrub the box clean before adding fresh litter. Also, make sure you have enough litter boxes for the number of pets in the home. The generally accepted rule is to have at least one litter box per house cat.
6. Use a High-Performance Vacuum Cleaner. Keeping a clean home is essential to controlling unpleasant pet owners and a high-performance vacuum cleaner will help you do just that. Choose a vacuum with a HEPA filter to ensure your vacuum isn’t just exhausting pet odor back into the air.
7. Use a Quality Air Cleaner. Choose a high-performance air cleaner with an activated carbon filter and other filtration media for removing gas and odors. The Austin Air Pet Machine HM410 is the best choice for controlling all types of pet odors.