“How do I deal with Pet Odors in my home?”

If you have furry loved ones in your household, you might be immune to the odor they leave in your carpet and soft furniture. Over time, pet odors can accumulate, but we become desensitized to the minor scent changes in our environments. If your friends have mentioned a cat-like smell in your home or told you “your house smells like dogs,” but you can’t smell it, don’t worry, this is common. It’s a sign of how we adjust to the familiar scents around us.

We love our pets, but we don’t always love their odors. Most issues can be resolved with regular mopping, vacuuming, and bathing our pets, but sometimes pets make mistakes, and some foul odors, including pet odors, rise to our senses.

Animals tend to mark their territory—this much we know. Sometimes the solution is additional training, but sometimes it is a medical concern. If you find your pet “marking” areas of your home, try to use positive reinforcement to encourage them to do their business in an acceptable place (like the litter box, outside, or puppy pads). If more accidents happen, make sure to completely remove the stain and pet odors from the spot because if you do not, they will continue to see that as an acceptable place to relieve themselves. If proper retraining does not help, consult your vet to discuss other options.

The Humane Society has some suggestions for the proper cleaning of pet marking messes. For one, they recommend a layer of paper towels covered by a layer of newspaper. Once you apply pressure, the mess should start absorbing then finish by rinsing the area with water and removing as much of the water as possible. The last step is difficult without a wet-vac or professional care.

Covering the stain and smell with scented cleaning chemicals is less likely to work than a deep cleaning. The pet odor-causing molecules need to be completely removed for maximum effectiveness. Basic carpet cleaning chemicals may mask the scent from you and other humans, but your pet will still be able to smell the pet odors and they will continue to mark there. To help this, pet stores sell “pet odor neutralizers” which will work much better than normal carpet cleaners.

Unfortunately, when left untreated pet stains on wood can lead to permanent damage. Pet odors, much like carpet stains, are best treated as soon as possible. The only solution at this point is reapplying varnish. Allowing Sparky’s markings on any surface may lead to damage that even professional cleaners cannot fix.

If your pet is still in potty training, or you have begun retraining them, give us a call at Accents in Cleaning. Our deep cleaning procedures can restore your floors to like-new conditions. If you don’t believe us, check out the customer review on Yelp stating that our services kept them from having to pay a re-carpeting fee on their rental apartment. Clean floors are wonderful to have, and we won’t let you consider rehousing your pet in order to maintain cleanliness in your life. Call us today so we can help you keep a clean, happy home.