My house smells of dog

[ImStickMan]

My SIL told me she can smell dog quite strongly in my house (she wasn't being bitchy, I asked her to tell me honestly )

I don't know how to get rid of it! Dog is rather old and stinky (but lovely!) I try to brush her often outside but she sheds a lot (she's a border collie cross)

I vaccum every other day, and use shake and vac. I also use scented candles if I know people are coming over. The living room carpet is old and stained so possibly responsible for some of the smell. We've cleaned it with a carpet cleaner but really it needs replacing (which we can't afford)

We open the windows and air the place regularly but it still smells.

Is there anything else I can do to combat the smell?

[Wingedharpy]

If the dog smells you could shampoo her with doggie shampoo from all good pet stores.
Wash her bedding too.
Pets at Home (pet shop) do a lovely smelling doggie deodorant which you can speay on her damp coat after you've shampooed her and she'll small gorgeous.
We had friends who had a dog and while we were staying with them, the wife hoovered and as she did this the smell of dog was very overpowering so it may not be your dog, as such, but your hoover which has picked up all the doggie bits of fur and dander and is then fragrancing the rooms with the smell as you use it.
Wash your hoover filter if it has one and rinse out the dust container if it's bagless or change the bag if it has one.

[Wingedharpy]

spray

[reliablemillipede]

First of all I think I would start with the source, get your pooch to the groomers for a bath/hair cut/ general pamper, then wash all it's bedding/soft toys etc ( would wash all of this lot weekly), your vacumn could also be adding to the smell, make sure the bag is emptied really regularly, depending on what sort of vacumn you have look in to gettting an air freshener in there too ( I use lemongrass essential oil on an unused tea bag in the filter bit).

I also use zoflora disinfectant quite a lot, use it on all hard floors/worksurfaces, it keeps the room smelling nice for ages.
Also helps to keep your dog off of the sofas etc.

[AdoraBell]

Bet it's not as bad as mine right now I could easily move out. 2 puppies too toung to bath and it's too cold (southern hemasphier) for them to be outside.

I agree though, wash the offending beast and anything she sleeps on, plus disinfect just about everything. I'm getting a steam cleaner as soon as these puppies are outside, and boy am I looking forward to getting my kitchen clean

Ps. "offending beast" is meant affectionately

[ceres]

for airborne smells try putting bowls of white vinegar in the offending rooms. i use ramekins and put them in the corner of window sills behind the curtains. amazing at freshening the air without using chemical smelling cover ups.

i wouldn't use shake and vac - just use plain bicarb of soda. leave on the carpets overnight if poss then vacuum. you can add a couple of drops of essential oil to the powder if you like. just let it dry before using.

my staffie doesn't like baths so to spare him (and me!) the ordeal i quite often just give him a wipedown - little bit of dog shampoo (i use a very mild one for sensitive skin) in bowl of warm water and a flannel. helps to combat the doggy odour although obviously not as effective as a full bath

[ImStickMan]

Thank you for all the tips! I do wash her bedding but not weekly

I think a good bath, a new filter for the hoover, and some white vinger and essential oils on the shopping list are my next move!

[AdoraBell]

ceres

I didn't know about the vinegar trick, off to fill a few dozen bowls right now.

[BetterChoicesChair]

I think the big thing is keeping dogs off of soft furnishings because those are hard to clean and absorb all the smells. (This would be a case of do as I say, not as I do...my dogs think that our couches are giant dog beds ).

[squaredog]

I think it's probably the fact that she's elderly, bless her......

A bit like old people!

[squaredog]

chillyexpat.....I think this is a bit like moving into a smokers home...yuk!

(Dog lover.....not offended. I'D be offended by the smell of someone ELSES dog!)

[GrimmaTheNome]

my dog barely smells, and I've been told my house is the only doggy abode which doesn't smell of dog... except straight after I've vacuumed. I do empty it frequently, and its not that long since I washed the filter (dyson) - is there anything other than washing it really often that will help? Come to that, are there any vacuum cleaners which don't have this problem?

[ceres]

i think the vinegar as a room freshener is amazing! i'll be interested to hear what others think when they have tried it.

[Ephiny]

Definitely wash her beds/blankets etc regularly, and keep her off the sofas (or get a washable sofa 'throw' that you change regularly).

The Oust air freshener is quite good.

Your carpet could be an issue, I'm coming to the conclusion that dogs and carpet just don't work. If you can't afford to replace it (with some kind of hard flooring) can you get it professionally cleaned?

[Rainydayagain]

We don't smell of dog, wood floors, leather sofa. Dog is not allwed on sofa or bed. As said fabric and dogs are a bad combination. ( i can smell her in the car if she has been on the seat) my mil house stinks of dog its gross.

Wash her basket weekly and pop it out for an airing if weather is fine.

I think the trick is to dry them well if they have been out in bad weather. Wet dogs stink!

[CuttedUpPear]

My problem seems to be that the hoover itself smells of dog. It is a special dog one (stupidly designed with dalmatian spots) and because the main thing is sucks up is old dog hair, that's the smell that it gives out when you are using it!

Ugh. any suggestions?

[GrimmaTheNome]

When mine breaks down (unfortunately that probably wont be for ages) I'm definitely going to look at ones with charcoal filters, that sounds like a great idea.

[Choceclair123]

It's been three years since we've had a dog living in the house and we can still smell the dog. This is despite absolutely everything being cleaned a number of times!

[figureofspeech]

Do you have wooden floor boards under the carpet? Hard floors are better if you have pets as you can easily mop and disinfect.

[hairymuffet]

Lenor unstoppables in the hoover bag worked for me, the hoover itself was smelly

[SanityAssassin]

unfortunately dogs stink -they just do. Probably more so with age. People with dogs don't notice the smell as they live with it but a non dog owner can smell it instantly (bit like smoking) . Nothing you can do other than remove dog which as you love it you wont.

[LancashirePudding]

CuttedUpPear have you tried putting a cotton wool ball soaked with a few drops of an essential oil (lavender is lovely) in your vacuum hoover bag? Releases a lovely smell when you do the vacuuming.

[ExConstance]

When our house gets a bit doggy smelling it is usually just the dog himself and his bedding that is responsible. He doesn't like it but will endure a bath. i then slather him with nice conditioner and wash all his stuff (including collar and harness ) with super strong fabric conditioner. He prefers to be stinky but hasn't got a vote.