When I adopted my Golden Retriever 16 years ago, I was maddened by the dog smell. He was 9 months old and didn’t have any accidents inside, he didn’t go in the carpeted areas of the house, and I cleaned constantly, but still couldn’t get rid of the smell.
Since then, I’ve had another (even stinkier) dog and hosted over 150 dogs in my house (up to 7 at a time!) with my dog-sitting business. I have been so excited to hear many times throughout all that, guests commenting that they couldn’t smell the dogs or see the fur anywhere.
So here’s what I did to keep our house smelling and looking clean, AND keeping the dogs comfortable, clean, and happy:
Let’s be real—I love my furry friends more than anything, but that “eau de wet dog” fragrance that seems to linger in every corner of my house? Not so much. If you’ve ever walked into your home after being gone for a few hours and thought “whoa, it smells like dog in here,” you’re definitely not alone.
The good news? You don’t have to choose between having a fresh-smelling home and having dogs. With some consistent habits and a few natural products, you can absolutely keep your house from smelling like your four-legged family members—without resorting to harsh chemicals that could harm them
I’ve gathered these tips from years of trial and error with my own pups, plus advice from experts who know their stuff. Let’s dive into how to keep your house smelling fresh, even with dogs running around!
Air Quality: Your First Line of Defense
The air in your home is where most dog odors circulate, so let’s start there:
1. Open Those Windows!
This might seem obvious, but fresh air is truly magical for eliminating odors. Even in winter, I turn off the heat for 15-20 minutes and crack open a few windows to air out the house. It’s amazing how much this simple step helps with funky smells.
One pet parent I read about says she even “freezes out” the funky smell in Wisconsin winters—the cold air seems to kill odors instantly!
2. Run a HEPA Air Purifier
Air purifiers with HEPA filters are fantastic for removing pet dander and odors from the air. They capture those tiny particles that cause both smell and allergies. I keep mine in the living room where the dogs hang out most.
3. Change Your Furnace Filters Regularly
Don’t forget about your home’s built-in air filtration system! Use high-MERV filters in your furnace and change them every couple of months. This makes a huge difference with pet dander and odors throughout your entire house.
Some homeowners have even upgraded to whole-house air purifiers, which can be a game-changer if you’re serious about air quality.
4. Try Activated Charcoal Bags
These little odor-absorbing heroes are my secret weapon. I place activated charcoal bags near dog beds, the couch, and in the mudroom. They naturally absorb smells without adding any new scents. Just set them in the sun once a month to “recharge” them!
5. Be Careful with Essential Oils
While some essential oils can freshen a room, many are harmful to dogs. I stick to dog-safe options like lavender, and always diffuse in a well-ventilated area. If your dog leaves the room when you’re diffusing, that’s a sign to stop!
6. Add Air-Purifying Plants
Certain houseplants can help reduce pollutants in your home’s air. Just be sure to research which ones are non-toxic to dogs before bringing them home!
Flooring Solutions: Where Most Dog Smell Lives
Your floors take the brunt of dog traffic, so keeping them clean is essential:
7. Wipe Those Paws!
Keep absorbent mats by the doors and pet-safe wipes nearby. It’s not about being perfect—even catching some of the dirt and moisture before it gets tracked through your house makes a difference.
8. Vacuum, Vacuum, Vacuum
Dog hair is everywhere, and it traps odors. I aim to vacuum once a week with my Dyson Animal vacuum (which has lasted me FOREVER) and sweep high-traffic areas more frequently. When I have time, I move furniture to get the hair that collects underneath—it’s shocking how much builds up under the couch!
9. Use Baking Soda Before Vacuuming
Instead of store-bought carpet deodorizers (which often contain chemicals), I sprinkle plain baking soda on rugs and carpets before vacuuming. It naturally absorbs odors and is completely safe for pets. Let it sit for about 30 minutes, then vacuum it up.
10. Mop with Vinegar Solution
I stopped using chemical cleaners after noticing my dog’s paws getting irritated. Now I mop with a simple mix of white vinegar and water, sometimes adding a drop of pet-safe essential oil like peppermint.
11. Clean Up Accidents Immediately
This is super important! Pee accidents will stink forever if they’re not cleaned properly. Use enzyme cleaners designed specifically for pet messes—they break down the proteins that cause odors rather than just masking them.
For a DIY option, mix equal parts vinegar and water, but commercial enzyme cleaners like Nature’s Miracle work best for serious accidents.
12. Consider Replacing Carpet
If possible, hard flooring is much easier to keep odor-free than carpet. Many pet owners have found that replacing carpet with tile, hardwood, or bamboo makes a HUGE difference in controlling pet odors.
If replacing isn’t an option (especially for renters), steam clean carpets at least once a year to deep-clean embedded odors.
Furniture & Fabrics: Odor Traps in Your Home
Soft surfaces absorb smells quickly, but these tips can help:
13. Use Washable Furniture Covers
I love snuggling with my dogs on the couch, but I don’t love the smell they leave behind. Slipcovers that can be thrown in the wash weekly have been a total game-changer. They’re quick to remove when company comes, too!
14. Vacuum and Lint-Roll Furniture Weekly
Even with covers, hair gets everywhere. Use vacuum attachments to clean cushions, corners, and under furniture. A lint roller is great for quick cleanups between deeper cleanings.
15. Don’t Forget Your Walls!
This sounds weird, but walls actually collect oils, slobber, and dirt from dogs. Occasionally wipe them down, especially in areas where your dog rubs against them. A vinegar/water solution works great here too.
16. Clean Dog Toys Regularly
Soft toys can go in the washer on cold. Hard toys can be soaked in vinegar water or run through the dishwasher. I wash them with the dog’s bedding to save time.
17. Wash Dog Beds and Blankets Often
Dog beds are major odor magnets. I wash ours at least monthly, sometimes more often depending on how dirty they get. Most good-quality beds come with removable covers—if yours doesn’t, it might be time to upgrade to something washable.
For washing, I use a combination of white vinegar and baking soda in cold or warm water. Avoid heavily fragranced detergents that might irritate your dog’s skin.
Grooming & Prevention: Tackle Odors at the Source
If your dog smells, your house probably will too. Regular grooming helps control odors:
18. Brush Your Dog Regularly
Brushing removes loose hair, distributes natural oils, and helps keep your dog’s coat healthy. I love using grooming gloves—they feel like a massage, and even my brush-hating dog enjoys them!
When weather permits, I brush outside to keep all that loose fur from floating around my house.
19. Clean Ears and Teeth
Funky smells often come from your dog’s ears or mouth. Cleaning their ears monthly with a dog-safe solution helps prevent infections that can cause odor. Brushing teeth (or using dental chews) helps with bad breath.
20. Bathe as Needed
There’s no one-size-fits-all rule here—some dogs need more frequent baths than others. If your dog starts to smell or gets dirty, it’s bath time! Just don’t overdo it, as too-frequent bathing can dry out their skin.
21. Wash Collars and Leashes
This one’s easy to forget, but collars trap odors quickly. Soak them in warm soapy water or vinegar solution occasionally. Biothane collars are a great alternative as they don’t hold odor like fabric ones do.
22. Keep Up with Regular Vet Care
Sometimes persistent odors can indicate a health issue. Allergies, yeast infections, or skin problems can all cause unpleasant smells. If your dog still smells after bathing and grooming, check with your vet.
Deep Cleaning for Stubborn Pet Smells
Sometimes regular cleaning isn’t enough. For those stubborn odors:
23. Consider Professional Cleaning
Professional services have equipment and products that can reach places we can’t. Worth it for occasional deep cleans!
24. Try Ozone Treatments
Some people swear by whole-house ozone treatments for embedded pet smells. Just make sure to follow safety instructions or hire a professional.
25. Replace Items If Necessary
If carpeting, dog beds, or furniture have absorbed years of odors, sometimes replacement is the only solution. It’s an investment that pays off in freshness!
26. Stick to a Cleaning Schedule
This is really the secret sauce—consistency! Once you get things clean, staying on top of it with a simple routine makes all the difference.
Natural Remedies for Dog Odors
If you’re like me and prefer to avoid chemical sprays and plug-ins, try these natural remedies:
- Baking soda – Sprinkle on carpets or inside dog beds, then vacuum up
- White vinegar – Mix 1:1 with water for mopping or spot-cleaning
- Activated charcoal – Great for passively soaking up odors
- Pet-safe essential oils – Just make sure they’re dog-friendly and use in moderation
- Houseplants – Add beauty while helping purify indoor air
My Favorite Quick Tips
Here are a few bonus tips that have made a huge difference in my home:
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Vinegar in the laundry: Stop using fabric softener and dryer sheets. Instead, add white vinegar to the fabric softener component of your washing machine. Pet odors (and other smells) will disappear!
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Try biothane collars: These don’t hold odor like fabric collars do, which is a huge win.
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Cargo liners for your car: Don’t forget about keeping your vehicle fresh too!
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Grooming gloves: These feel like a massage to your dog while removing loose fur—win-win!
Keeping your home fresh with dogs is totally possible with these simple habits. The key is consistency and finding what works for your specific situation. And remember—no matter how clean your house is, it’s still a home for both you AND your furry friends.
What tips do you use to keep your house from smelling like dog? I’d love to hear your ideas in the comments!
Daily cleaning tasks with dogs:
- Run the robot vacuum (automatically–and bonus tip: run it on a schedule, so it forces you to tidy the floor before it runs). I’ve tried many of these, and in 100% honesty, I LOVED the inexpensive ones and nearly despised the expensive name brand ones. My favorites are the Deebot and the iLife.
- Run a lint roller over your clothes. I do this before cooking (we keep one in a kitchen drawer). It keeps fur out of the food of course, but also off of everything else you touch and sit on.
As-needed cleaning through the week:
- Spritz Kids-N-Pets enzyme cleaner on problem areas or areas the pets frequent takes care of small odor issues.
- Spot clean any carpeted areas or fabric furniture that are stinky for whatever reason. You can use Kids-N-Pets diluted in water with a towel to scrub and then cover with a clean, dry towel, or use a spot cleaner. This spot cleaner gets regular use around here.
- A couple times a week, brush the dogs (outside) to keep loose fur out. You can use any brush for this, even a hairbrush works well on many dogs.
- Clean their paws. Doggy feet get stinky and transfer that stink to the floors, so when needed use the MudBuster paw cleaner–usually once or twice a week. Then dry with a towel. You’ll have less stink on the soft floors and less paw prints on the hard floors. If you don’t have a MudBuster, use a very wet towel to scrub, then a dry towel.
- Dry shampoo the dogs, my DIY dry shampoo recipe is my favorite, and it’s practically free. For me, this is usually about once a month, in between baths.
- Shake out rugs. I was impressed by how much these rugs actually work. We keep one outside the back door (on a covered deck) and one inside the door for double the dirt catching. I would like to shake them out daily, but it’s usually once or twice a week.
- Use a deshedding brush on the dogs. If you have a double-coated dog, you might want to take pictures of the second dog you could create out of the fur…fur that would be all over your house otherwise. Different deshedding brushes work on different breeds. For double coated dogs, the ShedMonster has been my absolute favorite. For short-haired dogs (and cats), I love the EquiGroomer (I learned about it from the great groomer, Girl With The Dogs, so it’s safe and effective.)
- Remove fur from fabric furniture. Very lightly mist the fabric with water, then put on rubber cleaning gloves and wipe the furniture down with your hands. It’s AMAZING how much better this works than a lint roller, and there is no burning through roller refills either. It picks up all the fur way better than a lint roller does, and there’s no waste and no refills to buy.
- Remove fur from bedding. Your bedding and theirs. The Chom Chom is so good for large surfaces.
- Run a full-sized vacuum on carpeted areas. Twice in a row. You’ll be amazed at what comes up with a second cleaning, whether you have dogs or not, but especially if you do.
- Mop hard floors. (Don’t use Kids-N-Pets in your mopping liquid, it makes them VERY slippery.) You can do a full mop, but even a Swiffer-style wet mop will make a big difference.
- Wash the rugs in the hottest water you can. If you get the rugs I recommend, don’t use vinegar on them as it will break down the non-slip backing. If they are stinky, soak them in water with Oxiclean overnight before washing.
8 Tips To ELIMINATE Dog Smell From Your House!!
FAQ
How do I make my house not smell like a dog?
An air purifier with a HEPA filter is the best option for eliminating odors from your home. Be sure to get an air purifier that is the right size for your room.
What causes your house to smell like a dog?
Can you ever get rid of dog smell in house?
How do you air out a room that smells like a dog?
Place bowls of white vinegar around your home to absorb odors. Use pet-safe essential oils like lavender or eucalyptus for a natural air freshener.Apr 8, 2025